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Welcome to our SMCARA club-sponsored project... a state-of-the-art operational amateur radio station and display at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum. The theme of this display is focused on how amateur radio as a hobby has helped the Navy and the federal government connect ordinary people all over the world to the most ambitious, highest technology ever conceived by mankind... the International Space Station. Navy pilots and astronauts who have trained here at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station have played an important role in this effort and the display acknowledges their contributions.
Read on the see how you can help us further improve this display: ● The overall coordinator for this effort is Walt Rupp, W3GYT. You can reach Walt at 301-863-0175 or at his e-mail address: jrupp@chesapeake.net● Who's involved... EVERYONE! This is a CLUB PROJECT and, as such, each and every member and any other interested persons are invited and encouraged to participate; to loan or donate materials and equipment needed; and to provide suggestions and assistance. We look forward to maximum participation from the membership in this worthy project.● The theme for this display is ' From Spark to Space... ' Our display uses multiple video monitors displaying continuously-changing data. One of the monitors features various videos produced by the ARRL and by local club members. Another features live displays of amateur satellite orbit locations (using various satellite tracking programs) ● The exhibit is expected to be manned by SMCARA members on Saturdays, whenever possible, and automated at most other times to provide the target audience with essential information ● We have been allowed to install antennas in the rear and on the top of the museum building ● The station and display were authorized by vote of the club membership at the 24 September 2003 meeting where it was unanimously agreed to allocate a budget of $1,000 to begin work on the display, followed up with a fund raising effort from individual and corporate donors to help procure some of the more expensive radio and display equipment needed. The station was completed and opened to the public on Saturday, 27 August 2005.
[ click on picture to see high-resolution version ]
● CURRENT STATUS (as of February, 2008): 1) We applied for and received the official club callsign for the museum display... K3NHK. Tom Clarke, W4OKW is the trustee for the museum station license. (A bit of history... KNHK is the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO identifier for the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Maryland (Trapnell Field) and this new ham callsign was specifically acquired to mirror that call. The 400 KHz NHK radio beacon has been transmitting continuously for many years to mark the airfield location. We hope to include some of that history on the club QSL cards that we will be sending out). 2) A.J. Farmer, AJ3U was successful in assisting in our quest to obtain wireless high-speed broadband Internet services for the display from Southern Maryland Wireless [ http://www.somdwireless.com/ ] as a corporate donation. We are grateful for this commitment to the success of the museum display and will be including the firm on a plaque to be prominently displayed with the exhibit. 3) Pete, WA3UMY obtained a Rockwell Collins HF-380 transceiver that was incorporated into the operating station, along with donated radio equipment from other local firms including a new antenna tuner from LDG Electronics in Calvert County. 4) Communications Facilities, a local audio-visual firm owned by WA3UMY, donated the twin LCD video displays and two computers used to run the video and PowerPoint programs. 5) The antenna installation is almost complete. A brand new Gap vertical has been installed to the rear of the museum building and a VHF/UHF vertical and the wireless Internet antenna have been installed on stands on the roof. The transmission line installation from all antennas was completed during a work session on Thursday, 25 August 2005. |
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