Makiling Amateur Radio Society (MARS) was organized by hams who were residing near the University of the Philippines at Los Banos and surrounding towns in Laguna. Formally organized in 1983, the group has earned prestige and respect of other hams here and abroad. The repeater system was built and installed by MARS members on Mt. Makiling. Its coverage reached up to Baguio in the north and Camarines Sur in the south.
The club is proud of its YSL (Yari sa Laguna.) MARS is also known for "homebrewing." Many of the club equipment are YSLs (including the repeater.)
The club maintains and operates a repeater station with a callsign of DX1MK. The club station/repeater is duly licensed and authorized by the National Telecommunications Commission. Presently, DX1MK repeater is located at the foot of Mt Makiling at about 600ft ASL. The club is negotiating for a better location that will have a wider coverage for its repeater system. MARS is now also part of the Echolink community in which stations from all over the world can communicate via internet-radio linking. The group takes the lead in the National Digital Highway Project for amateur packet radio communication. The DX1MK net call is held from Monday to Saturday at 5:30 am (Manila time) with net control operators from Los Banos, Manila and North America.
After a short period of "hybernation" we hear again the station calling, "CQ, CQ, this is delta x-ray one mike kilo."
Now on its 20th year, Makiling Amateur Radio Society lives up to its reputation as a premier amateur radio club in the Philippines.
Calling Frequency @ 144.980MHz (minus PL88.5)
QSL Information;
Makiling Amateur Radio Society
P.O. BOx 124
4031 College, Laguna
Philippines
