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| TH-6 Tri-Band Antenna |
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| Dan Meushaw, N3KTU operates on 2 meters |
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| TH-6 Tri-Band Antenna |
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| Dan Meushaw, N3KTU operates on 2 meters |
Well, to say the least, this event was memorable for all stations that participated ! We anticipate that a full accounting will be made in an upcoming issue of QST. As for the Goddard Club, here's a first accounting of our activity. I hope to get reports and pictures from other centers for this page. You can either first read a summary of the event parameters, or jump straight to the GARC summary
First of all, I would like to thank the core group of GARC members without which none of our participation would have been possible. They are Jim Gass, N3CJN, Chuck Sommer, N4OSD, Hugh O'Donnell, W3FUO, Stan Iarosis, N2US, John Stolarik, K3CLG, and Robert DiRosario, KA3ZYX. I hope that the description that follows depicts the effort that was required not only by those listed here, but for many other people at the 12 other NASA centers, the SAREX Working Group, and the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-65.
| Name | Call |
|---|---|
| Roberto Aleman | N3QVD |
| Alex Benitez | WX3Q |
| Jim Blackwell | N3KWU |
| Marty Brown | KC3SI |
| Walt Daniel | KE3HP |
| Robert DiRosario | KA3ZYX |
| Bill Dobson | WA3ZER |
| Sharon Dobson | N3QQC |
| Jim Elliott | KA3UNQ |
| Jim Gass | N3CJN |
| Stan Iarosis | N2US |
| Carolyn Keydash | N3DON |
| Pat Kilroy | WD8LAQ |
| Dan Meushaw | N3KTU |
| Hugh O'Donnell | W3FUO |
| B.J. Slater | KB3AZF |
| David Slater | N3QIQ |
| Chuck Sommer | N4OSD |
| John Stolarik | K3CLG |
In late October 1993 Ron Parise, WA4SIR, sent me an electronic copy of the JSC ARC newsletter (UPLINK) in which Dale Martin, KG5U, put forth the concept to the JSC club of operating a Special Event for Apollo 11. I forwarded this to Jim and we decided to approach JSC and Dale with the idea of a multi-center event.
In mid April, a video telecon arranged in part by Chuck Sommer, N4OSD was held from which the interested NASA clubs discussed the event and exchanged contacting information. Dale offered to coordinate the activity acting as point of contact and generating the press-related information for the event. I offered my services as designer of a generic certificate that each of the clubs could use as a base design.
Locally, we faced a problem in that STS-65 would likely be in orbit (with SAREX) during the time of the event and we did not want to take down Shuttle Retransmissions.
The first week of July, Jim Gass called a meeting to discuss alternate operation sites (mind you, we were still recovering from Field Day). We batted around a number of GSFC locations. Our primary site, the GSFC Visitor's center, was not available as it was "Comet Central" for the Comet Shoemaker-Levy-9/Jupiter collision. Hugh O'Donnell, W3FUO, suggested the Goddard Antenna Range Facility (GARF) as he was once its Facilities Operation manager (FOM). His familiarity with both the site and with the current FOM (Armen Caroglanian, AK3K) soon led us to choose this site as a primary possibility (we did not know at the time that Armen was a Ham !). The okay to use this site was given Friday, July 15th.
We began setup at the site on Saturday, July 16th, however we did not yet have keys to the building, and it was just one of those days when everyone was on a different schedule. We did manage to get the TH6DXX tri-bander and tower trailer towed to the site, and a G5RV antenna partially up.
Monday afternoon, we finally received the okay from GSFC security and obtained keys to the site. Late that afternoon, I made an initial inspection of the building interior. It was full of spider webs and other things one expects to see in a building that had not been opened for a long period of time. The most serious problem noted at the time was the fact that the A/C did not seem to be operational.
The major effort for Monday evening was the assembly and installation of the Club's R-7 vertical antenna. In attendance were Hugh, Robert DiRosario, KA3ZYX, and myself. We had to quit early due to a thunderstorm.
Tuesday came and we were not yet ready to operate at the GARF. Nevertheless, at 17:00Z (1 pm EDT) 20 meters was activated by John Stolarik, K3CLG, with myself working the 2 meter position at the Club station. Later, Roberto Aleman, N3QVD, activated 15-meters. Of course this necessitated bringing down the 20 and 15-meter Shuttle Retransmission frequencies. Meanwhile, the 80, 40, and 2 meter Shuttle frequencies remained up. Pileups were slow to accumulate, but once they did, they were insatiable for the remainder of the event.
At the GARF site, Hugh, Robert and I were busy getting the remainder of the station setup. The major effort here was in assembling the TH6DXX beam and installing it atop the tower trailer. This was facilitated by use of one of the GSFC cherry pickers. Once the beam had been installed and the tower cranked up (great for the biceps !), the G5RV was strung up onto the tower, and cabling was run from all three antennas to the building. To keep feedlines out of harms way (and hams), several trusty bamboo poles were employed. Next came the radio gear and tuners. We began with the Club's Icom and Yeasu rigs; one powered by a DC supply, the other by a battery. We used the Club's AEA tuner for the G5RV and R-7. A quick check of the rigs and antennas was performed. and the G5RV and R-7 tuned well. However, the tri-bander had a short in what was later discovered to be a connector. We finally left the site at midnight having worked some 6 hours in very humid conditions.
Meanwhile, operations continued at the Club site till around 12 AM local. In addition to those mentioned previously, operators on Tuesday included Jim Gass, Stan Iarosis, N2US, Dan Meushaw, N3KTU, Carolyn Keydash, N3DON and Marty Brown, KC3SI.
Wednesday morning, member Keith Monahan, N3LDF, who works at the GSFC trouble desk, assisted in getting GSFC maintenance to repair one of the two A/C units at the GARF site (thanks Keith !). John Stolarik was also able to acquire a number of items from Bldg. 21 that were essential in making operating at the GARF possible.
The first operators at the GARF site on Wednesday were Pat Kilroy, WD8LAQ, and Walt Daniel, KE3HP, who worked RS-10 using Walt's 2 and 10 meter rigs, the R-7 for the 10 meter downlink and a 2 meter mag-mount for uplink. Next was David Slater, N3QIQ, and his son B.J., KB3AZF who operated during the afternoon.
After the Club meeting (I was getting rather overwhelmed at this point), Alex Benitez, WX3Q, and Carolyn operated phenominal pileups until, due to a mix-up in paperwork by GSFC Security, were asked to leave the site prematurely. This issue was resolved promptly the next day by the head of security.
Thursday, the station was operated for much of the afternoon by Jim Elliott, KA3UNQ, who racked up many 20-meter contacts with his own rig. Again that afternoon, Pat Kilroy worked RS-10 over 2 passes from the hood of his car in the Bldg. 6 parking lot. Jim Elliott was relieved by John Stolarik and later by Carolyn and Roberto. Amongst the operators were a large contingent of supporters (hagglers at times) who performed such important support duties like getting Carolyn yet another log sheet and rotating the beam so she could rack up yet more contacts. I have never seen someone work a 4 hour pileup without a break before. Boy this DX stuff must really be addictive !
The event ended at midnight Friday morning. Most of the station was disassembled by that evening leaving only the tower trailer and beam to take apart. Thanks to all that assisted in the quick teardown. If the weather ever cooperates, we can get the trailer and beam back !
Web Author and Curator
GARC Contact Information
Last Update 22 July, 1996