Page 33 May June 2014 TCA

Restored receiver setup Below: Norm, KI4KSY, showing the generator
in Radio Room 1. that they are trying so hard to restore.
I was pleased to have The Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club
a guide as we wove can be found at http://ac4rc.org. Using
our way through doors Google or similar programs you can
and decks. I was search “Radio Restoration USS North
shown Radio 1 and 2 Carolina” for many sites giving information
as well as the and photos.
generator room. The
time for the contest to Amateur Radio operators are known as a
begin meant returning friendly group and the Azalea Coast
to Radio 1 where the Amateur Radio Club certainly exemplify
20 metre SSB station that. I applaud their efforts to keep the
and the cryptographic battleship USS North Carolina on the air
room for the 40 and 15 and maintain the original equipment of
metre operations took the ship.
place. Some test calls I was also pleased to see the
were made on 20 metres and then the President of the Grand Strand
contest began. The ship uses the call Amateur Radio Club, Bob
NI4BK on the ham bands. NIBK was the Froelich, KK4KSY, there.
original ship call sign.
I have enjoyed working with
As I was watching the operation, the this Myrtle Beach Club and I
second 20 metre contact was VE3BRK. volunteer for their marathon
This was my late father’s call and my communications. He was
brother Bert, VE3KBW, now holds that enjoying operating and I am
call. He asked if I was there and they sure more of their members
turned the mike over to me. It was a thrill will be operating from the ship
to work Bert from the ship. He was coming in the future.
to Myrtle Beach in March and I got to go You can be a guest operator
back to the ship to show him the station. onboard the ship. The only
I am sure he enjoyed seeing the thing they ask is that you pay
equipment as much as I did. About an an admission to the ship to
hour later, I was operating and VE3GHK help out. In fact, if your club wants to
called me. George and I have been radio operate there it can be arranged. Do not pass up a chance to tour the ship
enthusiasts since we were in high school. and also take the opportunity to operate
I then took a break and had lunch. As luck would have it, Jeff Wingfeld, from aboard. You will surely enjoy the
KI4JDE, was also part of the group. He experience.
After lunch I went with Allan to Radio 2 just happens to be the Rear Commander
where the CW station was set up. It was I was thrilled to sign the call NI4BK – and
great to connect my key to the transceiver of the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club. to do so once again on February 23 of this
They operate the Waterway Net on 7.268
and operate CW from the ship. I made at 0745 Eastern Time every day. It was year when I operated 20 SSB and CW.
about 20 contacts including some DX in their 50th anniversary and I got a lot of This year, 10 stations from the Kingston
Europe. I returned to the SSB setup and information for my July column in area contacted the ship. I have also made
did some more contesting. I was happy to Monitoring Times. You never know who arrangements to be on the air next year
work many stations including Bill, VE3CLQ, from the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier
Tim, VA3TIC and Dave, VE3DZE, from you will meet at an Amateur Radio gathering. near Charleston, Virgina.
Kingston, Ontario. The old verticals work The contest ended near supper time and I Don’t forget to look for the USS North
very well and it is great to be in a pileup reluctantly took leave of the group and the Carolina on Museum Ships Weekend on
trying to work me for a change. ship. Believe me I could have spent a long June 7 and 8. I will be trying to add
time there and I will certainly be back. VE3GO to their list of contacts. I will also
Once the ship signs on there are always
plenty of stations who want the contact. HOW YOU CAN HELP be trying for an SWL report using my old
The team made 592 contacts on the Hallicrafters S38 and a long wire.
Saturday, 72 of which were on CW. While If you have any radio artifacts from the
taking a break form operating I had fun WWII era, please be sure to contact the I have been an SWL since 1959 and a
Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club to see
showing the radio rooms to some of the if they can be used on the ship. The club licensed Amateur since 1976. I was
people touring the ship and explaining is in particular need of 861 transmitting originally VE3IDW and now hold the call
VE3GO. I am a retired teacher. I have
what the club was doing. tubes. Their supply is running low and been a Great Lakes ship enthusiast for
I was also pleased to meet Bill Morine, any help obtaining some would be over 50 years and hold a Minor Waters
N2COP, the North Carolina Section appreciated. Masters certifcate. I have retired from
Manager for the American Radio Relay I have already contacted the Military running Thousand Island tour boats and
League. working as an offcer on the Canadian
Communications and Electronics Museum Empress. Combining my two hobbies
I certainly would enjoy talking to him again here at the Canadian Forces Base in with marine photography led to writing
as well. He is a very active Section Kingston to see what we can fnd. for Monitoring Times and now
Manager and it was great to see him The Spectrum Monitor.
operating in the contest. You can fnd out more about the ship at
their website at: http://battleshipnc.com
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