Hi Walt. Great video. I was Scoutmaster of our local Boy Scout and Cub Scouts and several times we spent a weekend camping on the Massachusetts! And got to tour the other vessels as well. The Lionfish was a big hit too. The program they run for scouts allowed them to sleep in the bunks you showed and eat in the mess hall. My back still aches when I think about those cramped bunks! LOL😂. Thanks again for the history lesson.
My high school back in the 60’s had a radio club. As a member of the club, you were allowed to go to a government surplus warehouse and purchased, for pennies on the lbs, surplus radio equipment. I bought a WW II RCA 88 LF receiver. It was my start into the world of electronics & radio. In the 80’s I donated the radio to the Fort MacArthur Museum in San Pedro. Thanks Walt for the tour, enjoyed it immensely.
Good old Fall River. Home to Lizzy Borden, Emeril Lagasse, the Braga Bridge and Battle Ship Cove. My Mother, Grandmother, and Great-Grandmother were born there. Thank for the great tour and a trip down Memory Lane.
My uncle, Hank Roberts, was a Electrical Engineer who helped design the Radar Systems aboard many of the Navy's vessels and especially for Aircraft, and the development of night fighters. He served during WW2 in the Marine Corps but never saw combat. Instead, he was part of the design team that put radar into our aircraft. His work was top secret and he could never talk about it. It was only about a year before he passed away that I found out what his service to our country during WW2 was all about during a visit with him in San Antonio TX. Thanks for posting this Walt. 73's de kd5smf
Another great video, Walt. Years ago I got a tour of the USS Abraham Lincoln. One of my relatives was stationed on board this ship. Its all like "kids in a candy store" to me. 73
Thanks for highlighting battleship cove, I've lived in Massachusetts my entire life life but only in the last 3 years did I finally visit the ships. It's the largest collection of WWII warships in the world and exposure keeps the people coming and the funding to keep these pieces of history available to the public. It's cool to see my area being checked out by one of my favorite ham radio content creators
Thanks for the video and commentary. I visited the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor last year and was able to transmit from her radio room with KH7MU Dennis, he joins the Sunday morning net from there each week. 73, Steve ZL1SPR
That was super walt ! lots of great old ships. the closest one to me would be the one in Buffalo NY. Which one of them had to have a emergency repair . which was done. The Secretary of the Navy was here for that along with outher leaders. Was quite nice. Lots of great history in radio during WWII . was a major step in the radio we know today . 73
Hi Walt, Thanks for the history tour, really enjoyed the entire video. Once in a great while I get to Philadelphia and look across the river at the Battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62). It’s humongous! While in RVN IN 1969, I actually saw the battleship firing those guns! There was so much fire, flames and smoke, I thought that the ship had exploded! This is one sight that is burned into my memory. Keep safe & God Bless! (🙏Mrs). AC3EA
Thanks George, wow I didn’t know you were a VN vet. Thank you so very much for your service to our great country. I was in Beirut in 1983 as a Tiger Team civilian working on USS Pensacola. She had main engine failure and we were on her to bring her back up and running. I watched New Jersey fire her guns and you are right, it’s a site you will never forget. 73 my friend!!!
I was in MATCU - MATCS in the 80's. USMC. We setup expeditionary air fields within 24 hours of boots on the ground. While the radios were different, the test equipment was the same or similar I noticed. I'm currently saving up for an old signal generator like what I used back then to fix some tube type radios currently. Having a Ham license back then, I was the only guy in the unit, that could work the HF radio in garrison. (CW only. I was a tech at the time.) Surprised a few of the guys, and a couple officers on one particular day. :) I would have to drive more than a couple hours to get to a museum ship, so thanks for the videos. (fixed income with higher priorities for that income presently.) 73.
My Grandfather was a Radioman in the Navy on the Forester DE-334. Growing up I never knew he was a Radioman but have learned this since his passing when I was given some of his note books as they had drawings that looked to be of an electric nature. They were firing circuits. I have learned that during WWII a Radioman was basically a do it all type of electrical technician. I guess the love for radio made it into my genes because grandpa never told me what he did. Even as I got older and started in electrical apprenticeship he still never talked about it. Thanks for bringing this video to us Walt. BTW Beginning her convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, Forster sailed from Norfolk 23 March 1944 in a convoy bound for Bizerte.
