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Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Rastus on February 18, 2017, 08:32:59 AM

Title: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on February 18, 2017, 08:32:59 AM
June 0000 Zulu June 3rd  to 2359 Zulu June 4th is the date for the 2017 Museum Ships Weekend.  0000 Zulu is 7 PM CDT on the Friday of the weekend.  It's sponsored by the ham radio club on the USS New Jersey each year http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/ (http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/) .

I thought I'd post this up way early this year so that you guys who are hams or wanna be hams have time to get ready this time....as opposed to not having time last year.  So, if you do not have a General ham operator license you have time to study and take the test.  In fact...time enough to take the test several times if you don't make it the first time or two.

Or..you can listen in on your SW radio even though most of the contacts do not provide QSL cards.  Last year I only made 24 contacts vs. 34 the year before.  If you can hear the Museum Ships you will hear most of the ham operators trying to contact them as well...so you could hear me screaming my lungs out trying to get a contact.

Conditions on 20 meters was brutal and most contacts were made on 40 meters versus the 2015 contest when about 30 of my contacts were on 20 meters. 

Peg....you said you missed it last year.  Now you can mark it on your calendar early enough to not miss it.   

Alf, don't know if you got your 20M antenna up in time last time.  Also Pathfinder and dipisc you guys were thinking of getting on last year.  And Deepwater...did you happen to make any contacts at sea?

PS  May 6th there will be a ham special event from the lone existing Titan Missile base left intact after deactivation.  It's in Arizona and they use the original antenna for the missile silo.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on March 14, 2017, 06:06:39 AM
  NAME                                           TYPE OF SHIP                     LOCATION                 CALLSIGN
      USS Midway                                 Aircraft Carrier                   San Diego, CA                 NI6IW   
      USS New Jersey                           Battleship                       Camden, New Jersey          NJ2BB
      USS Oklahoma Mast Memorial     Battleship Mast Memorial       Muskogee, OK             WW2OK   
      SS Col. James M Schoonmaker   Bulk Carrier                            Toledo, OH                     K8E   
      **Claud W Somers                      Chesapeake Bay Skipjack            Reedville, VA           W4NNK 
      USS Stewart                                 Destroyer Escort               Galveston, TX                  KK5W     
      Evelina M Goulart                         Fishing Schooner               Essex, MA                        W1E
      Götz von Mannheim                     Landing Craft                    Mannheim, Germany         DL0NW   
      RMS Queen Mary                         Passenger Ship                 Long Beach, CA                 W6RO 
      **W T Preston                             Sternwheeler (Snagboat)  Anacortes, WA                 KG7OCP
      H. L. Hunley                                Submarine - Civil War          Charleston, SC               N4HLH   
      USS Batfish                                 Submarine                         Muskogee, OK                  WW2SUB 
      USS Nautilus                               Submarine                         Groton, CT                       N1S 
      USS Silversides                           Submarine                         Muskegon, MI                   N8SUB   
      HMUb Nordkaparen                     Submarine                         Gothenburg, Sweden        SL8SUB   
      USS Cavalla                                 Submarine                         Galveston, TX                   KK5W   
      Novosibirskij Komsomolec (B-396) Submarine 641-B          Moscow, Russia              RU3AWK 


17 ships are signed up early this year including the two new ones marked with asterisks.  There were over 100 ships last year and will probably be more than 100 this year as well.  You guys who are hams that have technician licenses still have time to get your General ticket and participate.

I'm just sayin'....
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Big Frank on March 14, 2017, 04:17:10 PM
I never knew we had a submarine in Michigan. There's a museum there and you can even sleep overnight in the sub if you want to. It's 155 miles away from me so I could make a day trip out of it if I wanted to but I won't. Still it's nice to know that it's there and veterans get a $2.50 discount. Good luck to the hams on here.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: PegLeg45 on March 15, 2017, 11:44:21 AM
A few years ago we and some friends from church vacationed together and were staying at a neighbor's condo in PCB Florida. One of the guys and I took a day trip over to Mobile, Alabama to the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
They have a sub there, the USS Drum, but it was too tight for someone my size and height (I was 70 pounds heavier then) to navigate through, even if my leg would bend like it's supposed to. My friend went through and said about halfway through he started to feel like he was being squeezed.

