BTARS, as of early 2020, is currently inactive while the Battleship Texas is closed for a lengthy repair project.
QST QST QST
The Battleship TEXAS will be activated for Veteran’s Day 11-Nov-2017.
We are expected to be QRV by 16:00 UTC and will shut down at 23:00 UTC. Currently we are limited to 40m/15m due to ongoing restoration work on the ship. We will be on 40m SSB for the day, around 7.260 mHz as it is unlikely EU will hear us. We’ll be using the club call NA5DV and we’re looking forward to talking to you!
Texas QSO Party Results – 2017
Battleship TEXAS Amateur Radio Station
Band QSOs Pts Multipliers Pt/Q
7 194 386 78 2.0
14 35 70 20 2.0
Total 229 456 98 2.0
Score: 44,688 1 Mult = 2.3 Q
Operators: Mike Smith, N5TGL; Mike Monsour, AC0TX; Mike Brannan, KA5OXA
We operated from roughly 9 am to 9 pm Saturday then 9 am to 2 pm Sunday.
About 50 people stopped by during the day. Saturday night about 30 Cub Scouts visited us and a few were very interested.
We certainly had a lot of fun. Access was restricted due to ongoing critical repairs so we could not raise better antennas. The little Pac 12 did yeoman duty on 20. The 40 meter ships vertical was our big performer. It made contacts as short as 12 miles and out to about 600 miles. Ninety-eight out of 254 counties were bagged. We criss-crossed the country with contacts in Washington to Florida, Arizona to Pennsylvania, South Carolina to California. It was fun.
We definitely need more operators so we can get better breaks.
Come join us.
We thank the TPWD and the ships staff for all their assistance. The overnight staff were especially helpful and organized the Cub Scout tours.
Battleship TEXAS Amateur Radio Station plans to participate in the 2016 Museum Ships Week End, June 4-5, 2016. Scheduled for 0000Z June 4, to 2359Z June 5, 2016.
We will try to operate the entire period. We will shut down early to meet with park regulations.
Operation will mostly 40 meters but will set up antennas and equipment for other bands. See www.NJ2BB.org/museum for operating frequencies and participating ships, now 107 ships.
Dec 5 – 6, & 7 1400Z-2100Z Operations primarily 5 & 6 on 15m & 40m using ship vertical. Primarily SSB. Operation on other bands and modes depends on antenna and rig availability.
More announcements later:
Museum Ships Week End 2015 Aboard the TEXAS BB-35
Battleship USS New Jersey – BB-62 Camden, NJ NJ2BB
CG Cutter USCG Ingham Key West, FL NR4DL
Destroyer USS Orlek Lake Charles, LA W5BII
River Patrol Boat College Station TX W5PBR
Icebreaker USCGC Mackinaw Mackinaw, MI W8AGB
Cruiser USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial IN W2IND
LST USS LST 325 Evansville, IN W2LST
Fire Control Mast USS Oklahoma Mast Memorial –
Muskogee, OK WW2OK
Submarine USS Batfish Muskogee, OK WW2SUB
Minesweeper USS Hazard Omaha, NE K0USA
Watson Shipbuilding Museum Braintree, MA K1USN
Passenger Ship SS Milwaukee Clipper Muskegon, MI K8M
Destroyer Escort USS Stewart Galveston, TX KK5W
Submarine USS Cavalla Galveston, TX KK5W
Submarine USS Cobia Manitowoc, WI NB9QV
From Saturday, June 6, 10:30 AM to Sunday June 7, 11:15 AM 439 total QSO’s by: Gerald Doucet, N5KT; Gerald Jr.,Logger; Jerald Landis, KD5MIG; Mike Brannan, KA5OXA; Bob Bentley, W3EWP
BTARS had a good Museum Ship Weekend; we certainly thank the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Battleship Texas Staff for doing so much to help us.
NA5DV, Battleship Texas Amateur Radio Station is planning to operate during the 2015 Museum Ships Week End on June 5, 6,& 7. It will not be possible to work at all times. We will post the plans.
We only currently accept paper QSL cards for contact confirmations.
The Texas QSO Party onboard the Battleship TEXAS occurred on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Most of the 100 contacts were made on 40 meters, while a few were made on 15 meters. The original vertical antenna was used on the ship with Icom 706 radios. We thank all those that made contact with the TEXAS in addition to the (3) operators during the event.
Jerry M. (KF5EYC), Mike B. (KA5OXA), (left to right), Peter F. (KD5OCR), (unpictured)
The Battleship TEXAS Amateur Radio Station worked the Museum Ship Weekend Saturday mid-day and afternoon and after 3 PM on Sunday. We worked 40, 20 and 15 meters with two rigs on Saturday plus the VHF net sponsored by BVARC on 146.94 MHz. We had quite a few radio operators from West Texas, OK, KS, AR, AL, and closer stations.
On Saturday, BTARS were hosts to a group of hams from Bryan/College Station and a number of drop-ins. BTARS always enjoys the company of the Bryan/College Station group, and we wish we would have been able to spend more operating time with them onboard. There were quite a few visitors to the ship who were lectured on the TEXAS, its radio systems, ham radio, BTARS and restoration projects.
On Sunday, there was a Navy Reserve program that occurred onboard the TEXAS. After the ceremony, several retired Navy gentleman who were ham radio operators visited BTARS. We also operated an Icom 706 with the TEXAS’ original vertical antenna on 40 meters. The entire weekend, the band contitions varied drastically from solid 59 contacts to barely readable 51 signals.
In cooperation with the FTV, BTARS hopes to continue restoration of the TEXAS’ longwire antennas monthly once again starting in July 2013.
BTARS had a good Museum Ship Weekend; we certainly thank the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Battleship Texas Staff for doing so much to help us.
NA5DV will operate from the Battleship Texas in the State Park as part of the new Texas State Parks On the Air Contest (www.tspota.com). Review the rules on the TSPOTA website.
The operating station is on the first deck below the main deck and midway along the port side.
NA5DV plans to operate on SSB. SSB frequencies around 3.825, 7.200, 14.250, 21.300, 28.450,Plus or Minus QRM and conditions permitting.
If we have a CW or PSK31 operator come to the ship, NA5DV will operate those modes. CW frequencies around 3.545, 7.045, 14.045, 21.045, 28.045, Plus or Minus QRM and conditions permitting.
See NA5DV website for QSL info.
BTARS invites licensed amateur radio operators to come operate. There is an admission fee to the battleship. Operators will have to sign the release and volunteer activity forms. Bring your mosquito repellant as the TEXAS has quite a few large ones.