IN COLOR:  The May newsletter is available.

Museum Ships Weekend Event

A greatly expanded event.  
7PM Friday, May 31 to Sunday afternoon, June 2.

• Were you in the Navy?
• Are you a Vet – any branch?
• Have you been to sea (not including cruise liners)?
• Are you a history buff?
• Are you patriotic?
• Do you like to eat?  Check out our spread!
• Would you like to be on the “good end” of an operating pileup?
• Do you like camaraderie with fellow hams in a relaxed, comfortable and scenic environment?

    If yes to any of these, you will really enjoy participating and operating on Museum Ships Weekend Event from 2 ships in Galveston - the Submarine USS Cavalla and the Destroyer Escort, USS Stewart.  A third station (under Houston-QRP Club call – W5MSQ – available to BVARCers) - will also be set up on the Stewart to “activate” the SS Selma, a 1919 concrete oil tanker scuttled in sight of the Stewart.  There will possibly be a 4^th station.  All stations can be SSB or CW.

If you haven’t attended before, you really want to “make it happen” this year.  You are guaranteed to have an enjoyable and memorable time.  If you have attended previously or participated in a “mobilization party”, you need no convincing, especially with our expanded event.

It is only a 1-hour drive (off peak) from Meyerland or Stafford.  Also, carpools can be coordinated.

Amateur radio operators around the world set-up on, or in sight of, a museum ship or ship’s memorial: Hams worldwide make contacts with as many of them as possible.  More than 100 ships participate.  Hams that achieve 15 ship QSOs earn a nice certificate. BVARC has its own special QSL card for this event as well. 

Because the 2 stations activating the Stewart also activate the Cavalla, contact with either of them counts as a “twofer” (2 ships for one contact).  Demand for these makes operating our stations feel like being on a DXPedition fielding the pileups.  Because there are occasional slower times, and because the Selma is not a twofer, many opportunities exist for those who wish to operate at a more relaxed pace.

Amateur radio operators around the world set-up on, or in sight of, a museum ship or ship’s memorial: Hams worldwide make contacts with as many of them as possible.  More than 100 ships participate.  Hams that achieve 15 ship QSOs earn a nice certificate. BVARC has its own special QSL card for this event as well. 

Because the 2 stations activating the Stewart also activate the Cavalla, contact with either of them counts as a “twofer” (2 ships for one contact).  Demand for these makes operating our stations feel like being on a DXPedition fielding the pileups.  Because there are occasional slower times, and because the Selma is not a twofer, many opportunities exist for those who wish to operate at a more relaxed pace.

You will be fed well!  A “super feed,” compliments of BVARC, takes place around 6PM Saturday.  It will likely be catered with legendary Leon’s World Famous Bar-B-Que.  Several other meals, some contributary, some compliments of BVARC, as well as ongoing snacks and drinks are provided. 

You can also sleep on-board the air-conditioned Stewart Friday and/or Saturday night.  Bring a bedroll and a pillow for the bunks.  Please RSVP with Mark Janzer (see BVARC roster) before Tuesday, May 28, to get free admittance or if you sleepover.

 The website for the entire international MSWE event is at:  https://www.qsl.net/w/wa2tvs/museum/

Check for more info, directions and updates on the BVARC event at: http://bvarc.org/home/museum-ships/

EAT   -        DRINK  (SRI, no adult beverages)  -    and        MAKE . . . . . QSOS.                                 

Upcoming Field Day

If you have attended one of the Mega Field Days, the first thing that you see is this massive TV screen with a real time score and stats of the number of QSOs in different modes as the 10 simultaneous operators are making QSOs. The second most impressive thing you see is that all the rigs and computers are standardized. You can move from one rig to another and never have to worry about learning how to operate a new rig. ALL the rigs are K3s thanks to members who bring their K3 rigs to the Field Day.

So, what about the computers? Well, we are very fortunate to have Glenn, WB5TUF, who has managed to accumulate discontinued computers that are able to operate N1MM and are linked to an internal network. Every year, Glenn starts about a month before Field Day by dusting off these computers, upgrading the software and upgrading the N1MM software. He checks the networking of these computers so that they all work. The day before Field Day, Glenn loads up his car with these computers and brings them to the Field Day. He installs the computers, with the help of several volunteers, at each station. He makes sure they are all linked to an internal network to his master computer. All the K3s are checked to make sure they are ready to operate in their mode of operation.

While Glenn is setting up the computers, others are installing the cabling and the filters to allow multiple users to share the antennas. Test QSOs are made to ensure that all the rigs and antennas operate properly. If there is anything that needs to be done, the people setting up the stations don’t wait to be told or asked. Everyone know to just DO IT.

During the 24 hours of FD operation, every contact made by the operators is linked to Glenn’s master computer and the results displayed in real time on the big TV screen.

The next amazing this to watch is when FD is over. Everyone pitches in to take down the antennas, roll up the coax, unhook the computers and rigs, pack up the computers, clean the rooms and the kitchen, take out the trash and within four hours, leave the site as if FD never happened.

Come and be part of this Mega Field Day event. There are not many Field Day entries with 10 or more rigs in the country. It is definitely a unique experience.

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