The USS Alabama is impressive. At 6' 2" tall, even it was tight in spots. I couldn't see as much of it as I would have liked to due to both confines and limited walking distance before my hips start giving me trouble. I toured as much as I could, and would like to go back.

There is also an aviation museum, complete with SR-71 Blackbird (with an additional engine on display).

http://www.ussalabama.com/

 
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on March 16, 2017, 11:15:14 AM
I've never talked with the guys on the USS Alabama but I have tried....it's an "awkward" distance for me plus my antenna nulls out towards them.

Regardless...it's a great ship to visit and I've been in the sub.  It is small...I would not like being in a tin can like that.  The SR-71 is cool especially the aluminized wheels....though they did not have the extra engine out when I was there last probably 10-12 years ago.

It's on my list again as soon as I make it that way though.

Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: tombogan03884 on March 16, 2017, 12:55:05 PM
I'm more curious about the sub in Muskogee Ok. I'm thinking the navigator was not #1in his class.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Jim Kennedy-ar154me on March 16, 2017, 12:56:40 PM
I'm more curious about the sub in Muskogee Ok. I'm thinking the navigator was not #1in his class.

But you got to give him an A+ for finding a water route to get there!
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on March 18, 2017, 06:51:58 AM
The sub came up the Arkansas River by courtesy of the US Army Corp of Engineers.  There is a War Memorial Park there and they have a website:  http://warmemorialpark.org/news/ (http://warmemorialpark.org/news/)

They also have a fire control mast from the USS Oklahoma.  The mast allows them to operate as a museum ship for the USS Oklahoma. 

And the Google aerial view:  https://www.google.com/maps/place/Muskogee+War+Memorial+Park:+Home+of+the+USS+Batfish/@35.7946237,-95.3107919,145m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xb598349524ab6740!8m2!3d35.7937784!4d-95.3105774 (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Muskogee+War+Memorial+Park:+Home+of+the+USS+Batfish/@35.7946237,-95.3107919,145m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xb598349524ab6740!8m2!3d35.7937784!4d-95.3105774)
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: tombogan03884 on March 18, 2017, 12:25:58 PM
Didn't they run steam boats on the Arkansas river, like the Missouri ?
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Timothy on March 18, 2017, 04:46:33 PM
Didn't they run steam boats on the Arkansas river, like the Missouri ?

Absolutely...
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on March 18, 2017, 06:22:24 PM
There are 5 locks in Oklahoma and 13 in Arkansas to facilitate water based shipments....

http://www.arkansasstripers.com/arkansas-river-locks-and-dams.htm (http://www.arkansasstripers.com/arkansas-river-locks-and-dams.htm)
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on April 07, 2017, 08:57:07 PM
Up to 47 ships right now. 
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on April 09, 2017, 04:46:35 AM
53 ships and 54 days before the start!
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: deepwater on April 09, 2017, 10:05:20 PM
Currently at sea and don't know where I'll be come June. I will try to get on the air this year.

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on April 11, 2017, 06:07:28 AM
Currently at sea and don't know where I'll be come June. I will try to get on the air this year.

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Well, let me know.  I use http://www.dxsummit.fi/ (http://www.dxsummit.fi/) to find stations I need.   The converse to that is someone can type in a callsign for someone posting and find out what frequency they have been operating on and when.  So after I make a QSO I'll post in hopes the herd will follow and I can make contact with a new station.

Another good thing is that you can insert the calls you want to monitor for (do not know the limit) and only those calls show up.  So, for instance if you wanted to get the USS Savanah nuclear powered cargo ship you'd type in K3SAV  or for the USS Nautilus N1S.  Then you can also input my call sign, KE5JDJ, or I can input your call sign so that if you're active and have posted (or someone has posted you as a contact) I will see your sign pop up with the GMT, frequency and mode.

Kinda kewl. 

Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: les snyder on April 11, 2017, 07:37:35 AM
Rastus... your comment about being able to type in a call sign and have the freq appear made me chuckle... 40 or so years ago, it would have been nice to have had desk top computers... we had access to the Crays at Ft Meade, but relied on our own call sign and frequency analysis... and the bad guys changed call signs and freqs pretty regularly... I did, however, have a pretty good antenna at my disposal... gratuitous pic of the AN/FLR-9 at the 6922nd Security Group, Clark AFB, Philippines...and I had really good Morse intercept operators, and the finest Vietnamese and Chinese Mandarin linguist in the world

(http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz180/LesSnyder/9th20USASAFS20Compound20197x2021_zpsd1bf5d00.jpg) (http://s825.photobucket.com/user/LesSnyder/media/9th20USASAFS20Compound20197x2021_zpsd1bf5d00.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on April 12, 2017, 07:29:49 AM
Les you look at what you posted there and it should remind everyone why hams are called amateurs.

I sure wish I had an antenna setup like that.  The military pretty much had drifted away from HF because of satellite coms and very nearly discarded MARS but now (for some unforeseen reason, eh?) of late seems to have a renewed interest in HF.

I still like it.  100 watts and a wire takes me around the world and all places continental US.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on May 05, 2017, 05:08:52 PM
Now up to 106 Museum Ships!

                 
SHIPS PARTICIPATING FOR 2017 - 106  Ships
(updated 27 May 2017
)

