49th Annual Blue and Gray Military Vehicle Show in Hagerstown Maryland

May 5th and 6th, 2023

Pictures from the show at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum

M151A1 Mutt

AAR Hagerstown MVPA Military Vehicle Show and Sale, May 5th and 6th, 2023 in Hagerstown Maryland.

 

What was supposed to be achieved by this project?

 

This show was once known as the “Aberdeen” show. It’s been at the Hagerstown regional Airport complex, the one time home of Fairchild – Republic and today a public airfield and Museum.

I have been going to this show for years. For the last several shows I brought out the M151A1 along with its radios and set up and operate at the event. The Blue & Gray Military Vehicle Trust operates the show and during the event over the years have discovered that a lot of people enjoying telling stories and seeing all this gear up and running.

The plan for this year included the regular field RTTY and USB voice operations on the Saturday morning Nets along with a new challenge to our west coast brothers to do a cross country QSO to their annual event at the National Guard base in San Luis Obispo.

What was actually achieved?

  Arrived at seven that morning with mutt and got set up in row B space six. The only scheduled contact was with N6CC at five that afternoon so took advantage of all the free time to look around the event and see what was available. Saw several people that I knew, and time was spent talking. Around five that afternoon cranked up the GRC-106 on 18.145 and did several calls for N6CC and although did hear something down in the noise was not able to make the QSO, did talk to a couple stations down in Florida and someone out in North Dakota on that channel but no luck with the west coast group, did learn after the fact that they did hear me but by the time they came back with more power I had gone QRT.

I used the AN/GRC-106A with a Tough book laptop for RTTY running Mitty software and the same antenna for the 7296 net at ten that morning. Only had about six or so stations on the forty meter voice net, dropped the mast and installed the antenna cut for 5357 for the M & S Net at noon. It was good to work that net again after the lack of successes at home and Cape Henlopen.  Started packing up around three and was off the site by four.

 What aspects of the project work?

 The antennas and radios all performed well. Using the vertical for seventeen meters works but have to wonder if a new cut antenna for 18.145 may be in order? Because of all the issues with generator noise was not able to use the MEP-025 generator and had to run the engine in the mutt during all scheduled transmission times and that works but the vibration and heat of the running engine was annoying.

Once again, the PRC-25/77 set up was a big hit, people love to see and talk about that radio.

   What didn't work and why?

 The seventeen meters contact was going to be a big deal if we were able to pull it off, but because of a failure to coordinate and on my part of not maintaining diligence in continuing to monitor beyond the scheduled time it failed. Forty meters was also challenging on Saturday but was still able to get into the MMRCG net and last but not least having to run the engine on the mutt sucks. Need to find a better way of powering everything but considering it’s not just the GRC-106 also have to power the VRC-12 set up along with the URC-110 at some field operations I can draw shore power and use that to run everything but not at Hagerstown. Don’t want to use a modern generator being it would not be period correct.

  What would you change if given a second chance?

Exchange phone numbers so we can use text messaging as a backup channel! The laptop I use for RTTY had seen a wireless network available but never thought to use that, the cell can also be used for text but never thought to do all that in advance. Would have been something to pull off that cross country QSO but looks like it won't be happening this time.

I still want to try to get others out and doing things, there were at least a dozen licensed Hams on site with handhelds, PRC-25/77 and VRC-12 sets but other than a couple times on 51.0 when talking with someone to test a radio nothing was heard. Will have to say that I did not listen over the entire event but whenever I was around the mutt had the RT-524 cranked up. Still have to wonder what it's going to take to get people to come out and take part.

  

 

 

 

Delaware Goes to War, Cape Henlopen State Park

 April 22nd and 23rd, 2023

 

 

 

AAR Delaware Goes to War, Saturday, April 22 Fort Miles, Cape Henlopen State park, Delaware.

What was supposed to be achieved by this project?

Delaware Goes to War is an annual event in April at Fort Miles- NAVRADSTA Lewes.  The Fort Miles Historical Association wants to keep this a WW2 only thing promoting their Battery 519 bunker, artillery park and other WW2 themed attractions but the Delaware State Parks people try to represent all of the installation past including its Cold War history so they allow us to set up and display next to the Historical Association.

For the last several years a number of us who collect military vehicles and other groups have been part of this event.

I planned to have the M151 mutt set up with all its radio equipment along with on air operations that included the 7087 RTTY and MRCA MMRCG USB nets that day.

What was actually achieved?

 Arrived at seven that morning, I had dropped off the mutt the day before and run the extension cords and everything like that because I know the mornings can be hectic. Moved the mutt from inside the compound where they had security over night to the parking lot next to the entrance to Fort Miles. The same location that I have been using for the last couple years now that’s adjacent to where we do the Able Archer 83 event. Set up the 40 meter inverted V and tested the AN/GRC-106A with a Tough book laptop running Mitty software. I used the same antenna for the 7296 net at ten that morning. After that net dropped the pole and installed the antenna for sixty meters for the M & S Net at noon. After the M & S net used the vertical mounted on the mutt for the rest of the day’s activity. Started packing up around three and was off the site by four.

What aspects of the project work?

The antennas and radio all worked well. This is the third or fourth time I have run RTTY from the mutt and had the added bonus of copying K4NYW special event NAVRADSTA Lewes bulletin.  Had week copy on some of the stations on the 7296 MMRCG Net with Ron, K3TZJ, Nick K4NYW and Bernie WB3WOE all 20 over. The noon net was more of a challenge. I was able to only copy maybe half of what net control said and needed relay from N2MS to know when it was my turn. But at least I was able to take part in the net unlike what’s been happening from home. Later that day decided to do some operation on seventeen meters. Wanted to do a QSO with Jeff N2IA over in New Jersey but was not able to do the short path on seventeen. Did check into the net on 18.157 and if you have never been there it’s a fun net with many stations who all take turns giving signal reports. It’s amazing that I was all over the central US and the west just running the vertical on the mutt.

For this show I also bring out a PRC-25/77 that people love to see and talk about along with some printed signs on the mutt and its role in the Vietnam and Cold War.

  What didn't work and why?

 Everything worked but don’t know what happen to sixty meters? I was not able to do anything over to New Jersey, tried 51.0 but no success there. Only brought out one pack radio the PRC-77 and that is always a big hit with the public, but having no luck getting anyone else to come out and play radio during this event. I forgot to bring out a chair and that sucked. Had to sit in the mutt or stand around.

 What would you change if given a second chance?

Bring out a chair, maybe more snacks. I don’t know what it’s going to take to get people out to take part? In the next several weeks there will be events at Hagerstown, The Hamvention out in Ohio and a number of other events with MRCA Gilbert in September and Able Archer 83 this fall. Would be great to see some of the other members get out and take part in something.

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

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