Shuttle Launch Trip

This morning, I'll be riding down to the Kennedy Space Center area with Guy, K4GTM to catch the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. It will be my first attempt to see a launch live, so hopefully there isn't a scrub. With eight hours to go on the countdown, things are looking good.

I've packed the BC396, DJX10T, VX-5, and IC-91AD in my pack and have programmed a good bit of stuff for the way down. I'll post a report tonight or more likely tomorrow.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

ARISS QSL Card

Back in November 2008, I worked Mike Finke, the commander of the International Space Station Crew on 2-Meters. I promptly sent off a QSL card and today it arrived in the mail! This ranks amongst my favorite contacts, especially because it happened by chance; I had no idea that there was a pass that day, I just had the ISS frequency frequency pair programmed in to scan in the FT-8800.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

kf4lmt@comcast.net

GA to NC Through the 146.970

Tonight on the way home from work, I had a good QSO with WB4VOD, John in Benson NC through the 146.970 W4HBB repeater here in Savannah and the 146.970 WA4KXV repeater in Virginia Beach, VA. John made it into the W4HBB repeater quite well and he said I was making it into the Virginia Beach repeater.

There was some good Tropospheric Ducting after yesterday's storms as well, so no doubt that a side effect of our stormy weather has been some beneficial tropo in the evening and at night.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

VMFT-401 Back at MCAS Beaufort

The F-5s from VMFT-401 are back at MCAS Beaufort, SC to do training operations with the Beaufort F/A-18 squadrons. They are using their usual callsign and frequencies: the callsigns are SNIPER ## and the Tac frequencies are 250.300, 268.300, and 300.550.

They've been working with W-157 this morning on SEALORD frequencies 284.500, 385.300, and 376.900 with TBOLT 5# (VMFA-251) AND NIKEL 3# (VMFA-122) flights.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

2009 MS Bike Ride Summary

I truly enjoyed working the 2009 MS Bike Ride the last two days. We had a good group of operators and good weather to operate in and helped a good cause in the process. I can't say how much I enjoyed working with these folks and I look forward to the next event I'm able to help with. Luckily, the ride was rather uneventful on both days although today there seemed to an extraordinarly high number of tire problems (including one rider who had both tires go flat at the same time). The crew that worked the ride was:

Steve Jonas, K4SDJ
Sue Jonas, W4SWJ
Lynn Pierce, KD4POC
Russ Pierce, K4YGD
Guy McDonald, K4GTM
Bill Solomon, K4WCS
Jo Ann Solomon, KG4ZBW
Ted Moore, KJ4EGZ
Mathew Moore, KJ4HEX
Mark Zeigler, KD4PDX
Kevin Bell, WD0GFG
Lester Lamhut, KF4JBQ
Mac McCormick, KF4LMT

Mathew, KJ4HEX

Kevin, WD0GFG




Mac, KF4LMT and Lester, KF4JBQ

Steve, K4SDJ did an outstanding job of organzing the amateur radio efforts and ran net control both days. Radio Operators were placed at the break points and rest stops and in as many of the Sag Vans as the number of operators allowed. In this, we came up short because of a lack of volunteers. That said, Steve passed on that the organizers really appreciated our work and what we were able to do for the event.

I encourage our Savannah area hams to volunteer for these kind of events, they are both fun and a way to put our communications skill to work helping the community. For this event, it even helped raise money for a very worthy cause.

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT

kf4lmt@comcast.net

GA Power MS Bike Ride

I'll be leaving shortly to help with communications support for the Georgia Power Multiple Sclerosis Bike Ride. Today's route will be approximately 60 miles, running from downtown Savannah, starting at the Roundhouse to Skidaway Island and back. Start time is 0800.

If you want to listen to some of the amateur radio communications support, tune in the 147.330 (PL 203.5) and the 146.850 repeaters. There will be a partial police escort, so there will surely be some SCMPD traffic to monitor as well (probably on one of the PD Common or Tac channels).

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

MCAS Beaufort TRS

MCAS Beaufort, SC now has a 9600 baud P25 digital trunked repeater system. Over the weekend, I first heard a control channel for the system during a slight band opening. Earlier today, I took a trip to Beaufort to do some further listening to the system and found the following:

System ID: 0032h
9600 Baud P25 Mil UHF System

Sites:
386.725 - 0032h-0101 - Control Channel
386.1375
386.9625
386.5125

380.4875 - 0032h-0102 - Control Channel
(No talkgroup activity noted)

385.625 - 0032h-0103 - Control Channel
385.350
386.2125

I didn't come to any full conclusions on site locations while I was up there (in part because I'm not completely familiar with Beaufort's geography. Site 0101 is definitely on or very near to MCAS Beaufort, that much I am sure of. 0103 seems to be further to the south; I had good signal strengths on it in the area of US 21/SC 170 all the way down to SC 170 at the Beaufort/Jasper County line although it drop out at times in the area of Beaufort Memorial and spots along Ribault Rd. 0102 has me somewhat perplexed. I think it may be on MCRD Parris Island as it came in VERY strong crossing over the Lady's Island Bridge (where you can look straight south down the Beaufort River and see MCRD PI). Passing by Parris Island Gateway on SC 802, however, there was almost no signal strength on it so that leads to a bit of confusion on my part.

So far, the only Talkgroup heard on the system has been PMO (MPs) on TG 38141. I'm guessing that the system has not been up very long and that not many users have migrated over to it yet. I would also like to thank a source in Beaufort who shall be anonymous for now (because I forgot to ask him if it was OK to mention his name).

Mac McCormick III, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net