As the weekend of November 3rd and 4th rolled in, so did the the thunderous roar of military aircraft dating back to the WW II era.
Our club was invited this year to participate as a static display in the S.T.E.M. Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics tent. Our intent was to "show and tell" to the younger generation as well as anyone interested, what Amateur Radio is all about. Our focus was to attract attention to the educational benefits Amateur Radio can offer.
Coordination of the event was directed by our assigned club liaison Alain Arocha, K4KKC.
Alain made sure that all club participants had the required security clearances, also the vehicles that were to stay on the flight-line for 48 hours , develop schedules and gather the necessary logistics to make the event a successful one.
Friday, (set-up) was in itself a rewarding experience. Alain with much help from Robert Cruz (KE4MCL) set up the solar power system, a HF 40 meter inverted V, and a dual band vertical base station antenna by using their vehicles as the mounting point. Soon after the antennas were up, Steve Taylor, President of the Club set up the clubs Icom 746 for VHF operation to monitor a space station contact between astronaut Serena Chancellor and the Pathfinder Regional Technical High School in Adams Massachusetts. Using solar powered batteries and connected to Roberts antenna we were able to monitor the ISS throughout the contact with the school. Once the school lost contact (the ISS went below their signal horizon) the ISS was still in ours. Taking advantage of that Steve put out a call to the ISS with only 53 seconds estimated before the ISS was below our contact horizon. . NA1SS this is W1HQL. Chancellor responded in kind! Steve thanked her for the contact in Adams MA. and for her contribution toward education. Serena responded back thanking us for all we do also. Salutation exchanged "73" AND GOOD LUCK...! Too bad we did not have an audience.
We also had our own personal airshow while the various planes were practicing for the big event. At one moment there was a Russian Mig racing a Lamborghini, Japanese Zeros bombing and strafing the air base, F16's flying just under Mach 1 in full afterburner streak over our heads, and biplanes performing hi g graceful stunts! Needless to say.....set up took all day!!!!
Below is a nice article submitted by Robert (KE4MCL) to the ARRL that sums up the event:
Florida Air Show Gives Ham Radio Some On-the-Air Exposure
11/08/2018The Everglades Amateur Radio Club (W4SVI) put ham radio in the spotlight during the 2018 Wings Over Homestead Air and Space Show, held in Homestead, Florida, November 2 – 4.
“We were given space on the tarmac in the STEM section which was intended in getting kids interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” said Robert Cruz, KE4MCL. “We were allowed to bring two of our field station vehicles right up to the tent and set up their free-standing masts.”
The club fielded operating positions on HF through UHF, slow-scan TV, and satellites for special event station W4H. “All three stations were active during the event. Since we set up early on Friday, we operated fully off solar power that day as the onsite generator was not to be fired up until the weekend,” Cruz explained. He said arriving on Friday offered an additional benefit. “The setup crew got to see most of the air show, plus some cool behind the scenes stuff, minus about 100,000 people,” he quipped.
“Since this was a military airshow, I brought along a Collins R-388 and a BC-348 just for show and tell,” Cruz recounted. “We had a few veterans come around and talk to us about how they used to operate one of these while [in the service].”
Cruz said a highlight of the weekend was a contact by Steve Taylor, W1HQL, with a crew member of the International Space Station. “The ISS had a scheduled school contact, and once they got out of range of the school, Steve called on a whim and the ISS responded for a quick QSO,” Cruz said.
He said the club, which is headquartered in Homestead, tried something a little different at this year’s air show. “Traditionally, Amateur Radio displays are filled with call signs and terminology that the general public doesn't understand,” he said. “To a non-ham, a call sign looks like a license plate number, for example. We created a new banner targeted at those interested in preparedness and made sure it had plain English and not ‘hamspeak’ on it.”
The club also created a half-page handout with the club’s information and meeting time on it for visitors to take home instead of relying on having to look things up online. “We shall see if the new banner and handouts paid off at the next club meeting,” Cruz said.
Other operators taking part included Alain Arocha, K4KKC; Esther Cruz KI4OTX; Steve Taylor, W1HQL; John Kolansinski, KK4QKL; Logan Brauer, W0LAB; Frank De Cespedes, AK4FU; Luis Pinon, KI4VEY; Ivan Cholakov, NO2CW, and Tommy Cholakov, N1SPY. — Thanks to Robert Cruz, KE4MCL