My dad was a gunners mate on the MTB 313 in the Mediterranean. The stories I heard are incredible. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 HIS boat came across a PT from another squadron that had it's stern blown off by a Mine. Everything forward of the wheel house was still afloat with 4 men still trapped in the bow. No other sailors could be jeopardized for rescue efforts, since they were in German occupied shipping lanes. His skipper gave orders to sink it to protect the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system from falling into enemy hands. He said it was the most heart breaking thing he ever did during the war. He knew it could have been him in that bow but every man on that boat had a job and had to follow orders. He also had his Ensign washed overboard while on patrol. He went astearn to take a leak at full speed and they couldn't turn around for him. Like I said, incredible stories.
Great video Walt. I got to tour the museum there years ago while visiting my sister in Warren, RI. There sure is a whole lot to see and takes a day to see most of it. Have fun- 73 KN4VVY in SC.
Thanks for the great tour. I am a Air force radio repairman of many years ago. And it would be great to see some exhibits like the Navy has been able to do. It is interesting how different the branches could have been when it comes to radio and radar gear. Thanks again and 73 Walt... Vic de KE8JWE
Walt, Thank you for the excellent tour of the ships. I was on the USS Monticello (LSD-35) and the USS Denver (LPD-9) during the VietNam war when the DD-850 was in WestPac. We made many landings taking marines into the beaches with protective fire from the stationed DD's. Brings back memories of a regrettable time for our great country. Look forward to more of your video from New England.
Great video tour Walt. Amazing to thing your G90 has more capability than a lot of those old school transceivers but they did the job they needed to do - and they had bigger antennas ! 73 M7BLC
I used to live in Connecticut (for which I profusely apologize) and went by this on the way to Cape Cod numerous times. Even visited one time. Very interesting. My wife couldn't get past the entryway though because of the interior battle scars and the thought of so many victims dying.
The USS North Carolina has a great set up for its radio room. Had the opportunity to operate from its radio central back in May. What a great experience that was and highly recommend to go do it if you can.
Walt, history is my main study, but you can't see everything at once. Thank you for focusing my attention here today. Nice presentation. See you out there. 73 de Bill
Local ham here! - I live maybe a mile from Battleship Cove, drive by it frequently, I remember seeing the Massachusetts being brought into Fall River when I was maybe 8 years old (I'm now 71! 😉). I haven't been on the Massachusetts personally in years, but the local radio club (Bristol County Repeater Association) has tried operating Field Day from the Battleship in the past; unfortunately, since the Massachusetts is overshadowed by the nearby Braga Bridge, the location is something of an HF "RF black hole" 🙁; getting HF contacts from on board the ship was tough (I forget what equIpment or antennas we used at the time). When the HMS Bounty replica (now unfortunately at the bottom of the Atlantic! 😵) was moored in Fall River about maybe 1/4 mile north of the Massachusetts, we also tried doing Field Day from her one year, with similar dismal results; however, WHILE we were on board for Field Day, the Bounty went for a short cruise down the Taunton River, to a point about 1/2 way between the Braga & Mount Hope bridges. As soon as the Bounty got about 1/2 mile south of the Braga Bridge, our HF performance increased DRAMATICALLY! 😎 - It was as if we had gone from QRP to the legal limit! 🤓 - Besides the fun we had on HF, we even got to climb up in the rigging a bit (I was in good physical condition at the time & took advantage of it; the view while underway was spectacular!). 😃 As I mentioned earlier, I think one of the Field Day efforts was the last time I was personally on the Massachusetts, & that was a good 15 ~ 20 years ago. Seeing your video, I may try to re-visit her in the near future; I recognized a Hallicrafters receiver & a few other pieces of vintage gear there (I think I'm the only one in our local club who's into vintage vacuum tube radios at all; although I also play at the opposite end of the technology scale as well, very active on the amateur satellites such as RS44, AO7, & the ISS repeater, & a long time VHF / UHF / microwave weak signal operator; last weekend was working on getting a 2.3 GHz. microwave setup going! 🙂 73, Tom WA1LBK
I was stationed on the USS Berkley DDG15 in the late 60S as a radioman. It was fun seeing those typewriters pm rails, the most prolific receivers on ship and shore stations was the R390. wish I had one now.
Very cool...I had a thought you worked in military contracting and would really get a kick out of Battleship Cove. Too bad they probably don't give tours over at Electric Boat in Groton. Used to work a job that would involve using the New London ferry during the summer and the doors would be open and you could see the pieces they were building...and the shielded dry docks to keep nosey satellites from looking in.
Thanks! Well, funny you should say that. I worked at EB in 1988 and 1989 as a designer when we were building the Seawolf class. I’ve spent time in those buildings. I lived over in the Ocean Beach area of New London then. 73, Walt
Super cool video Walt! I enjoyed hearing about your career as well as the history lessons and tours of the Museum Ships radio and communications equipment. I have visited the Wisconsin, North Carolina, Yorktown, Alabama, & Drum. 73, Patrick KF4LMZ
Cool tour and enjoyed hearing a bit of your history also. I keep telling myself next time we're at the beach I'm going take a day and drive up to Wilmington and tour the USS NC but haven't done it.