** Ships with asterisks are new to Museum Ships Weekend
Please QSL each ship directly

          NAME                             TYPE OF SHIP                     LOCATION                 CALLSIGN
     
      K1USN                                  Watson Museum                  Braintree, MA               K1USN   
      USS Midway                             Aircraft Carrier               San Diego, CA               NI6IW   
      USS Yorktown                           Aircraft Carrier               Charleston, SC              WA4USN 
      USS Hornet                             Aircraft Carrier               Alameda Point, CA           NB6GC 
      USS Intrepid                           Aircraft Carrier               New York, NY                WW2CV 
      USS Lexington                          Aircraft Carrier               Corpus Christi, TX          W5LEX   
      ST-695 Angels Gate                     Army Tugboat                   San Pedro, CA               K6AA   
      USS New Jersey                         Battleship                     Camden, New Jersey          NJ2BB
      USS Alabama (Sat Jun 3 only)       Battleship                     Mobile, AL                  K4DSR   
      USS Iowa                               Battleship                     San Pedro, CA               NI6BB   
      USS Missouri                           Battleship                     Pearl Harbor, HI            KH6BB   
      USS Wisconsin                          Battleship                     Norfolk, Virginia           N4WIS 
      USS Massachusetts             Battleship                     Fall River, MA         N1EPL (CW) & NE1PL (other modes) 
      USS North Carolina                     Battleship                     Wilmington, NC              NI4BK   
      USS Texas                              Battleship                     Houston, Texas              NA5DV 
      USS Oklahoma Mast Memorial    Battleship Mast Memorial       Muskogee, OK                WW2OK   
      SS Col. James M Schoonmaker            Bulk Carrier                   Toledo, OH                  K8E   
      MV Cap San Diego                       Cargo Ship                     Hamburg,Germany             DL0MFH 
      Ex MV Dresden                          Cargo Ship                     Rostock, Germany            DL0MCM 
      **GK10065                              Cargo Freight Ship        Danube, near Vienna, Austria     OE6XMF/p
      **Claud W Somers                   Chesapeake Bay Skipjack            Reedville, VA               W4NNK 
      USCG Ingham                            CG Cutter                      Key West, FL                NR4DL   
      USS Potomac                            CG Cutter/Pres. Yacht          Oakland, CA.                NE6JP 
      **CSS Neuse  (Sat Jun 3 only)   Civil War Ironclad Gunboat        Kinston, NC                 W4OIX
      USS Littlerock                             Cruiser                        Buffalo, New York           W2PE   
      Aurora                                       Cruiser                        St. Petersburg, Russia      RF1A 
      USS Olympia                               Cruiser                        Philadelphia, PA            WA3BAT   
      USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial  Cruiser                        Indianapolis, IN            WW2IND   
      USS The Sullivans                      Destroyer                      Buffalo, NY                 N2HTL 
      USS Turner Joy                           Destroyer                      Bremerton, WA               NS7DD   
      USS Kidd                                    Destroyer                      Baton Rouge, La             W5KID   
      USS Joseph P Kennedy, Jr            Destroyer                      Fall River, MA              NB1CR   
      USS Cassin Young                       Destroyer                      Boston, MA                  WW2DD 
      FGS Moelders                              Destroyer                      Wilhelmshaven/Germany       DL0MFX 
      USS Edson DD946                       Destroyer                      Bay City, MI                W8EDS   
      USS Orleck                                Destroyer                      Lake Charles, LA            W5BII
      USS Stewart                               Destroyer Escort               Galveston, TX               KK5W   
      USS Slater                                 Destroyer Escort               Albany, NY                  WW2DEM     
      Evelina M Goulart                        Fishing Schooner               Essex, MA                   W1E 
      MV France 1                              Frigate(Meteorological survey) La Rochelle, France         TM1EJ   
      SS Grandcamp Memorial (June 4 only) French Liberty Ship            Texas City, TX              AC0TX   
      Navio Hospital Gil Eannes           Hospital Ship                  Viana do Castelo, Portugal  CS5ARAM 
      SS Sankt Erik                            Icebreaker                     Stockholm, Sweden           8SØHRA 
      USCGC Mackinaw                       Icebreaker                     Mackinaw, MI                W8AGB   
      Kraisin                                      Icebreaker                     St. Petersburg, Russia      R100LK   
      Götz von Mannheim                   Landing Craft                  Mannheim, Germany           DL0NW   
      SS John W Brown                      Liberty Ship                   Baltimore, MD               K8JWB 
      SS Jeremiah O'Brien                  Liberty Ship                   San Francisco, CA           K6JOB 
      SS High Flyer Memorial (June 3 only) Liberty Ship                   Texas City, TX          AC0TX 
      LS Ambrose                               Lightship                      East River, NY City, NY     W2AQ   
      **LS Westhinder III                   Lightship                      Antwerp, Belgium             ON9BD/LS   
      **Borkumriff                              Lightship                      Island Borkum, Germany  DL0BRF   
      **Amrumbank /Deutsche Bucht   Lightship                      Emden, Germany              DF0MF
      LV Elbe l                                    Lightvessel                    Cuxhaven Germany         DL0CUX   
      LST-393                                     LST                            Muskegon, MI                   N8LST   
      USS LST-325                              LST                            Evansville, IN                   WW2LST   
      **SS Selma                            Merchant ship WWI (Concrete Hull)  Galveston, TX   W5MSQ 
      USS Lucid                              Minesweeper                    Stockton, CA                N6MSO   
      USS Hazard                             Minesweeper                    Omaha, NE                   K0USA   
      KRS 575 “Hans Beimler”            Missile Corvette         Peenemuende, Germany        DL0MFN   
      National Museum of Pacific War   Naval Museum            Fredericksburg, TX          N5P 
      Naval Tech'l Museum La SPEZIA   Naval Museum A.R.M.I.          Italy                       II1MTN     
      NSS Savannah                           Nuclear Merchant Vessel        Baltimore, MD               K3SAV 
      Mannheim                                Paddle Steamer                 Mannheim, Germany           DK0LU 
      SS Hohentwiel                          Paddle Steamer                 Bodensee, Austria           OE6XMF/9 
      RMS Queen Mary                      Passenger Ship                 Long Beach, CA              W6RO 
      SS Rotterdam                           Passenger Ship                 Port of Rotterdam           PI4HAL   
      **PT-305                                Patrol Boat                    New Orleans, LA             WW2NO   
      SS City of Milwaukee                   Railroad Car Ferry             Manistee, MI                KS8B 
      John T. Essberger (Sun Jun 3 only)  Rescue Cruiser                 Speyer, Germany             DK0SP   
      **Paul Denker                         Rescue Cruiser                 Bremen, Germany             DL0DBAB
      PBR                                         River Patrol Boat              College Station, TX         W5PBR   
      PB Niederoesterreich                 River Patrol Boat              Danube/Vienna, Austria      OE6XMF/3   
      Tall Ship Elissa                          Sailing Barque                 Galveston Island, TX        N5E 
      MS Seefalke                            Salvage Tug                    Bremerhaven,Germany         DK0SN   
      U-5075                                    Seehund Submarine              Quincy, MA.                 WW2MAN 
      **W T Preston                          Sternwheeler (Snagboat)        Anacortes, WA               W7W
     *H. L. Hunley                             Submarine - Civil War          Charleston, SC              N4HLH   
      USS Batfish                               Submarine                      Muskogee, OK                WW2SUB 
      USS Nautilus                             Submarine                      Groton, CT                  N1S 
      USS Silversides                          Submarine                      Muskegon, MI                N8SUB   
      HMUb Nordkaparen                    Submarine                      Gothenburg, Sweden          SL8SUB   
      USS Cavalla                              Submarine                      Galveston, TX               KK5W   
      Novosibirskij Komsomolec (B-396) Submarine 641-B          Moscow, Russia              RU3AWK 
      USS Clamagore                          Submarine                      Charleston, SC              NJ4DU   
      U-995                                       Submarine                      Laboe Germany               DL0DMB     
      USS Cod                                Submarine                      Cleveland, OH               W8COD   
      USS Cobia                              Submarine                      Manitowoc, Wisconsin        NB9QV 
      USS Razorback                          Submarine                      N.Little Rock AR            N5R   
      USS Pampanito                          Submarine                      San Francisco, CA           NJ6VT 
      USS Blueback                           Submarine                      Portland, OR                W7SUB   
      S-61 Delfin                              Submarine                      Torrevieja Spain            EH5SUB 
      USS Dolphin (separate contact)   Submarine                      San Diego, CA               NS6OI 
      Vesikko                                   Submarine         Suomenlinna, Helsinki, FINLAND   OH2/SUB   
      **Flore                                      Submarine                      Lorient, France             TM2FLO   
      HMCS Onondaga                        Submarine                      Pointe-au-Père, Quebec      VA2GNQ   
      U9  (Sun Jun 4 only)                   Submarine                      Speyer, Germany             DK0SP   
      **Royal Sub R12 Memorial          Submarine Memorial             Gaeta, Italy                II0SOM   
      K24 (U-461)                              Submarine                      Peenemuende, Germany        DM3G   
      U3                                            Submarine                      Malmo, Sweden               SD7SUB 
      USS Bowfin                             Submarine                      Pearl Harbor, HI            KH6SP 
      USS Drum  (Sun-Jun 4 only)        Submarine                      Mobile, Alabama             K4DSR   
      CSS Acadia                             Survey Vessel                  Halifax Nova Scotia         VE0MMA
      **M/V Mississippi                      Tow Boat                       Vicksburg, MS               K5ZRO
      Red Oak Victory                         Victory Ship                   Richmond, CA                K6YVM   
      Elettra (Marconi's Traveling Lab)      Yacht                      Pontecchio Marconi, Italy       IQ4FE


