Even though I haven't be able to get a Reciprocal Operating Permit from the country where our ship is flagged, I do bring my little Grundig G3 shortwave receiver with me. On days like today, I enjoy going out on deck and tuning around the bands to 'see' what I can 'hear'. This weekend is Museum Ships Weekend, and I was able to hear KH6BB, onboard the U.S.S. Missouri anchored in Pearl Harbor. I'm going to send them a reception report, with an SASE, of course, and hope they get a kick out of being heard from 4*17'N, 149*43'W.
We're chugging along at 19 knots, and hopefully will be back in Home Port next Saturday the 9th.
I'll miss my YF's birthday, but I ordered her some of her favorite flowers from ProFlowers.com, the BEST place I've ever dealt with when it comes to sending floral arrangements.
The little Grundig is a better radio than I expected. It has Synchronous Detection for AM use, which helps eliminate fading, and although it has 1kHz tuning steps, the fine tuning control has a greater than 1kHz range, making it very easy to tune in SSB.
It also receives standard AM broadcast, FM stereo (with headphones), Aircraft Band, and has most of the standard Shortwave Bands available at the touch of a button.
Pleasant little radio for under $100, and would make a good addition to your bug out/emergency kit.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Successful Launch
Launched right on time, successful spacecraft separation, and successful spacecraft acquisition.
We'll pack up and stow our stuff Friday, and head for home.
We'll pack up and stow our stuff Friday, and head for home.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
We've Arrived
Actually got here sometime last night/early this morning.
Won't be posting much while I'm here due to "Employer Paranoia".
I'll try and come up with some other topics when I have time.
Won't be posting much while I'm here due to "Employer Paranoia".
I'll try and come up with some other topics when I have time.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Bullit Points
If you're a fan of "Bullit" with Steve McQueen, I think you'll find this little 99 cent download very interesting.
And best of all, ALL of the proceeds go to Steve's favorite organization, The Boys Republic, in Chino, California.
The Boys republic is the place McQueen went to during his somewhat troubled youth, and he creits them with turning his life around.
Get it here: http://www.bullittpoints.com/
And best of all, ALL of the proceeds go to Steve's favorite organization, The Boys Republic, in Chino, California.
The Boys republic is the place McQueen went to during his somewhat troubled youth, and he creits them with turning his life around.
Get it here: http://www.bullittpoints.com/
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Day 5 At Sea
Reporting from 10*13'N, 143*26'W, 19.2kts.
Had our second rehearsal today, the one where they throw all the faults, failures, and 'anomalies' at us.
We came through with flying colors, as usual.
We're supposed to catch up with the launch platform around 0300 or so, and then we'll steam along with them down to the launch site at a leisurely 11kts or so. We'll do all our systems checks using our line-of-site microwave links, and run the last rehearsal.
Then it's one day to set up, one day to launch, one day to tear down, and head for home.
Just hanging out in my cube tonight watching "Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex".
Was going through a link a Ham buddy sent me, and I found a QSL card from the guy that taught me Morse Code oh so many years ago. Cel was quite a guy. He had served many years as a shipboard Radio Officer, and could talk to you, smoke a cigarette, drink a cup of coffee, and carry on a conversation in CW at 20+ wpm on the radio.
Quite a guy........
Had our second rehearsal today, the one where they throw all the faults, failures, and 'anomalies' at us.
We came through with flying colors, as usual.
We're supposed to catch up with the launch platform around 0300 or so, and then we'll steam along with them down to the launch site at a leisurely 11kts or so. We'll do all our systems checks using our line-of-site microwave links, and run the last rehearsal.
Then it's one day to set up, one day to launch, one day to tear down, and head for home.
Just hanging out in my cube tonight watching "Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex".
Was going through a link a Ham buddy sent me, and I found a QSL card from the guy that taught me Morse Code oh so many years ago. Cel was quite a guy. He had served many years as a shipboard Radio Officer, and could talk to you, smoke a cigarette, drink a cup of coffee, and carry on a conversation in CW at 20+ wpm on the radio.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Quiet Day At Sea
Reporting from 15*50'N, 137*28'W
Well....we're about half-way to the launch site. The weather's been cloudy, and over the next day or two we'll be going through the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a.k.a "The Doldrums".
This means we'll hit some rain, sometimes quite heavy, but no particular "storms" to mention.
Had our safety training on boarding/unboarding the helicopter, and a few other things. One of the pilots giving the life vest part actually pulled the ring so we could see how fast they inflate, and how big they got. Seems if you pop one open, you'll have some trouble getting out through the window, which you push out to act as the emergency exit if things get so bad as to require a water "landing". The Bell 212 we have onboard is equipped with floats, BUT if you slide the doors open, they slice into the floats, a definite Bad Thing!
One really good thing they did when this ship was in drydock a couple of months ago was to polish and rebalance the propeller. For the first time at-sea, the vibration level is very low, and things don't rattle around in our office area, which is at the stern of the ship.
Not much else going on for now. We'll get insanely busy the closer we get to the launch site, so we're all enjoying the time to relax for now.
Well....we're about half-way to the launch site. The weather's been cloudy, and over the next day or two we'll be going through the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a.k.a "The Doldrums".
This means we'll hit some rain, sometimes quite heavy, but no particular "storms" to mention.
Had our safety training on boarding/unboarding the helicopter, and a few other things. One of the pilots giving the life vest part actually pulled the ring so we could see how fast they inflate, and how big they got. Seems if you pop one open, you'll have some trouble getting out through the window, which you push out to act as the emergency exit if things get so bad as to require a water "landing". The Bell 212 we have onboard is equipped with floats, BUT if you slide the doors open, they slice into the floats, a definite Bad Thing!
One really good thing they did when this ship was in drydock a couple of months ago was to polish and rebalance the propeller. For the first time at-sea, the vibration level is very low, and things don't rattle around in our office area, which is at the stern of the ship.
Not much else going on for now. We'll get insanely busy the closer we get to the launch site, so we're all enjoying the time to relax for now.
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Yawn....just more Kabuki Theater, but interesting reading, nonetheless. Read All About It Here.....
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