Museum Ships On The Air!

[@BrooksBarrow]

I was the radio operator on USS Hoga - appreciate you coming back to our call and for this video. 73 KQ4GUZ

[@JCWise-sf9ww]

That's neat being able to contact a ham operator on an antique ship.

[@theradiotelegrapher8327]

The operator on the Salem was very friendly and skilled.

[@jrotondi]

TU OM! Great presentation! You obviously had much better condx in NH than we had here in SoCA! I barely scraped out 7 QSOs with Museum Ships. 73 de W6JBR.

[@Tom-W7TMD]

I got a few myself. Lots of fun!

[@mikesmuseum]

Mike, I really enjoy all the photographs and diagrams that are inserted throughout your video. The information you provide is extremely helpful. Back in 2011, June 4th and 5th, I was able to make contact with NJ2BB battleship New Jersey, The USS Albacore, and the USS Batfish. I had just received my general license around then, and the Museum Ships Weekend Event made my day! Thank you so much for your videos. Mike, KC0IVF

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Thanks for participating in the event. There were quite a few pile ups during the event.

[@armisteadab]

I was on the HMS Belfast in the Thames in 1999 when such an event was on.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

I've seen that ship, and it is very impressive. London is such a great city to walk and the museums are tops.

[@AdamosDad]

USS Newport News (CA-148) Call sign THUNDER flag hoist; November - India - Quebec - Quebec We have a small museum aboard USS Salem (CA-139) Amateur Radio Club. Since 2006 N1SLM. 73's🎙KD9OAM🎧

[@BrooksBarrow]

USS Salem was working ssb throughout the night - great job.

[@lionelswl29]

Magnifique 👌merci pour Cette superbe vidéo très bonne conditions 👍merci 🙏pour le partage 7️⃣3️⃣🤝Lionel SWL 🎧F-80737 🇫🇷 Sud France la Méditerranée bonne continuation 👍👍😉🙏🙋🏼

[@MIKROWAVE1]

The conditions were not great, especially from Europe. The solar activity made it tougher than usual. There were several European ships on the air.

[@paulswift700]

Hi Mike shame I didn't know anything about this as I would have liked to listen to the event. De HS0ZLQ Paul

[@Swamp-Fox]

Enjoyed it!

[@alainmichaud8992]

Very very good video as always... You the best! We all know the modern ham radio band plan, but it would be interesting if you explained what was the military (WW2) band plan. Were those just broadband radios or did they have (secret) bands etc... Obviously that was no public matter, but now I guess it could/should be documented...

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Interestingly, the ham bands were instantly effective since they were empty.

[@mukhlisnasution8925]

SPIRIT RADIO, Rush.

[@jasonatkin6787]

Neat event, but it's a real shame that most of these museum radio clubs make little to no attempt to operate the ship's original equipment, or even equipment contemporary to the ship for such an event. They just slap a Kenwood on a card table, and start making cookie-cutter contacts. Try some authenticity guys, it's fun and enriches the experience so much more. I saw the original Federal/Mackay FT-106 console being operated on the SS Red Oak Victory in 2007, and the sight, smell and sound that thing made moved me so much, it prompted me to become an amateur. Operating correct or even period equipment from a museum ship presents such a unique opportunity for us to not only be good ambassadors for amateur radio, but to showcase LIVING history of how these old ships REALLY communicated when at sea. With noise, ozone, coils, big airy capacitors and equipment made out of steel...not with phase-locked loops, multiple VFOs and LCD displays.

[@иванепифан-к8ж]

Sparks flew from under the key of the transmitter)))

[@MIKROWAVE1]

Step 1 is securing the radio room environment. There are hazards including chemical and asbestos. Regular access for repairs and installs is another issue. Much of the period gear has been changed out several times over the life of the boat, and some are stripped completely. The status of cables, power, and antennas are also unknown. Overcoming all of issues these is possible, but it takes time and money. And the publics viewing access is paramount compared to radio operational status. Finally, the CW and AM modes do to not lend themselves to 99 % of ham participants in this event. SSB and digital modes do.

[@jasonatkin6787]

@@MIKROWAVE1 I get that there can be obstacles, but the Red Oak Victory did it, Lane Victory did it, American Victory did it, Jeremiah O'Brien did it, USS Slater did it, so have a few other museum ships. If the desire to accurately display the history is there, then there are hams with knowledge about this equipment, and the means to help. Just about every modern ham radio can still do AM and CW, so that's truly not all that much of a limiting factor. A lot of the ships I mentioned had equipment donated. The late Stan Byrn and many other hams devoted to the historical gear donated lots of their time and personal equipment to making museum ships' radio rooms accurate and functional. Again, I get that there are challenges, probably the biggest one to overcome that you didn't mention is the mindset of the museum organization itself. Do the people who own the ship want to display it accurately and correctly? If not, then it's Yaesu on a plastic table time with a vertical whip clamped to the railing and "Good luck in the contest." I think we owe it to these old ships to be better than that. I mean, it's like taking a shower while wearing a raincoat. You're kinda depriving yourself of the full benefit of having a radio club on a historic ship. That's my take on it, anyway. Great channel, BTW, I'm a big fan of your content. Keep up the good work!

[@иванепифан-к8ж]

It is a pity that the dreadnought "Texas" (built in 1911) is not represented on the radio.) Or the USS Olympia (but it would have to work from a Tesla transmitter there)))). Here in Russia, they sometimes work from the "side" of the historic cruiser Aurora. Or from aboard the Icebreaker-Krasin museum ship. Anyway, you are a good morse code operator! ))) 73 .

[@MIKROWAVE1]

There is no reason that they would not be represented.

[@Derrick6162]

Was the Lexington on the air?, heard nothing.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

I did not hear her, but she was on the list as W5LEX.

[@Derrick6162]

@@MIKROWAVE1 Thank you, I didn't know if the radio room was still operational.

[@MIKROWAVE1]

@@Derrick6162 It may not be. Most of the stations were using modern gear either located inside the radio room, on deck, or shoreside.

[@Derrick6162]

@MIKROWAVE1 I hadn't been on there in 20 years, the old timer w5ldb, a navy vet was running it. He's probably long since passed on. They had a few older radios on there, but I think the ships radios were not operational at that time. Thanks for your replies. 👍

[@G7VFY]

Jolly good. G7VFY