K3MSB

Eisenhower National Historic Site WW II Weekend

Gettysburg PA -- Sep 2025

The new piece of gear I brought was my BC-221 Frequency Meter.

I didn't expect to find anyone with working radios at this event, so I made several callls on 75M AM to no avail. Not unexpected since the event is during the day. For a demo I turned on the 40M receiver and let people listen to CW. This went over well, and people liked hearing the receiver's dynamotor spin up.

In the video, the metal box on top of the LS-3 speaker contains a 600:8/4 ohm transformer.

As at the Reading event in June, my DF setup consisted of a Bendix DU-1 Direction Finding Unit, an ARA CBY-46145 Broadcast band (500 to 1500 Kc) navigation receiver. and an SCR-247N BC-453 Beacon Band (190 to 550 Kc) navigation receiver.

An improvement for this event was that I mounted the two Navigation Receivers and a DM-32 dynamotor on a junker FT-224 rack that I bought at the Harrisburg PA “Firecracker” hamfest in July for $3! It was ugly and stripped of wiring and switches, but it was put to good use.

I decided to mount a dynamotor in the right hand bay as it would be more visible to visitors. I had to do some sheet metal work first.

Wiring the underside and some new switches.

And the finished rack

The left switch is an ON/OFF/ON switch. When in the left position, 24V is applied to the receiver in the left bay and the DU-1. When in the right position, 24V is applied to the receiver in the middle bay and the DU-1. The right switch sends HV to the DU-1. The cable with the octal plug provides voltages to the DF unit. The rack could be returned to original condition if one wanted to.

I was able to pick up several BCB stations for the DF demo.

I was delighted to receive the Fort Indiantown Gap Non Directional Beacon BZJ on 328 Kc several times with the loop and BC-453! It was about 50 NM NE of Gettysburg.

Last but not least, a good field cooked Spaghetti Supper on Saturday night.....

.... prepared by our "chef" Mat Curtis, long time Capital Wings APS member!