[MRCA] York PA MVPA AAR

Tue Aug 13 19:49:03 EDT 2019

Great after action report Ray, thanks.

It was good to see you there and as I said at the time, with my purchase of
the AN-UGC-74A at the show you came highly recommended as an authority on
all things RTTY.

See you at Gilbert.

Ken

KD2GFM

From: mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:mrca-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Ray Fantini
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 2:57 PM
To: Military Radio Collectors Association <mrca at mailman.qth.net>;
MMRCG at groups.io; West Coast Military Radio Collectors Group
<MRCG at mailman.qth.net>; 'Military Surplus Mail List'
<milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>
Cc: David Doyle <David at daviddoylebooks.com>; Donald G Hattier DC
<dhattier at verizon.net>
Subject: [MRCA] York PA MVPA AAR

What was supposed to be achieved by this project?

The event was the MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) annual
convention that was held in York PA. The convention features multipole
classes of military vehicles that are shown, judged and displayed along with
a large vendor flea market located both indoors and outdoors along with a
living history reenactment encampment. Not just a static display but also an
opportunity to see history in motion, the flame thrower demo were a big hit!

The MRCA was allowed to set up and operate a display alongside the living
history section. I would attempt to set up the M151 with the GRC-106 and
VRC-43 and operate from that location.

This would include the MMRCG net on 7.396 and the Moose & Squirrel net on
5.357

Along with any local operation on the fair grounds on 51.0 FM or 3.885 AM.

What was actually achieved?

I arrived on site around nine in the morning Thursday. Thursday is reserved
for MVPA members only and not open to the public. I was allowed great
latitude in determining where to set up and selected a location right on the
edge of the Living History displays between that and the Bathrooms and First
Aid center. Set up the mutt with all its antennas including a fiberglass set
of poles for supporting inverted V antennas for the two nets, the pop up
tent for the table with the MAK AM Set and a couple select Russian field
radios and further back the crew tent that I camped out in during the event.

Had electric provided by the event so did not bring the MEP-025 generator
but did bring an AC power supply that was used to feed the mutt via the
slave connector.

Attempted to check into the M&S net on Thursday but did not have good
signals from net control so did not go any further. Did play around with the
vertical on the mutt and twenty meters. 

Next to me was the "Iffy Lube" Motor Pool Maintenance display. They observed
that I had shore power and then piggybacked to it and blew out one of the
two circuts so we were down to just one circuit.

Spent the rest of the day walking the market and looking at all the vehicles
including the Bell UH-1 "Huey" that was flown in that morning.

The flea market was mostly vehicle parts but there were radios there also,
but the prices were a bit on the high side. I did pick up a ME-61for $40
that looked NOS and traded for items yet to be determined with Jeff for a
VHF antenna base.

Friday the majority of the day was spent talking to the public, showing
radios and promoting the use of Military Radios on the Ham bands. Several
Hams were surprised to find that there were people doing this and many of
the people who came by to look at the mutt were amazed that everything on
board works and can be used today.

I saw a Gama Goat being towed in and went over to where it was being
unloaded and got the opportunity to drive it around the parking lot, Its
huge, heavy and ugly and I loved everything about it except that my car
trailer cannot carry it.

Friday afternoon it was windy. The Iffy Lube crew had a number of lights
attached to their tent and one of the zip cord extension cables they were
using caught on fire. Fortunately they did not set their tent on fire but
they did manage to kill the last AC circuit that we were sharing. So no more
shore power and now had to result to running the engine on the mutt
periodically to keep the batteries charged. Also limited the use of the
GRC-106 until needed.  Left the receiver  - exciter on most of the day
Thursday so passersby would hear CHU on 7.85 but with no shore power stopped
monitoring HF, 51.0 on the VRC-43 but did keep the URC-110 running
monitoring the local repeater (146.37/97).

Saturday morning checked into the MMRCG net on 7.296 with week copy of many
stations. Do not know if it was bad conditions or due to the food trucks
located just across the street from my location. Same poor reception
conditions on M&S net at noon on 5.357 but did check into both nets.
Monitored both 51.0 and 3.885 several times along with keeping the VRC-43
running most of the day but no local activity at the event.

Was told that many people there were using 51.6 for local communications.

Several MRCA members attended along with other friends but no one was
wanting to do anything like a back pack net.

I did promote MRCA Gilbert and the nets that will take place there and will
be interested to see if any of the people show up to play around with their
PRC-25 and 77 sets.

What aspects of the project work?

Despite the heat Thursday the radios worked. Do not know if it was bad band
conditions or what but did get both nets in Saturday. Lots of local interest
in both the mutt and the radios onboard. Always fun to interact with people
epically Hams about using the radios.

What didn't work and why?

Relying on shore power has its limitations. Iffy Lube proved that. When
radios get real hot they tend to not function properly. Will have to look at
both sets of radios and try to discover what caused some issues that are not
there unless they run all day in hot weather.

Also no activity with MAK AM radio or anyone at the event itself.

What would you change if given a second chance?

Bring generator. Also bring more fiberglass poles. Had six but could have
used more for antenna support on far ends of dipoles.

Don't bring the Russian Radios being there was not that much interest in
them.  Everyone appeared to be attracted by the mutt and wanted to talk
about the radios on that and not what's on the table.

Bring out my Vietnam era uniform. Being right on the edge of the reenactors
they were all dressed in period uniforms for their displays and was getting
the hairy eyeball from them for being in camo shorts and green MVPA tee
shirt. 

Thanks to the MVPA and David Doyle for extending every hospitality in
allowing me to participate, select my own location and all the other help
they provided.

Ray Fantini KA3EKH

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