[TenTec] Time on their hands

[Robert & Linda McGraw K4TAX]

Now I say that this is what ham radio is all about.  Enjoy it, it's a hobby 
and lots of fun.

73
Bob, K4TAX


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Rasmussen" <wb8yqj at yahoo.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2005 6:39 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Time on their hands


> <snip> Anybody actually USED their Tentec radio <end
> snip>
>
> I did. This morning in San Diego, had the Corsair II
> monitoring 14.238 at about 8:00am local. Even at the
> lower part of the sunspot cycle and at a bad time of
> the season, I was able to hear many of the stations
> referenced (below) using a ground mounted GAP Eagle
> antenna. Even the XYL was "glued" to the radio.
>
> Summary written by Skip W5GAI...
>
> KC6ORF - Ken Saijo, retired from Alhambra, CA, with
> another 60-something male friend on a 35 ft. sailboat
> out of Ixtapa bound for Golfita in southern Costa
> Rica, got in a storm last night and lost his engine,
> then lost his steering, and was floundering off the
> Pacific coast of southwest Mexico. He was out of range
> of marine VHF radio stations. He had been trying to
> raise someone on his marine radio since about 09:00
> UTC. He made a MAYDAY distress call on 14238.7 KHz
> which was heard by Ralph W9CAR in Wisconsin about
> 14:30 UTC. Ralph was on a nearby frequency chatting
> with N6GJR near Dallas. Ralph who has professional
> experience in fire and water rescue, acted as
> emergency net control. Ralph was joined by a number of
> US amateurs and Jorge XE1JP near Mexico City (who
> helped translate Spanish from the Navy stations to
> English for the sailboat crew). Ralph contacted the US
> Coast Guard, who put him in contact with a Mexican
> Navy Yard in the area near the distressed ship. Ralph
> talked with them and they dispatched a ship and
> helicopter to the 15:10N 95:05W location of the
> southwest coast of Mexico. I heard the Mexican Navy
> station contact the sailboat to try to get their
> coordinates. It was difficult as they didn't hear each
> other that well. Jorge XE1JP clarified the coordinates
> in Spanish and advised the sailors that a ship and
> helicopter were enroute. At 18:32 UTC the sailors
> reported a helicopter overhead, and we heard more
> Spanish in a weak signal from the helicopter. Soon the
> sailors reported that they were going to be taken
> aboard the helicopter and the Navy ship would tow
> their sailboat into port. Congratulations were passed
> around and the emergency net disbanded.
>
>
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