-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Fwd: Thought you may find this interesting
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 20:10:04 -0500
From: doug barnard <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask], Mike Barnard <[log in to unmask]>
You guys might get a kick out of this.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David M. Heil <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thu, Feb 12, 2015 at 7:40 PM
Subject: Thought you may find this interesting
To: doug barnard <[log in to unmask]>
"Gray Radio Gang" Reactivates Vintage Battleship *Iowa* HF Transmitter
It's a massive project on a number of levels, but the so-called "Gray Radio
Gang" that's been working to restore some of the vintage US Navy radio gear
on board the Battleship *Iowa* <http://www.pacificbattleship.com/> (BB-61),
docked in Los Angeles, recently fired up one of the vessel's transmitters
for the first time in about 25 years. Restoration team member Jim Jerzycke,
KQ6EA, recounted on his "Every Blade of Grass" blog
<http://every-blade-of-grass.blogspot.com/> how the group was finally able
to get 950 W into a dummy antenna from one transmitter on 20 meters.
*One of the Battleship Iowa's AN/URT-23(C) transmitters. The exciter is at
the top, the PA is in the middle, and the amplifier power supply is on the
bottom. [Jim Jerzycke, KQ6EA, photo]*
"We still have quite a way to go before we attempt to put one [transmitter]
on the air, but the results were quite encouraging for at transmitter that
was last powered up sometime in 1990," Jerzycke said in his blog. "BB-61
should be on the air later this year with a *big* voice!"
He told ARRL that, once transmitters are deemed operational, they probably
would not be used very often on the ham bands. The Iowa already has a ham
radio station, NI6BB, under the auspices of the Battleship Iowa Amateur
Radio Association (BIARA <http://www.biara.org/>), an ARRL-affiliated club.
BIARA's president is Doug Dowds, W6HB. NI6BB has more modern gear but makes
use of the ship's own antennas.
The BIARA is active from the *Iowa* most Wednesdays and for many national
holidays, such as Veterans Day, Pearl Harbor Day, and Memorial Day, and for
operating events such as the Museum Ships Weekend and International
Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend. The station also has hosted Boy Scouts'
Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) groups each fall.
*Arnold Shatz, N6HC, at the helm of the Iowa's NI6BB club station.*
Jerzycke said the Gray Radio Gang is composed of about 10 individuals with
experience on various types of US Navy radio gear dating from the 1950s to
the 1980s, when most of them served in the Navy. "At 63 years old, I'm one
of the 'youngsters' in that group," he added. The team has been trying to
get the original receivers, transmitters, RTTY gear, and antennas working
again, Jerzycke said. "We are very fortunate in having the guys from the
aircraft carrier *Midway* in San Diego and the Battleship *New Jersey* in
Camden, New Jersey, who have provided us with technical help, documents,
and spare parts."
The AN/URT-23(C) transmitters, he joked, are "built like a battleship,"
with a pair of 4CX1500Bs in the final and nominally capable of putting out
a couple of kilowatts. He noted that once the Gray Radio Gang has confirmed
the signal paths for the various shipboard transmitters and receivers, it
will be able to put a transmitter/receiver pair in operation for certain
special events. "At this time it's unlikely that we will use the original
radio equipment for 'routine' Amateur Radio operations, as it's very
manpower intensive, requiring at least six people to operate," Jerzycke
explained.
"It's an honor and a privilege to be able to work on the *Iowa*, and I
enjoy every minute of it!"
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