[MRCA] Hagerstown MVPA Show AAR

Mon May 16 22:45:52 EDT 2022

CW Activity?

Mark K3MSB

On Mon, May 16, 2022, 5:19 PM MARK DORNEY via MRCA <mrca at mailman.qth.net>
wrote:

> Yet another effort to operate on 80 meters will be attempted Memorial Day
> Weekend from the FDR Library Grounds in Hyde Park NY using WW2 era radio
> gear. The ghost of FDR has so far been uncooperative with all efforts (most
> of us operators are Republican ), but we’re all gluttons for punishment,
> and are willing to give it another go.  Operating on 3885 kc. Wide band.
>
> Mark D.
> WW2RDO
>
> “In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle,
> stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On May 16, 2022, at 4:45 PM, Mike <mmcauley at cox.net> wrote:
>
> 
> What about  Mite for mobile RTTY?
>
>
>
> Mike
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Ray Fantini <RAFANTINI at salisbury.edu>
> Date: 5/16/22 12:49 PM (GMT-07:00)
> To: MMRCG at groups.io, MRCA at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [MRCA] Hagerstown MVPA Show AAR
>
> What was supposed to be achieved by this project?
>
>
>
> The 48th Annual Blue and Gray Military Vehicle Show, at one time known as
> Aberdeen was this last weekend. Starting on Thursday and ending Saturday.
>
> I have attended this show for around twenty years now. This year the show
> was hosted by the museum located at the old Fairchild/Republic plant at the
> Hagerstown airport.
>
>
>
>
>
> What was actually achieved?
>
>
>
> The plan for Saturday was to operate RTTY on 7.087 at 0900, MMRCG Net on
> 7.296 USB 1000 and MRCA M&S Net at 1200 local. And also knew that the
> annual Armed Forces Day (AFD) Cross-Band Test.
>
>
>
> I arrived Friday and unloaded the mutt. With a laptop running MITTY
> software and the GRC-106 I set up a test beforehand Nick K4NYW and that all
> worked well. Did do a couple calls on 7.296 but no joy there.
>
> All day Friday was misty and rain and a lot of the vendors decided to pack
> up and go home. Because of this I was able to relocate closer to the center
> of the event and packed up the mutt and relocated there.
>
>
>
> Saturday morning arrived on site at 0800 and started getting everything
> ready.
>
> Checked into 7.087 RTTY Net just before 0900 with solid copy of K4NYW and
> some of the others but did not have good copy on Ron K3TZJ or Ken KD2GFM,
> the net went on for at least a half hour and by that time the battery for
> the laptop was just about flat.
>
>
>
> The 7.296 MMRCG Net was a challenge with NCS being out in Colorado and I
> had week copy on him, but I did check in and was able to interact with just
> about everyone.
>
>
>
> After the MMRCG Net dropped the 40-meter inverted V and ran up the
> 60-meter V. Was monitoring 5.357 knowing that WAR at the pentagon would be
> operating and it was one of the handful of simplex channels they would be
> using. Worked three different operators at WAR and also had several Hams
> that were at the show operate the 106 so they were able to take part with
> the exchange along with working as control operator for a couple veterans
> who worked with radio in active duty and enjoyed the opportunity to work
> WAR. The operators at WAR were also happy to have contact with the MVPA
> Show and the veteran operators.
>
>
>
> The 1200 5.357 M&S Net ran without issue having good contact with almost
> all stations and just about everyone hearing me.
>
>
>
> Had the URC-110 set up to monitor the Hagerstown tower on 122.30 and that
> was popular with people at the event.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> What aspects of the project work?
>
>
>
> All the radios worked. The GRC-106 with inverted V antennas for forty and
> sixty, the URC-110 for VHF/UHF, the big RT-524 along with the PRC-77 for
> 51.0 although did not hear anyone on that band. Think Tom was there and
> attempted to call me on 51.0 but had the generator and the 106 running and
> with all the noise did not hear the big VRC set.
>
> The GRC-106 has no issue running extended duty cycle for RTTY and the only
> limiting factors were the internal battery on the laptop and the noise from
> the MEP-035 generator.
>
>
>
>
>
> What didn't work and why?
>
>
>
> If you have never used a MEP-025 or 035 generator its hard to understand
> how loud they are. They start, run and make electricity just fine but they
> are perhaps the loudest generator ever built, not just exhaust noise but
> the 3600 RPM engine screams while it running. I always try to keep it fifty
> foot away from where I am but still it’s an issue. Because of the noise I
> was told that I was not allowed to use it and if I ran it again would be
> told to never come back to this event!
>
> The MEP-035 is a period correct generator to go along with the M151A1 MUTT
> so that why I have been using it but looks like it will not ever be at that
> show again.
>
> Ended up having to run the engine in the MUTT to keep the batteries up for
> running all the radios.
>
> The laptop that I used for RTTY was an old Dell that I had and after
> wiping decided to wipe all the programing on it and do a fresh install of
> XP, all the sound and video drivers and MITTY only. Its maybe ten years or
> twelve years old. The battery sucks due to its age but had a AC adapter and
> just came across a 24 to 120 volt inverter so assumed I was going to be
> able to use that. The two things that I did not count on were the wall wart
> for the laptop or the inverter generating huge amounts of radio noise and
> never expected the inverter to go crazy every time I transmitted so I was
> limited to what time I was able to get using a very old laptop battery.
>
>
>
> What would you change if given a second chance?
>
>
>
> Not take the MEP-035. Test the RTTY set up before hand and work out system
> for powering the laptop or maybe best to think of how or what to use for
> field operated RTTY. Think a UGC-74 is just way to heavy to deal with. Do
> have enough parts to maybe throw together another UGC-129 and that’s half
> the weight and uses standard typewriter ribbons.
>
>
>
>
>
> Submitted by Ray F/KA3EKH
>
>
>
>
>
>
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