Page 30 May June 2014 TCA
P. 30
Big Signals, Big Ship
Ron Walsh, VE3GO
The following article is dedicated to
Bill Usher, AG4PA, who devoted many
hours to the restoration of the radio
equipment aboard the USS North
Carolina. The article was previously
published in Monitoring Times and is
being reproduced here with our thanks.
Deep inside the battleship USS North
Carolina, a radio operator concentrates
intensely on the receiver in front of him.
The state of the art, 22 tube, RCA receiver,
known as an RBB, tunes from 4 to 18 MHz.
The receiver, built in 1941, is connected to
a large vertical near the smoke stack of
the vessel. He carefully tunes the bands,
checking several known frequencies, until
he comes on the frequency 6.070 MHz.
He carefully tunes in the signal and
listens intently. The voice on the radio is
giving target information. The signal
content is written down so an accurate
reception report can be made. You can the ship and the She was armed
almost feel the huge 16-inch guns turn to communications with nine 16-inch
be ready to f re at the targets. that were used in guns, 20 5-inch
the 1940s. guns and many
Just then a touch on the shoulder from
Allan Pellnat, KX2H, reminds me that the However, my third anti-aircraft
weapons.
year is 2013 and I am a guest aboard the purpose was the
battleship memorial. The station is CFRX, most important to She carried a crew
the shortwave service of CFRB from me. Don Cudney, of 144 off cers and
Toronto, Ontario and, ironically, the target VE3WDC, had 2,195 enlisted men
information is actually a news article given me a f ash which included
about the Target chain of stores coming proof WWII Navy about 100 marines.
to Canada this year. We are not in the Morse key for
south Pacif c but in the harbour of helping him with his equipment. She started in the Atlantic but was
Wilmington, North Carolina. transferred to the Pacif c theater of
I could think of no better place for the operations. She participated in every
I had been waiting for over a year to visit key than aboard this naval memorial major Pacif c naval offensive and
the radio rooms on the battleship to see ship in a restored radio room. Allan had received 15 battle stars.
areas not usually open to the public. already told me they would love to have
Allan and I had corresponded and set up the key for the ship and had done some She was in action from the Guadalcanal
an opportunity for me to visit during the research about it. I also had a collection landings of August 7-9, 1942 to the
North Carolina QSO Party and also to of old, black, radio knobs, of various bombardment of the Japanese Home
come back again to gather details for this sizes, that I thought they might be able Islands from July 10 to August 15, 1945.
article. The honour to actually operate to use. Allan is involved with the Antique She was reported sunk by the enemy six
from this museum ship was one I was not Wireless Association and he is sure they times but she survived many close calls
going to pass up. You do not often get the will f nd a home. and near misses. On September 15, 1942
chance to see and actually use some of she sustained her only hit of the war.
the original equipment from World War II. THE SHIP’S HISTORY A torpedo hit the port side. Ships repair
For a marine history enthusiast and a The USS North Carolina, BB55, has quite crews kept her with the f eet. By the end
radio enthusiast, this was a chance of a history and is a f tting memorial to the of the war she had only suffered 10
a lifetime. brave sailors of World War II. Her keel casualties and had 67 of her crew
wounded.
I met some of the volunteers last year and was laid in October 1937 and was the f rst
they put me in contact with the Azalea US battleship constructed in 16 years. However, as most people know, the era of
Coast Amateur Radio Club who maintain Along with her sister ship USS Washington, the battleship had come to an end in this
the communication equipment aboard the BB56, they comprised the North Carolina war and the aircraft carrier had become
ship. I had three purposes in mind as I class of battleship. the main weapon of the navy. The ship
went aboard. I wanted to actually see the The ship was commissioned on April 9, served as a training vessel for
original radio rooms and operate aboard. 1941 and was considered the world’s midshipmen but was decommissioned
Second, I wanted to write an article about greatest sea weapon. on June 27, 1947.
28
Ron Walsh, VE3GO
The following article is dedicated to
Bill Usher, AG4PA, who devoted many
hours to the restoration of the radio
equipment aboard the USS North
Carolina. The article was previously
published in Monitoring Times and is
being reproduced here with our thanks.
Deep inside the battleship USS North
Carolina, a radio operator concentrates
intensely on the receiver in front of him.
The state of the art, 22 tube, RCA receiver,
known as an RBB, tunes from 4 to 18 MHz.
The receiver, built in 1941, is connected to
a large vertical near the smoke stack of
the vessel. He carefully tunes the bands,
checking several known frequencies, until
he comes on the frequency 6.070 MHz.
He carefully tunes in the signal and
listens intently. The voice on the radio is
giving target information. The signal
content is written down so an accurate
reception report can be made. You can the ship and the She was armed
almost feel the huge 16-inch guns turn to communications with nine 16-inch
be ready to f re at the targets. that were used in guns, 20 5-inch
the 1940s. guns and many
Just then a touch on the shoulder from
Allan Pellnat, KX2H, reminds me that the However, my third anti-aircraft
weapons.
year is 2013 and I am a guest aboard the purpose was the
battleship memorial. The station is CFRX, most important to She carried a crew
the shortwave service of CFRB from me. Don Cudney, of 144 off cers and
Toronto, Ontario and, ironically, the target VE3WDC, had 2,195 enlisted men
information is actually a news article given me a f ash which included
about the Target chain of stores coming proof WWII Navy about 100 marines.
to Canada this year. We are not in the Morse key for
south Pacif c but in the harbour of helping him with his equipment. She started in the Atlantic but was
Wilmington, North Carolina. transferred to the Pacif c theater of
I could think of no better place for the operations. She participated in every
I had been waiting for over a year to visit key than aboard this naval memorial major Pacif c naval offensive and
the radio rooms on the battleship to see ship in a restored radio room. Allan had received 15 battle stars.
areas not usually open to the public. already told me they would love to have
Allan and I had corresponded and set up the key for the ship and had done some She was in action from the Guadalcanal
an opportunity for me to visit during the research about it. I also had a collection landings of August 7-9, 1942 to the
North Carolina QSO Party and also to of old, black, radio knobs, of various bombardment of the Japanese Home
come back again to gather details for this sizes, that I thought they might be able Islands from July 10 to August 15, 1945.
article. The honour to actually operate to use. Allan is involved with the Antique She was reported sunk by the enemy six
from this museum ship was one I was not Wireless Association and he is sure they times but she survived many close calls
going to pass up. You do not often get the will f nd a home. and near misses. On September 15, 1942
chance to see and actually use some of she sustained her only hit of the war.
the original equipment from World War II. THE SHIP’S HISTORY A torpedo hit the port side. Ships repair
For a marine history enthusiast and a The USS North Carolina, BB55, has quite crews kept her with the f eet. By the end
radio enthusiast, this was a chance of a history and is a f tting memorial to the of the war she had only suffered 10
a lifetime. brave sailors of World War II. Her keel casualties and had 67 of her crew
wounded.
I met some of the volunteers last year and was laid in October 1937 and was the f rst
they put me in contact with the Azalea US battleship constructed in 16 years. However, as most people know, the era of
Coast Amateur Radio Club who maintain Along with her sister ship USS Washington, the battleship had come to an end in this
the communication equipment aboard the BB56, they comprised the North Carolina war and the aircraft carrier had become
ship. I had three purposes in mind as I class of battleship. the main weapon of the navy. The ship
went aboard. I wanted to actually see the The ship was commissioned on April 9, served as a training vessel for
original radio rooms and operate aboard. 1941 and was considered the world’s midshipmen but was decommissioned
Second, I wanted to write an article about greatest sea weapon. on June 27, 1947.
28
