Battleship North Carolina, BB-55 on the air!

2009 NORTH CAROLINA QSO PARTY



The Azalea Coast Amateur Radio Club will once again be putting “The Showboat” on the air on the amateur radio bandwaves for the 2009 NC QSO Party. This annual event is administered by the Forsyth Amateur Radio Club out of Winston-Salem-see that Club’s website at www.w4nc.com for particulars.

The event commences at local time Noon on this coming Sunday March 1st and works through 10:00PM that evening. Our Club has participated in this event for many years from the Battleship North Carolina using the Ship’s WWII callsign NIBK modified as an FCC approved call sign of NI4BK. We have enjoyed some considerable success, in good band conditions and bad, over the years and many ex- military radio operators look for the Ship during this event. Also, many other Hams are delighted to make contact with a WWII Battleship, whether via voice or Morse code, and look for the Ship every year at this time.

This operating event provides an excellent opportunity for new Hams, or for Hams with limited High Frequency DX experience, to speak to the world utilizing 1930’s state-of-the-art U.S. Military technology. “Mentoring” for new Hams is the order of the day.

We also plan to operate from the Ship’s original Government Issued WWII Morse code transmitters.

Operation will be on 20 & 40M.

We’ll be looking for you on Sunday morning at BB-55.

73 DE AJ4CU

Hari
Club VP