Approximate Single Sideband Frequencies & Modes

LSB - 3,860 KHz   
LSB - 7,260 KHz 

USB - 14,260 KHz 
USB - 18,160 KHz
USB - 21,360 KHz
USB - 24,960 KHz
USB - 28,360 KHz
USB - 50,160 KHz

Some ships will also be on 3880 KHz - 3885 KHz and 7290 KHz Amplitude Modulation with either their ships original equipment or modern equipment.

While any operating mode can be used in this event and CW and SSB are the dominant modes, we are encouraging all the particpating ships, that have the ability, to fire up their original equipment on

3885 KHz, 3600 & 3625 (in the UK),
 3705 (W. Europe),
 7290 KHz and 14.286 KHz in the AM mode.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on May 29, 2017, 05:17:04 AM
Les, do you think you can rig me up an antenna system like that?  Sure would be nice.  Did you guys also transmit on those or just listen? 

We're over 100 ships now see above updated list.  I'm going to upgrade my antenna setup a little.  I plan to build a simple wire oriented more North-South and add some emphasis on the foreign ships.  I've missed breaking into the top 10 operators by one or two the last 2 years and I hope to change that. 

Besides looking for some of the overseas ships this year, my big focus is to pick up PT-305 in New Orleans.  It's a fully restored WWII PT Boat that saw action off the European coast. 

Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: alfsauve on May 29, 2017, 03:38:02 PM
I appreciate the PMs.   I've scrapped my original HF antenna idea from last year, but have a new plan.

