WV0CQ /MM, /KP4 and /KP2 – 7/29-8/6 2017
Below, you will be able to read what my intended plans were, prior to setting sail. As per usual, that doesn’t always work out, and it didn’t on this trip either.
First, my rig is housed in a military style case. It fits perfectly inside and I can carry a battery and a coiled di-pole in the case as well. It has a shoulder strap. The entire thing weighs around 25lbs or so. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you’re carrying it for hundreds of feet aboard a ship, sunburned, it becomes a pain in the… shoulders. I am planning to remedy this by moving the rig into a small hard-shell carry-on piece of luggage WITH WHEELS. lol. Something like this will probably be in the works: 
I believe I can fit everything inside that case and if I stick with the 20m loaded antenna (which I will probably switch to a Super Antenna), the shaft for the 20m loaded can be strapped to the handle on the new case. Chances are though, I will be purchasing a super antenna.
Once I made it to the airport, you would have thought I was a terrorist. They didn’t know what to do with the ham radio equipment in my carry-on. That’s probably going to happen to everyone if they carry-on the equipment, which I will probably do, due to the way airlines are charging for luggage. At any rate, the hard-shell case will at least make me look less conspicuous, lol.
Now, I checked with the Carnival Cruise website prior to purchasing the package and it specifically states “Ham Radios/Amateur Radio Equipment: Permitted to be used on board.” So, off we go on the trip. When I make it to the Carnival debarkation location, I go through security, and guess what? They didn’t know what to do with me either. I went prepared, but didn’t need it. I had a copy of their website printed out in my pocket and a PDF on my phone. The security person asked his superior and he said “…it’s ham radio equipment, it’s allowed.” So, I made it through security.
Once my luggage made it on board (which takes and extra 2 hours or so), I sorted it out, obtained my 2′ antenna shaft and whip, the mounting clamp and the load, and began sorting. I knew I would need to carry the shaft and whip, and the rest, fit into the bag. Right away that evening, I hooked everything up and tried it out from my balcony on my stateroom (yes, I paid extra for this, just so I could operate). The antenna, I believe, was too close to the ship and didn’t radiate properly. I figured this out early and knew I wouldn’t be able to operate from that location. So I began scouting alternate locations.
I found what I felt to be the perfect location: Aft upper deck, overlooking the pool area. The banister would allow me to clamp my antenna directly onto metal. Great! I have a better ground. Only problem was, I would get “The Look” from the other guests. Ok. I can deal with that. Another great location was the aft section of the pool deck, same situation with the banister. There’s more people that are in that location, so I thought if I did it there, I would only work from that location in the evenings when the crowd was less dense. That proved to work out pretty well. I was able to make several contacts from that area on 8/1, early morning and later in the evening.
Now, why didn’t I take the equipment onto Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, both of which are U.S. protectorates and thus, I didn’t need anything additional to my license? Not enough time to do everything. I was on vacation, therefore, I wanted to vacate. And I did. Without the radio.
Why didn’t I work from Dominican Republic or Grand Turk? Red tape. I had to fill out forms and/or pay fees and such. Screw that. I had already put up with a lot to work /MM, /KP4, and /KP2, I wasn’t going to jump through more hoops for other country rules and regs as well. I was very happy working /MM even if I didn’t get to work /KP4 or /KP2.
Anyway, 20m worked out fine for me on the 4 or so times I was able to operate and I had a great time doing it.
With some minor adjustments to my luggage, I will be much more comfortable on my next big trip and able to get to/from my operating locations much more easily.
Now, in two weeks, we’re off on a club “mini expedition” to Spruce Knob West Virginia, our highest point of altitude in the State (with everything already worked out with the National Park Service and the National Radio Quiet Zone Coordinator at Greenbank).
73!
wv0cq
Original Plans:
I will be working:
/KP2 – St. Thomas (hopefully on 8-1-2017 @ 14:30z – 15:30z (10:30a – 11:30a Atlantic Time) and again on 8-1 @ 23:30z (7:30pm Atlantic Time);
/KP4 – Puerto Rico (hopefully on 8-2-2017 @ 12:30z – 13:30z (08:30a – 11:30a Atlantic Time) and again at 23:00z (7pm Atlantic Time);
/MM (Maritime Mobile) “here and there” between 7/29 and 8/6, 10:00z – 12:00z (6a – 8a Atlantic Time). I will try to have coords available during our exchange, I may or may not have grid square location done, you may need to do this yourself based on the coords I give.
This schedule is subject to change, depending on the XYL
I will be working on 20m Phone, somewhere between 14.320 – 14.347 and I’ll be monitoring local repeaters and 147.52 during my cruise on Carnival Magic.
