The good folks who take care of the USS IOWA have agreed to let us prestage our equipment for the BSA JOTA event on Saturday.
So, Friday afternoon I'll be lugging my semi-portable satellite antennas and radio gear down to the IOWA. One of my friends has graciously offered to come by Radio Central here and help me load the big stuff into his truck, and then bring it all back Saturday afternoon.
We're expecting about FIVE HUNDRED Boy Scouts, plus their family and friends to swing by. Besides activating the IOWA with her new callsign for the first time, we're also going to tray and connect with the MISSOURI, WISCONSIN, and NEW JERSEY on the HF ("shortwave") radio frequencies.
This will be the first time ever that all four IOWA-class ships are on-the-air on Amateur Radio frequencies at the same time.
UPDATE
Just got an email that the Wisconsin won't be able to be an-the-air with us as they don't quite have their Radio Room space finished.
They're going to be on-the-air the weekend of the 7th to 9th of December for the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
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I envy you. And all four BBs? Just plain cool.
ReplyDeleteI'm eating my heart out.
I want to go!!!
ReplyDeleteSince I'm a crew member, if you *ever* get out here to SoCal, let me know, and I can get you the "VIP" tour, not normally available to the public.
ReplyDeleteIt's really strange, but every time I'm on her, particularly when I'm below deck, I could swear there's people with me.
I was working in the Radio Room terminating some network cables, and thought I heard somebody come in. When I turned around to see who it was, NOBODY was there.
I've been on the "Lane Victory", the USS Midway, and several other museum ships, but nothing like this has ever happened to me.
I was talking about it with one of my coworkers at my "real" job (he's a retired Navy guy), and he said the ship "liked" me, probably because I have such deep respect for all who worked there before, and I was helping to bring her back to good condition.
Really bizarre......
That is just AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteToo bad that the USS Arizona (another Iowa Class) is at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. Maybe somebody should go to the Arizona memorial and get her on the air posthumously.
Have fun Jim. Good on you.
The USS Arizona is a Pennsylvania class battleship. The USS Missouri, BB-63, the last Iowa-class completed, and where MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender, is anchored across the bay from the Arizona, such that she faces the Arizona.
ReplyDeleteYou essentially have the "beginning" and "end" of WWII anchored close to each other.
I've never been to Pearl Harbor, but I just know it would be a very moving experience for me.
My mistake on the Arizona class.
ReplyDeleteI was in Pearl back in 1970 but did not visit the memorial. I regret it to this day.