[Elecraft] OT - Cruise Operation

[Edward R Cole]

No experience from cruise ships since I never did one.  My wife is 
diametrically opposed to taking one.  Quite a few travellers to 
Alaska come up by cruise ship.  The untold cheap alternative is 
taking the Alaska Ferry System.  Unknown if ham radio is allowed, but 
I suspect so. Only US and Canadian waters are sailed.  Advantage of 
the Ferry is that you can disembark at any stop and explore with your 
car as long as you wish and then catch the next Ferry to continue 
your trip (at no extra cost).  Many Alaskans camp on the passenger 
deck and avoid the extra cabin charge.  Ferry has a cafeteria but you 
are allowed to bring your own food.  Cheapest rate is walk-on without 
a vehicle.

I know that several members of the ARRL Experimental 500-KHz Group 
previously were ship's radio operators or land-base station 
ops.  That results in 600m early activity being CW.  FCC limited the 
modes we were permitted so most digital modes were not legal for 
us.  Subsequent experimental licensee's sought permission to use 
several digital modes which enabled them to operate with them.  We 
were restricted to only making 2-way contacts with members of our 
group and not with other licensees (definitely not with ham's).

The lead person has instructed the group to cease operating now that 
ham radio use is permitted.  I would guess you will start hearing the 
active members as hams as soon as they are approved by UTC.  I 
applied the first day.  But I still need to repair and rehang my 
inverted-L and install new synth in my K3 to be operational.

When I modified my aircraft beacon (NDB) transmitter I found two xtal 
oscillators running at about 265-KHz separated by 400-Hz they were 
keyed by a MCW keyer which shifted the frequency for dots and dashes 
and back to original frequency for non-keyed signal thus creating 
400-Hz MCW.  Aircraft radios are primarily AM so could receive MCW.

73, Ed - KL7UW
   http://www.kl7uw.com
Dubus-NA Business mail:
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