Update: 6/15/15
Mt Diablo Recon Mission, 12-14 June 2015
Oh, and the Chow was good!
We had a fun Military Field Day up on Mt Diablo this weekend. We were running a TRC-77 on 80/40 CW, an ARC Type 12 set and a PRC-25. Had good comms with Andy on multiple sked times on both 80 and 40 meters CW, night and day. We worked Bart on the PRC-25 and also a long QSO with him using the Type 12 on 144.450 Mc AM (and no interference from the &#*&% APRS repeaters this time!). That little set sounds Great!
The ARC Type 12 was running either a mag-mount 5/8 whip or a J-Pole hanging up in the trees. Site elevation 3210 ft AMSL. The PRC-25 was just using the standard 1 meter flex tape whip.
We were equipped to coordinate Ground Operations with the PRC-25, coordinate Close Air Support with the ARC Type 12 and receive task orders or report on BDA via the long range TRC-77 HF CW net.
I wanted to test the TRC-77 with the “per the book” slant wire antenna of 50 and 25 feet on 80/40 respectively, including 2 radial ground wires. (Well described by Andy as a Bush Antenna)…Worked well, made all the skeds with Andy but best reports were around 459. It’s not a rock-crusher, a dipole would have worked much better over that 78 mile NVIS shot. Keepin’ it Stock this time out.
We also worked “Agent Control” once again at KSM/K6KPH in the Marin Headlands – they dominate the freq (3550/7050) when “on”. They asked for my airdrop resupply requisition – I asked for a Field Air Conditioner Set which they forwarded to Supply and the expeditionary air wing. Amazingly, a C-17 out of Travis flew directly over Mt Diablo, very low, about 45 minutes later, but alas no pallet with said air conditioner…(the next day we were entertained by a nice P-40 flying overhead)
We are using 7050/3550 kc as the West Coast Agent Guard Channel (days/nights) with Comm Windows between 1700 and 2300Z Saturdays with Control.
A good shakedown cruise for the TRC-77 in the ALICE Pack and it worked Andy with his TRC-77 and also his TDE/RBB combo. It is a very good field rig, here running off internal SLA batteries for 3 days in a fairly stock field configuration. Receiver was “On” for around 35 hours continuous, no recharging necessary. Worked lots of stations, 10 watts goes a long way. It is a very RF quiet location….
More details on the TRC-77 here:
Some site Recon Pix:
The basic field station
Coffee, CW and Comms
Discussing tonight’s plan for our perimeter defense force.
Light discipline procedures have been temporarily waived.
We’ve got comms covered from up here: Strategic, Tactical and Air Support.
Stay well-grounded my friends…
Next mission; The High Sierra’s.