[Milsurplus] parachute mobile

[Bruce Gentry]

Bruce Gentry wrote:
> boeing377 at aol.com wrote:
>> Been having a lot of fun with this, see the video of our RadioFest 
>> 2010 parachute mobile operation in Monterey CA from two weeks ago.
>>
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWimbrpGF14
>>
>> I am a mil radio nut and still want to use a surplus radio during 
>> skydiving. What about those helmet radios, PRR9? (6 meters?) or 
>> something like that. Would they work for jumper to ground comms? Any 
>> suggestions? I need something lightweight and reasonably small.
>>
>> On my last jump I exited at 18,000 ft from a King Air 200, freefell 
>> to 16,000 to get down quickly to more oxygen rich air, deployed and 
>> was under an open canopy at 15,300 to start comms. Got 31 QSOs, some 
>> as far as 107 miles with 1 watt on 146.46 FM simplex.
>>
>> 73,
>> AF6IM
>> ART 13 (being restored) , ARR 15 (fully operational)
>>
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Milsurplus mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/milsurplus
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>>   
> Fine work OM. A PRC-68 or 126 might be a possible choice. It weighs a 
> couple pounds, you would need to secure it well, but it uses push to 
> talk so a headset could be rigged in your helmet and a push to talk 
> switch where you find it convenient. You could make a co-axial antenna 
> from a piece of coax by folding the shield back over the outer jacket. 
> If it is safe to do so, let it hang below you as you float down. I 
> would think it would have to have a breakaway feature so it would not 
> snarl something when you land. This does bring up a question from 
> previous wars. Did paratrooper radio operators jump with the radio on 
> and ready? Do they do it today? Parachute jumps are fleeting, but  
> unusual operations from the air  are fascinating.   Bruce Gentry KA2IVY
>