[MRCA] aeronautical mobile possible today

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

Jeff,

Nice report on the KC-135 avionics.

I was interested in the description of the long wire antenna.

I thought the KC-135 and it's kin, the B-707, had the an HF antenna probe at the top of the tail fin. You can see a picture of the antenna on this site:

<http://vipclubmn.org/couplers.html>

I found this site because I have one of these antenna couples and want to get it in service.

I tried to find out if the KC-135 used any other antennas and only found this newer dorsal fin design:

<http://www.asbavionics.com/downloads/707%20KC-135%20HF%20Shunt%20Flyer%2010-07-2013.pdf>

I've made a couple of aeronautical contacts with commercial aircraft on 14.300. 

Hope you get a chance to operate next time.

Mike N2MS 

----- Original Message -----
From: comcast <kg2bz at comcast.net>
To: Robert Newberry <N1XBM at amsat.org>
Cc: mrca at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Fri, 30 Sep 2016 09:56:00 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [MRCA] aeronautical mobile possible today

gang

on Wednesday went to Mcguire on a KC 135 flight. set near a little window couldn't see much except clouds sky and the wing. on the return landing I had a chance to sit in the backup pilot seat.

i checked out the navigators console could only make out a HF Keyfill panel. could not see an HF control box. so no chance to go on HF.
i did see an old pencil sharpener on the navigators table and a Sextant on the ceiling of the cockpit. on the table was also a Sony Toughbook CF 19 with a GPS and Aviation map

on the exterior of the 135 was a long wire from the cockpit area to the tail fin

jeff. kg2bz

Sent from my iPhone

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