Very cool, Walt. When I was about 10 years old, I toured an operational Navy ship docked at Port Jefferson, New York. I remember looking intently at the radar scope as it swept the harbor. One of the sailors explained to me how it worked and what it was showing. It made a huge impression on me, and ultimately contributed to my interest in ham radio. It also propelled me to serve in the military. I ended up in the Air Force instead of the Navy, but that whole naval operation had a huge influence on this once-young man.
Great video Walt. Thanks. Just for the record, and you could be the first Southerner to say it correctly, it's MASSA- CHEW- SETTS. 73, my friend, Joe KC1MTM
Thanks! Hahaha I’m the product of Mississippi Gulf Coast elementary schools. At least I went to high school and college in Virginia so I’m still working on it. 73, Walt
Great tour. Thank you. I always love learning about the use of radio in military environments. Looking at the size of the radio equipment they used, I have to smile when I look at my G90, and also be thankful I'm not dragging a boat anchor around. I do have a restored Ten Tec Corsair but the Xeigu G90 makes life easier (and has gotten me more contacts than the Ten Tec. Walk, thanks for making these videos. They're inspiring and interesting...73...Hugh...KN6KNB
Cool stuff, Walt! I loved hearing you talk about the history during the walk around, what a pleasure. I'd love to see one of these beautiful ships in person some day. Hope you had lots of fun, 73 my friend! kd9lgp
Cool tour Walt. My son was in the Navy stationed out of San Diego. He had one of the few jobs onboard with air conditioning. Her was a radar tech. He left the Navy with a mechanical & Electrical engineering degrees.
That's really cool Walt... My grandfather served on the USS Alabama (BB-60) which is the Massachusetts sister ship. hopefully I get to do the next museum ships on the air when they are on the Alabama
Thanks so much, Walt! Not all naval ships are Navy. I was a Radioman on the USCGC Rush in the early '70's. (Think "size of a DE") Just AFTER their WESTPAC to that delightful far east jungle Shangri-La, hey, I got there as quick as I could, I was 17. It was interesting to see the Navy Radio Central. Our Radio was "central", and everything else. Receivers, transmitters, RATT, MF, HF, everything except for VHF, which was on the bridge, and maybe CIC, (sorry, CIC just doesn't look right with white lights on)I don't know. I don't know what the ET's had, but we had numerous ET kind of stuff in the Radio Room. Freq counters, antenna gear, etc. My only connection, directly, with the antenna system, was being "allowed" to climb out on the "yardarms" to clean the insulators once in port. One of two ways to get high back in the day. After all is said and done, I know I got lucky, at least twice. I was assigned to an almost new High Endurance Cutter. SO modern. Not at like the CGC Taney, which was tied up right behind us in Alameda. Multiple stacks of "hot racks", tiny Radio Room, etc. (Hey, it WAS at Pearl during their unfortunate incident in "nineteen fawty-one". (Navy colors at the time). the second way I was lucky, was being assigned, as a SNRM, no less, to a 6 man berthing area. The alternative was the 30 man berthing area. I can only assume I replaced someone that was in that berthing area in 'Nam. For some reason, I can remember the Taney's callsign, NRDT. Probably 'cause it had a great "swing" with a straight key, or a bug. Second only to the USS Haleakala, NSHI. Try that one without correct timing! Hint: "dahditditditditditditditditditdit". Bug users, beware. Sorry, got a little long. So easy when you're not doing Morse! 73, Jeff KF0PQR
Great story and I’m sorry, I should have mentioned the Coast Guard. I literally live a couple blocks away from USCG Fifth District HQ in Portsmouth, Virginia. Thank you for your service and this great comment. 73, Walt
It's great to hear you talking about the ships, especially since you clearly care about them. But it's also fascinating to hear how different your presentation is when you're obviously reading something and not going off the cuff 😀Not criticizing you for reading your presentation, just that I think this is the first time I've heard you going from prepared notes and not just talking to the cam!
My wife and I went to Cape Cod last November to see the Monument to the Forefathers it was cool I want to go back and spend some time. I love museum too
Walt, Thanks for the great tour. I'm old enough that my first ham transmitter was an Arc-5. I currently still own a BC-348-C HF receiver, made by RCA for the AF Signal Corps. In fact, a similar receiver was flown in the B29 Superfortress over Japan in 1945. History indeed! Thank you for the tour and antenna ideas.
As a worker at the Cove, I always love hearing that people enjoyed their visit. Too bad the submarine (USS Lionfish) isn't open yet; their radio and radar equipment is right up front and easy to see.
Walt thanks for the tour and history of those two ships. I live about 20 minutes from Fall River and have not been yet. I grew up in Quincy,MA and remember when General Dynamics ran the Fore River Ship Yard building LGN tankers. There is another museum ship in Quincy., the USS Salem. Another museum ship that I have never been to and I am a MA native. I believe one of the Amateur radio clubs here has done a POTA activation on the USS Massachusetts. Would love to meet up with you some weekend while you are in the area if your welcome to the idea.
Grew up in Swansea and visited the Big Maime with my Dad often. There is a radar picket ship display on board. Been inside the radio room of the Kennedy, Stacks of R390s. Take a ride to Albany, NY and visit the USS Slater. They have a very nice radio room there.
Great naval history tour Walt. I had a feeling you’re an engineer. Takes one to know one. My dad was a mechanical draftsman too but AutoCAD sent him into retirement unfortunately. I went the EE route. Keep the videos coming. 73 K2DXK
Thanks! I get so many questions about what I do for a living I figured this would be a good time to explain. I rolled into the AutoCAD world from the beginning. Now I’m the last of the old timers that drew on the board and can also use CAD. 73 my friend!
Great video. If you’re into this type of stuff, you should go check out the battleship at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Science Center. Comms still work. They do tours and a few Elmer’s go down and let people QRP ship to ship making contacts as far as Hawaii (I’m sure they get all over but that was the best I knew of) from a river in Pittsburgh.
Thanks for the video Walt, I really enjoyed it. The Massachusetts was/is very impressive. I can relate more to the Joseph Kennedy, having served on HMAS Brisbane, a Charles. F. Adams class destroyer built in the U.S.A. This was during the Vietnam war and I served as an ECM operator though we had been trained in general communications as well. (Our job ashore was HF intercept). At one stage we were stationed with the USS Yorketown, a large conventional aircraft carrier. I could hardly believe the type and number of aircraft flown from it. I notice the Joseph Kennedy still has ECM antenna. The three domes. S,X and C band. It's many years ago so I don't think I'm giving much away. The NVA had an S band radar which was probably rotated manually. Due to sporadic E , I was able to pick them up not far from the Philipines. Unfortunateley I cannot remember the names of the ECM sets. They were low probability with a rotating antenna and a scanning receiver. Watching the video I could pretty much smell the equipment. Great stuff. Thanks
Great video, Walt. Heritage Park, which is adjacent, is a POTA 2-fer US-2433 and US-0891, so if you're in the area again, it would be a cool activation with the vessels in the background. --n1bs
I understand why they put up doors and barriers to limit where you can go while still letting you see...but I could almost palpably feel your frustration at not being able to go into some of those cabins!
Thank you, I really enjoyed this! My grandfather was a radioman on the LSM-433 in WWII. My callsign, K4LSM, is a nod to him. I can't find much info about that vessel online. I'd love to learn more about what it was like for him. I am fortunate to have a ~20-minute recording of him talking about this experience. He even briefly talks about radio and Morse code. He then went on to serve in the NC House of Representatives in the early 60s. The audio of this is on my channel. Check it out if you like. I learn something new every time I listen to him. Keep up the great work, I do enjoy your content.
The Radio club I belong to are allowed to use the radio room on the HMS cavalier which is berthed at Chatham Historic dockyard in Kent United kingdom , we do not use the radio gear that was used by the ship in the past but a more modern Icom set (we even have to bring our own slimjim and use 2meters as the HF antenna is waiting to be re erected after being taken own whilst work was done to the hull and super structure).I have made several QSOs there an always find something new to look at.
My dad served in the navy on a couple different ships as a radio operator during theist part of the Korean War. He could do Morse code while driving down the street radio on talking to the passenger I have one of his Vibroplex bugs he used in the navy
LOL .. my dad worked on Mk92 for PFG-2 with Unisys/Paramax !! .. I did the nav electronics (and hf/vhf/sat com) on the Crew Transfer Vessel across the river from where you shot the video :) You can see the blue hull 90' catamaran on the pier on the other side off the bow of big mamie at 13:15 -- Patriot Leader is it's name. de k1ocd
Hi Walt. Great video. I was Scoutmaster of our local Boy Scout and Cub Scouts and several times we spent a weekend camping on the Massachusetts! And got to tour the other vessels as well. The Lionfish was a big hit too. The program they run for scouts allowed them to sleep in the bunks you showed and eat in the mess hall. My back still aches when I think about those cramped bunks! LOL😂. Thanks again for the history lesson.