Will I get it done by 6/2?   Hard to say.  We're having daily storms and I just don't seem to find the time to get this antenna up.

Here's Hoping.

Do we have a quick reference list of all our call signs?   

Alf - W4ADS
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on May 29, 2017, 04:25:14 PM
Coax and a 1:1 balun and some junk wire will do it.  I have two antennas in the attic...neither with a balun though.

I used 440 Ohm ladder line and cut one for 20M and 15M and the other for 80M and 40M.  The 80M needs a tuner to be really useful but no tuner for the other bands.  Took about 15 minutes to cut them to size once they were up.

HOWEVER...https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/antennas/part-type/wire-antennas/product-line/mfj-17754-40-20m-dipole-antennas?autoview=SKU&N=4294953330%2B4294953279&sortby=Default&sortorder=Ascending (https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/antennas/part-type/wire-antennas/product-line/mfj-17754-40-20m-dipole-antennas?autoview=SKU&N=4294953330%2B4294953279&sortby=Default&sortorder=Ascending) one like this one form DXEngineering will nicely fit the bill.  Probably 95+% of my contacts the last couple of years has come from 20M and 40M.  Last year 40M was the best 3:1 over 20M. 

So...if you put something up a 20M dipole and a 40M dipole will do it. 

Ken
KE5JDJ
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 01, 2017, 07:28:48 AM
Well good news for conditions right now for 20M (14.225-14.350) which is the portion of the 20M band for Ships is looking better for communications.  Also up to 106 ships and I'd assume there will be a dozen stragglers getting in between now and Friday evening when this kicks off.

It starts 0000Z June 3,  to 2359Z June 4, 2017 which is 7 PM Central this Friday the 2nd through 7PM this Sunday the 4th.  A list of "central frequencies" and which mode is used is listed below.

Before I had my ham license and setup I used to listen in each year on my shortwave....

Approximate Single Sideband Frequencies & Modes

LSB - 3,860 KHz   
LSB - 7,260 KHz 

USB - 14,260 KHz 
USB - 18,160 KHz
USB - 21,360 KHz
USB - 24,960 KHz
USB - 28,360 KHz
USB - 50,160 KHz
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 01, 2017, 07:44:21 AM
Alf I got a Hustler 6BTV vertical antenna in yesterday I'm going to add to the dipoles.  They are pretty good and about $200-$220 bucks and handles 6 bands including 30M CW which I do not use.  However, it is supposed to edge out the 5BTV  which is 5 bands without 30M for around $190.  The reason I point this out is because I checked the HRO store in Atlanta...not knowing how far you are from there but it's the right state.  Anyway, the Atlanta store is supposed to have 5BTV models in stock but no 6BTV's. 

I'm just sayin'...  http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-003358 (http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-003358)

Ham Radio Outlet
6071 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
+1-770-263-0700
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Jim Kennedy-ar154me on June 01, 2017, 07:58:56 AM
Alf I got a Hustler 6BTV vertical antenna in yesterday I'm going to add to the dipoles.  They are pretty good and about $200-$220 bucks and handles 6 bands including 30M CW which I do not use.  However, it is supposed to edge out the 5BTV  which is 5 bands without 30M for around $190.  The reason I point this out is because I checked the HRO store in Atlanta...not knowing how far you are from there but it's the right state.  Anyway, the Atlanta store is supposed to have 5BTV models in stock but no 6BTV's. 

I'm just sayin'...  http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-003358 (http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-003358)

Ham Radio Outlet
6071 Buford Hwy NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
+1-770-263-0700

You might want to check out DX Engineering. They have some add on's for the hustler antenna that will further improve the performance. When you add the ground plate and add ground radials cut to harmonic lengths for the different bands it turns this into a "super" antenna. They also have a plate you can use that has a tilt feature to easily lower your antenna. Real handy during the SWR adjustment of the different bands.  Just my .02.

https://www.dxengineering.com/search?keyword=DXE-RADP-3&SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Pathfinder on June 02, 2017, 08:02:08 AM
I'm going to try to be on the air with either a Packtenna mini end-fed, or a new dipole I built from a kit. I live in an HOA so I have to be stealthy with the antenna.

I've used the Packtenna before, pulls in very well - talked with a guy briefly in Pensacola. I use it in an NVIS configuration from my deck to the back fence, so not sure how far it will pull in.

