Maine troops stationed in Saudi Arabia soon will be hearing messages from home through the efforts of a Brewer radio station.

WWFX (104.7 FM) is now staging “Operation Uplift.” Through this project, people can call the station’s toll-free number (1-800-447-3699) from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and record a message, either meant for a specific relative or the troops in general.

There’s no time limit on the messages, according to Chuck Foster, WWFX’s morning personality and production director. They must adhere, however, to restrictions imposed by the Armed Forces Radio Network. The caller cannot refer to a person by name or mention that person’s unit or the unit’s location. Also, no derogatory references to Arabs or Arab nations are permitted.

“There are ways to get around those restrictions,” said Foster. “A person could say, `This is Mrs. Jim Smith from Levant, and this message is to my son.”‘

Foster has a friend in Saudi Arabia, which sparked the idea of “Operation Uplift.”

“I was thinking about what it’s like for people over there, with the heat, strange surroundings, pressure and the waiting,” he said. “It must be terrible. I felt it would be uplifting to hear the voice of a mother or some other relative.”

Foster said the station had received a couple dozen calls so far. The project will continue through Friday. Next week, Foster will edit the messages into a single tape and send it to the Armed Forces Radio and Television Services in Sun Valley, Calif. That organization is setting up transmission facilities in Saudi Arabia.

Foster found out that his friend was in the Middle East, because the friend had said he would leave his answering machine on if he went. Others also face not knowing about where friends and relatives are. So these messages are beneficial for the callers as well.

“A lot of people get choked up when they’re giving them,” Foster said. “It’s a line of communication they might not otherwise have.”