“Gray Radio Gang” Reactivates Vintage Battleship Iowa HF Transmitter

 

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It’s a massive project on a number of levels, but the so-called “Gray Radio Gang” that’s been working to restore some of the vintage US Navy radio gear onboard the Battleship Iowa (BB-61), docked in Los Angeles, recently fired up one of the vessel’s transmitters for the first time in about 25 years. Restoration team member Jim Jerzycke, KQ6EA, recounted on his “Every Blade of Grass” blog how the group was finally able to get 950 W into a dummy antenna from one transmitter on 20 meters.

“We still have quite a way to go before we attempt to put one [transmitter] on the air, but the results were quite encouraging for at transmitter that was last powered up sometime in 1990,” Jerzycke said in his blog. “BB-61 should be on the air later this year with a big voice!”

He told ARRL that, once the transmitter — or transmitters — are deemed operational, they probably would not be used for routine Amateur Radio work. TheIowa already has a ham radio station, NI6BB, under the auspices of the Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association (BIARA), an ARRL-affiliated club. BIARA’s president is Doug Dowds, W6HB. NI6BB has more modern gear but makes use of the ship’s own antennas.”

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