B29 bombler in transit on 7204 AM right now/ 12:30 edt-- signed off at 1:36

[W3RSW]

Relatively short flight.  so putting on QSO so max. of you will see it.
KM4RC on B-29 using ART-13 and ARC5's. /correction/ BC-348 as per op's description.

[WA3VJB]

Tnx Rick

Headed for Global Tuners and stream some audio.

Got them on the Kentucky node.

Hearing him calling out by call district, 8s, and 9s no answers, now open to all. Sounds damn good.

[W3RSW]

Indiana
over Indianapolis or so.

[WA3VJB]

Got him.

Wish I was near a transmitter.

KM4RC "slash B29-Bravo," you sure don't hear that often.
Matter of fact he says it's the last one flying, wow, big deal this !

I'm listening in Black & White for some reason.



Receiver nodes in Kentucky and Ohio have good reception on him. He just picked up a station in North Carolina, and a K3BT ?  Oscar Papa

Looks like the Cincy station got in too, as did Gary in Kentucky. N4RDG, and WAØAA.

Starting to lose copy through Kentucky node, thanks again Rick; back to work.

C'mon Rick, fire up.

[W3RSW]

Still on.  "stuck in radio compartment, hot back here"  Rockford/ somewhere Illinois now.

 he's KM4RC  -radio Charlie.

Nice Pix Paul.  Wish I was with them.  Would be a ton of fun.

[WA3VJB]

Geez, Rick you guys sit at home all day and don't get on.


; )

[K1JJ]

Just tuned in. Listening in CT he's S9 to +10 over on 3el Yagi west. He's working a big AM pileup all over the east and central USA.  

Better than communications quality.

Pretty cool.

T

[W2VW]

Has Knepper asked them for any radio parts at discount cost yet?

[W3RSW]

lots of muffled hifi audio from ssb'ers that have tuned xmit AM properly but have way too bassy eq's.

lots of ssb'ers too that have no AM clue.  They've zero beat the B29 but don't understand that he can't copy them.

Several on 7200 earlier were instruction each other on how to get on AM.
Was a hoot listening to that.  Confusion over radio vs. linear amp. inputs, outputs... you name it.

Paul, yeah, I have some time but now the d....n 32V/75A is misswired in the T/R lines and outboard relay since last operation.  Big panic trying to remember what I did and trace out the rats nest.   

[Ralph W3GL]

Paul ('VJB),  What has a pix of a B-17 have to do with postings of a B-29 in
flight and on 40 meters???   

[WA3VJB]

Paul ('VJB),  What has a pix of a B-17 have to do with postings of a B-29 in
flight and on 40 meters??? 

Good catch Ralph. 

I thought that plane looked an awful lot like one I flew in.

Try this:

[Ralph W3GL]

Much better... Like I used to keep saying, "lets keep it real".   

[KB2WIG]

Her's another....

[K3ZS]

Do they have a website with future flights?

[K1NSS]

Re FIFI Rockford/Madison operations:  Here's a note I just received from KM4RC op Bob (K3NT)

Greetings

Cindy (my wife), the crew and I are doing well. We have both the B-29 FIFI and Diamond LIL here in Rockford.
Yesterday afternoon we had a Stearman. A P-51 Mustang (The BRAT) is close to being in the pattern to join us here in Rockford.

FIFI Radio:  Operated AM from Addison to Marion, IL with about 9 contacts last Friday on 7.200 (7.204 MHz with drift).

Operated AM from Marion, IL to Rockford, IL yesterday and made a page plus of contacts. On this flight we had the privilege of have two WWII veterans aboard. We gave both an opportunity to sit in the radio seat pre and post flight. The ART-13 transmitter continues to operate without issues. Interesting to note that this is the original transmitter that Ross K5SRT and I found in FIFI when our group started the radio restoration. A great testament to the Master of ART-13 rework, Jules, in Cedar Rapids, IA .

The BC-348-M receiver on FIFI continues with problems. It takes all the listening skills possible to pull out the stations with QRM, QRN, receiver AGC pumping and occasional oscillation issues.  I would like to pull the 348 and give it a look but cockpit tours and my maintenance crew duties have not presented an opportunity to do this.

KM4RC operation is lower priority as we must keep FIFI and LIL flying safely. I have part of the B-24/B29 maintenance crew for some time now and have pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight duties in addition to supporting the ride desk, cockpit tours and ground maintenance.

FIFI leaves Rockford, IL for Madison, WI on Thursday. Estimated time for KM4MC operation is around 11 AM CST.

For background on the RCARC B29 Radio Project and history of the ART-13 transmitter, see our site www.b29radio.com.

As Bob mentions, FIFI ham operations are an adjunct to her mission and her amateur operators have responsibilities well beyond the radios. Too, the BC-348 is a bit of a bear, in an environment considerably more noisy and less comfortable than most of our shacks.  Your patience is much appreciated.