[Milsurplus] Able Archer 83 AAR

[Tom B]

Hi Ray,

On Sunday I tried to call you on 5357 with my authentic DDR SEG15D, but 
no good.  I did hear you say that you thought you heard something when I 
called.

I also tried on my Telefunken SE6861 but you didn't hear that at all.

Tom Bryan

On 11/13/2018 8:27 AM, Ray Fantini wrote:
>
> Walt, KB3SBC is not currently a member of these list so I am taking 
> his AAR of this last weekend’s Able Archer 83 event and sending it out 
> in his name.  As always, field radios work best in the field. And 
> anytime you can activate an old military site that’s just a bonus.
>
> Ray F/KA3EKH
>
> Hello all,
>
> Well here is the operation Able Archer 83 after Action Report in case 
> anyone is interested. This year we tried out a new location. It was 
> W-25 a retired Nike missile site located in Davidsonville Maryland. 
> The site is currently the home of the Anne Arundel Amateur Radio club 
> (AARC). The club was kind enough to allow us to use their facilities 
> to host Able Archer 83. This was a very unique event because of the 
> site. Number one it's the first time we operated from a real cold war 
> location. Although W-25 was not operational as a Nike Site during 
> 1983. It still was government property and housing for the Army. We 
> operated out of the radar Control building next to it was the 
> generator building and behind it was the mechanics building.  This 
> entire complex was converted by the county and is now home to many 
> different County activities. The Anne Arundel Amateur radio club has 
> about 150 members and a very nice Tower array. Behind the building or 
> two large Open Fields and that is where we set up antennas.
>
> Ray Fantini was the one who approached the Anne Arundel Amateur Radio 
> club and was able to get the permission needed.  Ray's contact at AARC 
> was Richard Grace KB3ZYO is the president currently. Richard joined us 
> along with St John Thomas Browning, it's a big name for a big dog. 
> Browning is a very nice Saint Bernard.  He kept an eye on us while we 
> made our contacts.
>
> We set up operations inside after a VEC session was completed and in 
> the early afternoon I had a run of contacts on 40 meters using an 
> RF-350K supplied by Ray. The RF-350 went into a clansman dipole 
> Junction on an antenna built by Don. The antenna radio combination 
> work quite well until late evening when propagation was completely 
> gone on 40. Rich enlisted the help of additional Club member who was 
> able to locate some more antenna options one was an 80 meter wire 
> antenna which proved to be quite the performer.
>
> During the early evening hours we ordered some takeout from a local 
> restaurant and switched to CW two great success. We worked numerous 
> contacts of the Baltic region hungry, Romania, and Bulgaria.  The 
> farthest contact on voice we made was Sweden and that was on 80 meters 
> as well.
>
> Early Sunday morning and ran out grab some breakfast and I tried my 
> luck on 40 and ATM made some additional contacts and Ed switch 20 
> meters at around noon and made some of the final contacts to the West 
> Coast.
>
>  Ray primarily was set up outside and operated from the mutt using a 
> GRC 106. He was able to participate in the moose and squirrel net and 
> met some of the guys from the net on 40m USB afterwards. He repeated 
> this on Sunday and made an effort on 17m but propagation was not 
> there.  I'm sure his operations were rather challenging due to the 
> weather. It was chilly on Saturday with high winds but by the evening 
> they died down. The winds were so bad at one point my tripod was blown 
> over damaging my RC 292 antenna and stopping any hopes to use 6m.  
> Sunday was a beautiful day and quite warm.  This marks the first time 
> that we didn't experience snow flurries during Able Archer, although 
> my wife reported there were some at home so I'm sure if we would have 
> been on top of Port Clinton we would have had our share.
>
> Tear down went rather quick, we swept up and put the clubhouse back 
> into the condition we found it. Before leaving town at and I stop by
>
> The Killarney House and Irish Pub nearby, and enjoyed some lunch.
>
> All in all the Able Archer 83 event this year was very pleasant and 
> extremely comfortable the building was warm had running water even a 
> kitchen. Rich is going to approach the board of AARC and see if we 
> will be able to operate from their next year.
>
> This was probably one of the most successful Abel Archer 83 events 
> we've ever had.
>
> Thanks to Rich and the AARC club for the use of the facilities.  Ray 
> for locating this site and the use of the RF-350K, what a great 
> radio.  Don for the loan of the antenna and Ed for the CW Ops which 
> accounted for nearly half of the contacts.
>
> 73
>
> Walt
>
> KB3SBC
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Milsurplus mailing list
> Home: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailman.qth.net_mailman_listinfo_milsurplus&d=DwICAg&c=ARzxPwGLWrYEbvYcTnfs0g&r=0spns2Z1yfEWxJM4_vjWoQ&m=-YwaFhh8-4QFnDF7URN1Nh6FBFxHoajAd4OIXhIV2XI&s=zJJrCpnQgz2apccDs-lGXjPUHC_VfSXZiWiK-coeLvU&e=
> Help: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__mailman.qth.net_mmfaq.htm&d=DwICAg&c=ARzxPwGLWrYEbvYcTnfs0g&r=0spns2Z1yfEWxJM4_vjWoQ&m=-YwaFhh8-4QFnDF7URN1Nh6FBFxHoajAd4OIXhIV2XI&s=8f2wy5jE0VDmXvn3Qr2gHA3larKxQWgllfb2SWxISUs&e=
> Post: mailto:Milsurplus at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.qsl.net&d=DwICAg&c=ARzxPwGLWrYEbvYcTnfs0g&r=0spns2Z1yfEWxJM4_vjWoQ&m=-YwaFhh8-4QFnDF7URN1Nh6FBFxHoajAd4OIXhIV2XI&s=surAd3AVjj7pqr0EWSOeedqQ4Xs6tnXnMEW-fdVmHpU&e=
> Please help support this email list: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.qsl.net_donate.html&d=DwICAg&c=ARzxPwGLWrYEbvYcTnfs0g&r=0spns2Z1yfEWxJM4_vjWoQ&m=-YwaFhh8-4QFnDF7URN1Nh6FBFxHoajAd4OIXhIV2XI&s=_lVDTWsEQzrpYrvYnPIEVk5w12d7D_UaPz_bH-se_yU&e=
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/milsurplus/attachments/20181113/858a5fb8/attachment.html>