[Wswss] [VHF] EXPANDED RECAP OF: N6ZE/MM2 Vancouver, BC, CDN (CN89) - Los Angeles, CA, USA (DM03) 23-26SEP2013

[Chuck Smallhouse]

Hi Pete,

Back, I believe, in the late '80's I worked a chap on, as I remember, 
a tanker on several of it's voyages, from south of LA on their trip 
to Alaska, on 2M.  I worked him in every grid from DM02 up until he 
was about equal to mid Washington, although quite far off shore at 
that point.  I believe that he was one of the crew, not the captain.

He was running a Gonset Sidewinder (SSB & CW) and was using a 3 
element beam on 2 M.  I was at my QTH in Los Altos, but was looking 
west directly into the Santa Cruz mountain range.  I used my 8 long 
yagi EME array and 1.5 + KW.

In that time frame, using that equipment, I worked I believe, all of 
the grids in CA and I think most of the NV ones, to earn 2M VUCC # 13 
(1983).  When I retired from that QTH in CA,(1993),  I'd worked well 
over 450 2M grids.

73,

Chuck,  W7CS  ex WA6MGZ


At 08:42 PM 9/29/2013, n6ze at aol.com wrote:
>30SEPT2013
>
>The following is (1) a briefer version of N6ZE/ Mobile VE7 & W7 (2m Sprint
>Report) Aboard a Princess Cruise Ship which I sent previously +  (2) a new
>summary of operations from the cruise ship from abeam Port Angeles, WA to the
>Port of Los Angeles, CA.
>
>1. 2m SPRINT Operations:
>
>
>Zero QSO to report for Fall 2013  (23Sept2013 PDT) Two meter Sprint by
>N6ZE/shipmobile in CN88 between Victoria, BC, Canada and Whidbey Island,
>Strait of Juan de Fuca, & Port Angeles, WA.
>
>N6ZE/ship mobile on M/V Golden Princess was unable to transmit during the Fall
>2013 Two Meter Sprint because the vessel Captain had not yet granted me
>permission to transmit. (Remember that FCC rule??)
>
>However I did SWL operations from the 14th deck and from the balcony of my 9th
>deck stateroom located on the Port side of the ship. I used an Yaesu FT817 (2
>w) with Madol 6m/2m/70cmwhip and briefly used a dipole made from a TV rabbit
>ears.
>
>Between 8PM PDT and 8:30PM PDT from a position between the Canadian San Juan
>Islands and the U.S. San Juan Islands, I heard VA7MM on CW; N7EPD, WA7BBJ,
>KE0CO, WW7D/R (CN97), & VE7DAY.
>
>At 2105 PM PDT, I heard WW7D/R (CN96) from my stateroom balcony & again heard
>Daryl at 2120 PM on CW from CN86 I believe.
>
>Zero QSOs made due to lack of permission to transmit
>8 Stations heard. Grids CN86, CN87, CN96, CN97, CO70 heard.
>Zero QSO times 5 grids = zero points.
>SWL Operating time ~1 hour
>
>2. 2m + 6m + 70 Cm Report (23Sept2013 - 26Sept2013) Enroute from near Port
>Angeles, WA (CN88) to Port of Los Angeles, CA (DM03)
>
>I received written permission from the ship's Captain to transmit with my
>transceiver early on the morning of 24Sept2013.
>
>Unfortunately zero QSO to report for the entire trans-coastal trip. Distance
>from shoreline typically 50 miles.
>
>Two 6 meter beacons at tropo distance heard loudly and one 70 cm beacon (loud)
>also monitored at tropo distance.
>
>Nothing ever heard on 144.200 USB/CW or 146.52 MHz FM. I called CQ (both CW &
>USB) (FM only infrequently)on a random basis during waking hours. (In
>retrospect, I should have advertised that I would be on the air for 5 minutes
>at the top of each hour.) I did not use internet or cellphone during the
>cruise because rates were EXTREMELY expensive!  However the current ship
>position was displayed on my stateroom TV screen about every 5 minutes!
>
>I was always able to monitor FM broadcast stations, some at a distance of 100
>miles, even from small cities such as North Bend, OR.
>
>Thanks to those who took the time to look for my QRP signal with zero gain
>antenna.
>
>Most of the U.S. West Coast does NOT have much 'weak signal 2 meter activity;
>most yagis are not pointed out to sea, and the coastal range effectively
>blocks signals from inland stations.
>
>I shall post a couple of jpegs at >>>>www.qrz.com/db/n6ze<<<<
>
>bt73Pete, N6ZE
>
>Some positions/comments from the ship's track are listed below:
>
>
>
>
>Date: Sept2013
>
>
>
>Time (Z)
>
>
>
>My QTH
>
>
>
>Band/Freq
>
>
>
>Callsign
>
>
>
>Grid/QTH
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>24Sep
>
>
>
>0129
>
>
>
>CN88
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>SWL only N6ZE/Mobile
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1820pdt
>
>mon
>
>
>
>
>
>24sep
>
>
>
>0136
>
>
>
>48 56N
>
>123 12W CN88
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1836pdt
>
>mon
>
>
>
>
>
>24sep
>
>
>
>1530
>
>
>
>46 09N
>
>125 16W CN76
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>0830pdt
>
>mon
>
>
>
>
>
>24sep
>
>
>
>1900
>
>
>
>44 37N
>
>125 11W CN74
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrdorf worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1200pdt
>
>tues
>
>
>
>
>
>25sep
>
>
>
>0040
>
>
>
>42 44N
>
>125 06W CN72
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1740pdt
>
>tues
>
>
>
>
>
>25sep
>
>
>
>1515
>
>
>
>37 51N
>
>123 44W CM87
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>0815pdt
>
>Tues
>
>
>
>
>
>25Sep
>
>
>
>1530
>
>
>
>CM77
>
>
>
>50.068
>
>
>
>K26FV/B;
>
>Nil hrd or worked on 2m
>
>
>
>CN87
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>0830pdt
>
>wed
>
>
>
>
>
>25Sep
>
>
>
>1533
>
>
>
>CM77
>
>
>
>432.304
>
>
>
>K6IR/B; nil hrd or worked on 2m
>
>
>
>CN87su
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>0833pdt
>
>wed
>
>
>
>
>
>25sep
>
>
>
>1900
>
>
>
>36 45N
>
>122 05W CM86
>
>
>
>  144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1200pdt
>
>wed
>
>
>
>
>
>25sep
>
>
>
>1900
>
>
>
>36 45N
>
>122 58W CM86
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1200pdt
>
>wed
>
>
>
>
>
>25sep
>
>
>
>1930
>
>
>
>CM86
>
>
>
>50.068
>
>
>
>K6FV/B Strong!; nil hrd or worked on 2m
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1230pdt
>
>Wed
>
>
>
>
>
>25Sep
>
>
>
>2359
>
>
>
>35 15N
>
>121 49W CM95
>
>
>
>50.077
>
>
>
>K7AZ/B; nil hrd or worked on 2m
>
>
>
>CM94so
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>1700pdtwed
>
>
>
>
>
>26sep
>
>
>
>0400
>
>
>
>34 08N
>
>120 54W CM94
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked on 2m
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>2100pdt
>
>wed
>
>
>
>
>
>26sep
>
>
>
>1400
>
>
>
>33 42N
>
>118 18W DM03
>
>Port of LA,   CA
>
>
>
>144.200
>
>
>
>Nil hrd or worked
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>0700pdt thurs
>------
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