Museum Ships Weekend 2025

[Rastus]

OK, here's your two months heads up for the June 7 start of Museum Ships Weekend this year (2025).  So if you are not a ham you can still listen in on shortwave but you need single sideband (SSB).  SSB units are becoming inexpensive these days.   

 https://www.nj2bb.org/museum/

So far there are 69 ships participating internationally.  Most of the ships are here in the US but there are participants from Greece, Russia, Spain, Nova Scotia, Germany and Canada.  As the date gets closer we should be well over 100 ships participating.

At $170 one of the best shortwave radios: 
https://www.amazon.com/Tecsun-PL880-Conversion-Shortwave-Reception/dp/B00GJ51NVA/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1H170LC5D1MPL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.stI690RMuLZ-jmYqOWJAk7N-tN402nZxOafIE47NBCLlhFsQHfhjF45D51dl_wWa8OjFN6-7WCVOKG5wyUjLD26BFxoJF2ROA9Hpqua2vo4gf0Q0gf7-nN1CJy6HIrBm2HL8kN2ClPc0wv2gjOsqthFxM9xko8se9MgQmDv52-KIW0L1eNcIHbbAhKD28TtPCJTrFhFOlfd3RTUtWztW-XVrlsGjPT_W97KcghZRIiY.yHP35_DaoCYao6aJIdKxWWym2Fmq-XvPRhMAA37D5F8&dib_tag=se&keywords=tecsun+shortwave&qid=1743261639&sprefix=tecsun+shortwave%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-3

At $88 right now a pretty good unit that has sideband is this one: 
https://www.amazon.com/XHDATA-Portable-Speaker-Display-External/dp/B0DPHTFHF7?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

You can spend $500-$600 and not get much of a benefit over the $170 Tecsun.  The XH Data at $88 is about at low as you can go on a sideband model and not be disappointed and infuriated about it's performance.

Plan on getting a wire shortwave antenna to hear just about all that can be heard....or just wrap at least 23 or more feet of any wire on your antenna and lay it out.  You can get a commercial windup antenna for $7 here:
https://www.amazon.com/Wenpzeray-Shortwave-Telescopic-External-Reception/dp/B0CG9VXYQ1/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1B9CRT6USHONM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fKTnEqcKrK7oWXU3v3d64FUiryCotRectd4Rj9bpHA8zXyerUiHHMjiQur9py1qgXAU5Yc2nREWST_hJFtt4M2QbwaNS7O6W1RVq2qlXB--SMkPQspyfQnwdD8CzPqAn8lt7LbIvuT6c_z5SJ3lbdLHvtVAoPDDL-FNPdet9CZ2bRWhyAEM33izu4hy80Hr7EHANwLHoZeD1TNDyOVstlK8zmBjfdThkKGrrZ4pSyIk.qeBhZ5rxQoV3yJc3mpVP4gAELtRNf5U40ZV7HLYbNAM&dib_tag=se&keywords=shortwave+antenna&qid=1743262065&sprefix=shortwave+antenna%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5

[alfsauve]

Thanks for the heads up.  What's really bugging me right now is 10m.  I need SC and TN to completed WAS on 10m, maybe that weekend will see at least SC.  I'm going to juggle my antenna tree around by then, I hope, which should produce different patterns, not just on 10 but on 20 and 40 as well.  I seem to have a dead spot on both of those bands to the NW.  California, Oregon and Washington are good but AK and HI are dead to me.  Yet no problem on  15m, go figure.

I do question the radio history of the Hunley though.

All sorts of SDR options for radios out there.  I've been leaving my 20yo (or more) ICOM 706 turned on all day for several years now.  When it dies I'll have to take a serious look at replacement.

[Rastus]

I contacted the Hunley guys the first time they activated for MSWE.  They activated on the grounds near the ship so that is "legal".

The Icom 706 is a legendary unit.  I always wanted one but ended up with the cheaper 857d (which I wish I could find now).  I'm running the FTDX-3000 and a 991A.  Lots of new options out there since purchasing those 5-6 years ago.

And yes, you probably have lobes...but wait...is that a vertical antenna you are talking about?  If so maybe turning isn't the best thing?  Add some ground radials if it is vertical??

[alfsauve]

Yes the main antenna is a 5 band vertical and no I know rotating it won't change anything.  The problem is that there is a 6m vertical right next to it.  Then there's a 10m rigid dipole on the other side along with a weather station.

The Plan:
1)  Relocate the weather station somewhere else, away from the tower.
2)  Remove the 6m vertical.
3)  Raise the 10m dipole about a foot and turn it more easterly.

[Rastus]

Depending on the number of radials, if you have any, then you may have lobes.  You may try redirecting any radials you have???  And depending on the number of your radials and location of them (off the ground?).

It may be a takeoff angle thing as much or more than a lobe.  Radials, I think, tend to lower the lobe.  I'm going to have to check that.   

Addition:  So when I check your location with a great circle kind of a thing (Google Maps Measurement) I see you are around 1,800-2100 miles from Washington, Oregon and Washington.  Fairbanks is like 3,300 miles and Honolulu is 4,500 miles from you. 

But then...verticals usually have low takeoff angles and do well on distance.  But...if you don't have radials on the antenna then you are transmitting through a "dummy load" as some put it...which is overly harsh but you would be losing db's. 

[Sponsor]

[Rastus]

Sale on PL-880:   https://www.anon-co.com/product/tecsun-pl-880-radio

[Big Frank]

Sale on PL-880:   https://www.anon-co.com/product/tecsun-pl-880-radio

That model number sounded very familiar to me but when I looked at the radio I didn't know why since I never owned anything like it. But I have a Pioneer PL-990 Turntable. It's been made since since July 1996 and is a step up from the old PL-880. That and the PL-980 were made in Japan from 1988 - 1990. I had a Pioneer PL-L800 Turntable and may have replaced it with a PL-880 before I got the PL-990, or replaced it directly with the 990, I don't know, but PL-880 sounds familiar anyway. Here's how the linear tracking worked on the old one. A turntable with a linear tracking tonearm is designed to play vinyl records with exceptional accuracy. Unlike traditional tonearms that move in an arc, a linear tracking turntable tonearm moves in a straight line across the record. This design mimics the original way records are cut, providing precise playback.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZkkKJpYKKE