[MRCA] [Fwd: LST-325 Buzzards Bay Coastwatch]

[Al Klase]

These are our guys.  Great work, gentlemen.

73,
Al

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: LST-325 Buzzards Bay Coastwatch
Date: Sat,  4 Jun 2005 11:57:23 -0400
From: Chris Bowne <radiobwn at riconnect.com>
Reply-To: <radiobwn at riconnect.com>
To: Old Tube Radios <boatanchors at theporch.com>

Many thanks to Perry, W8AU and the rest of the LST-325 radio 
gang for a great day of radio yesterday as the ship made its 
way up Buzzards Bay. Great comms were maintained by our 
"coastwatchers", equipped with WWII vintage military field 
sets operating from the beaches on the east and west sides 
of the bay, and from the radio rooms of various ships at 
Battleship Cove. Gave us a real appreciation of the 
challenges of setting up and operating low power portable 
field sets on a beachead. As I said to Rob, K2WI as we 
humped or gear out to the beach at West Island, Fairhaven, 
"At least we don't have to do this while being shelled or 
shot at!". Rob's establishing Morse light comms in the late 
afternoon haze with the ship using a little 75 watt signal 
lamp at West Island was no less amazing then us coordinating 
same with Perry's BC-611 walky talkie on the signal bridge 
to my GRC-9 and 15 foot whip on the sand on 3885 kc. That 
little 611's antenna and flea power was still coming thoug
  h LIMA CHARLIE (well at least CHARLIE) at a range of 6 
miles, even after we lost a visual contact on the ship! 
Solid (and very strapping)voice comms amongst all the beach 
stations equipped with TBX (K2WI),GRC9 (AJ1G), and TCS 
(KA1GON) sets with small whips and radials on the sand were 
maintained throughout the day. KW1I's BC1306 on his radio 
truck's whip at West Island parking lot was equally strong. 
Perry was solid from many miles out all the way up to their 
mooring at Mass Maritime Academy on the 325's TCS. 
Interesting how strapping we were locally to each other even 
though we were unheard by others outside the area on 3885, 
and not bothered by them to any great extent.

73, Chris, AJ1G, Stonington, CT.





-- 
Al Klase - N3FRQ
Flemington, NJ
http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/