The dipole is a Pacific Antenna kit - you have to wind the coils and cut to fit - for 20 & 40M. Never used it before, will try to get it set up on my north-facing deck using crappie poles to create an M-shaped pattern. I have clamp mounts for the poles so it's not a permanent install, and I'm hoping the fishing poles will hide the fact that I ain't using fishing line but wires!   :D

I'm actually just getting my shack set up. I picked up an MFJ pass-through for running the antennas out through the window and still keep the window closed. The pictures online show the pass-through painted, the instructions say its painted, but I got raw wood in mine, so I had to wait for some nice (i.e., not wet) spring Kentucky days to get it primed and finished. That part is done, I need to cut it to fit the window and re-install the steel plates and SO-239s today, and it should be good to go.

I got the pass-through (among other things) at the Dayton Hamvention in Xenia this year - my first time at Hamvention - and I will be back next year for certain!
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 02, 2017, 08:17:32 AM
I picked up my Hustler from DXEngineering.  I got the coax direct connector but not the radial plate...that would have been more $$$'s than I want to spend.  I'm going to drop off a few radials or some chickenwire for now.  The 6BTV is going to end up with the RV I think.

Get with it Geoff.  You are close enough to the east coast action that the NVIS will work real well for you on 40M.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: alfsauve on June 03, 2017, 11:25:41 AM
Thanks, 154, Rastus and Path,

It's not "the antenna", it's mounting it that's the problem.   It just hasn't bubbled up in priority of "to-dos" around the house.  By the time I was close to mounting the dipole, I changed my mind and sold it and the rotor off.   I've got a 20m Vertical and am close to mounting it.   

I'll get there.  Maybe next year.  Maybe next month.

Yes, HRO isn't terribly far.  I don't stop in too often, cause they have a bad habit of sucking money out of my pocket.


Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 03, 2017, 03:25:28 PM
Yeah I hear you.  Last year I was sabotaged by work and this year sabotaged by my semi-retirement.  Hopefully next year I'll get all the antennas up in time however....

This time I am relying on the two sorry attic antennas and one dipole in the front yard.  I tune the outside dipole into 20M and 40M.  I didn't have the time to put the vertical I bought up nor get the 80M dipole up this year.  Only 10 contacts so far....disappointing.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Pathfinder on June 03, 2017, 04:14:25 PM
Well, that was something of a bust!

I managed to pick up 2 broadcasts on 20M - one at 1906UTC from the "mother" ship, NJ2BB. The other was 15 minutes earlier from Rastus' neighborhood, a SUBMARINE IN OKLAHOMA!!!! That was Ian on WW2SUB, the USS Batfish.

No one apparently could hear me, as I called repeatedly for a signal check on multiple frequencies, especially those I heard people talking on. I even tried to hook up with the New Jersey in Philadelphia by callsign rather than just a CQ. NO-GO with any of it.

I definitely have to get my antenna working better. Part of the problem is that I crashed into bed the last 2 days with the onset of a summer cold so I wasn't able to set everything up properly. As a result I was using the random wire end-fed with a tuner (NVIS) instead of the 20/40M dipole I hoped to use.

I am impressed that I picked up the transmissions from WW2SUB, as that is about 725 miles away, a bit farther than I thought an NVIS could go.
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 03, 2017, 06:32:00 PM
20M has been good at that range.  I talked to the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge and the USS Orleck in Lake Charles.  That close...around 500-550 miles is a bit short for 20M coms during the day in my brief experience.  Last night on 20M spoke to a guy in the Cook Islands that was crystal clear at 5,500 miles a way. 

I had to disconnect for some thunderstorms in the area but I'm going to fire it up again pretty quick.

I heard some guy in Kentucky talking that came in real clear....
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: tombogan03884 on June 04, 2017, 06:00:54 AM
I read the list of ships, it's the only thing in this whole thread that I actually understand. ;D
Title: Re: Museum Ships Weekend 2017
Post by: Rastus on June 04, 2017, 12:11:52 PM
We'll be happy to help you with that.  You aren't the only one here.  We'll be happy to help you with that to help unravel the "code" talk we have going on.

 :)