[Milsurplus] 10/11/12 May 2018 Aberdeen MVPA AAR

[Ray Fantini]

10/11/12 May 2018 Aberdeen MVPA AAR

This is the second year that MRCA was given a free location (A11/12) to set up and operate from at the Washington Area Collectors/Blue & Gray Military Vehicle Trust 2018 East Coast Rally in Aberdeen Maryland.
I have operated from this event for several years but only in the last two years have been set up in the display representing the MRCA.

Goals: (1) Check into the Moose & Squirrel C-LLRP Net at noon on 5.357. (2) Operate on 3.885, 18.150 or any other targets of opportunity. (3) Monitor 51.0 FM for any local traffic. (4) Connect with K3R at the Kutztown Antique Radio Show on 60 meters.
Resources included the M151A1 (mutt) with the AN/GRC-106A SSB transceiver for HF, AN/VRC-12 installation for 51.0 FM and a URC-110 for any VHF-FM 2 meter work.
I also brought along a Russian R-107 and a R-148 to set up a small display of Soviet technology next to the mutt.

I transported the mutt and all the equipment to the site on Thursday and did the set up at that time. The show provides MRCA with free space located in the first row alongside a grass berm that's convenient for setting up antennas and driving a ground rod. Along with using all the antennas on the mutt also pushed up the twenty four foot mast and installed an inverted V for sixty meters. Wanted to operate Thursday M&S Net but arrived too late. Did have the opportunity to walk around and see some of the vendors at the show but did not see anything that I wanted to buy. There were several PRC-25/77 sets some PRC-8/9 and 10 sets along with RT-67/68 sets to be seen. Not as much telephone equipment as has been in the past but still there was a lot of it there along with tons of VRC-12 installation kits, intercom systems and cables and tons of military cables and accessories.
The sale itself appears to have had a somewhat increased attendance and there was no rain during the event this year. However it did rain heavily every night and destroyed several pop up tents.
On Friday attempted to contact special event station K3R at Kutztown Antique radio show but was unsuccessful. I did spend time walking the event and talking with friends in attendance.
Saturday arrived couple hours before the M&S Net and checked out the equipment. Had the MEP-025 28 Volt 1.5 kW generator with fifty foot cable and placed the generator as far from the mutt as possible but still had to deal with the noise of that generator, but using that generator avoids the possibility of discharging the battery on the mutt or having to run the engine on the mutt so there are advantages to having it.
The M&S Net went off at noon with no issues, had a special guest operator, another Ray VK2NO providing the opportunity for the net to work a DX station.
After the net there was a small spontaneous 51.0 FM Net between me (KA3EKH), Ray (VK2NO) and Mr. Smith (K4CHE) using combinations of VRC-12, Russian R-107 and Mr. Smith's PRC-25, PRC-10 and PRC-6
All operations were thru around fourteen hundred local and everything got packed up and ready for transport with departing the site around fourteen thirty local.

In summary, I consider the event a success and accomplished goals one, two and three and not accomplishing four. Using the MEP-025 avoided the issues of running the engine in the mutt, and getting that generator up and running for the first time provided good entertainment for everyone. After getting it to run it started on the first pull all the other times but the first time was a bit of an issue being it was dry and had not run in some time. Think Mr. Smith has a video of us pulling on it.
Showing and operating the Russian radios was popular and also served as a test for using the R-107 out in Dayton next week and all the other equipment worked without issue. Best of all there was no rain during the show this year.
Thanks again to the Washington Area Collectors/Blue & Gray Military Vehicle Trust (WAC/B&G MVT) Chapter of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association for their hospitality and providing the operating space. And will be looking forward to next year's event.

Ray F/KA3EKH
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