T-Post for wire antennas.

[Mark Sarsfield]

I can't remember if the T-post (looks like a clothes line post) is stil installed at the stern of the Batfish or not.  It would be forward of the aft stairwell leading to the aft torp. room.

[Rick]

Why yes,  Yes it is.......

Rick

[Tom Bowser]

On the Drum the long wire antenna was located fwd when the deck gun was aft and aft when the deck gun was fwd, it is fun trying to figure out all the changes she went through and what it looked like on each patrol.
Tom bowser

[Mark Sarsfield]

That is a good point about the deck gun and the 5" gun is pretty big.  Rick, what end of the boat is the deck gun going on?  I'm guessing that it used to be mounted forward, since the t-post is aft.  My only concern is whether guests can easily walk past it up there to get to the forward stairwell without banging their face or head into it.

[MWALLEN]

I'm guessing that it used to be mounted forward

From pictures I've seen, the deck gun was mounted aft of the bridge

[Rick]

That is a good question for the reunion guys.  The T post is not permanently mounted in any way.  2 guys and 20 minutes will move it to the location of our choice.  I have not decided where to place the deck gun at this time.  This is a big job.  We have to keep in mind that the one we have was configured as a shore battery.  We will need to remove all of the decking that is built up around us.   

[Mark Sarsfield]

If the post is easy to move AND there is a hole for it near the bow, then I can set up the antennas in either location and easily move them, if need be.  I'm going to run the idea past all of the boat hams (I have their email addresses at work). 

Are the antenna connections into the hull forward or aft of the bridge?  I guess it really doesn't matter, since we can run coax as far as we need to under the deck.  It would be nice if there are some connections on the bridge, since that would be an ideal place to hook them up.

Finally, a project that I can accomplish in the short term.

---------------------------

I just got an email from one of the hams (Warren Hurd) asking about the model of the receiver that is currently sitting in the museum storage room/office.  He likes the idea of hooking long wires back up on the boat.

[Rick]

I will try to remember to check tomorrow.  I am in the middle of moving and everything is a jumble right now.  I would like to see rigging back on the boat.  Running lights would look good too.  Maybe something to be seen on the freeway at night.....

[K0EFV]

Mark:
If you want I think I can find pictures for you from the Cobia.  The original long wire is installed and ran to the T-post on the stern.  It's feed thru is about in the center of the conning tower, and then appears in the radio room for distribution to many locations.  We have not tried to use this long wire since the appearance in the radio room is a bit complicated.  We use two end fed dipoles for 20 & 40, one to the T-post aft and the other to the bow light.  We must put them up for each event (not permanent).  But we usually get the job done in about 20 minutes.  We have on occasion put up an all band  vertical on the stern T-pole, and a 2 meter ant. on the conning tower.  Let me know if the pictures would be of any help.

K0EFV Tom USMC

[Mark Sarsfield]

Tom, a picture of the connection point on the bridge (probably somwhere around the scope housing) would be very beneficial for us.  We still have the original antenna connections on the ceiling of the radio room and I'm guessing that the coax is still in place to the bridge, but we'll figure it out quickly with a continuity check.

[Mark Sarsfield]

Running lights would look good too.  Maybe something to be seen on the freeway at night.....

Agreed.  There's standing water in the both port and stardboard light sockets, right now.  The housings need a new rubber seal and some new glass, too.  I'm assuming thatthe wires are still connected to the switch box in the CT, if they haven't be rerouted or replaced by other light fixtures.  I don't know if we still have a stern light, anymore, and I haven't looked at the bow light.

I think this would be a fairly easy project, since it's just lighting.  Worst case scenario is that we run new wire to the lamps.

[K0EFV]

Mark:
I have some better than these but couldn't find them real quick.  As I recall the entrance bubble was like a heavy insulator material.  I will look for a better view.

K0EFV Tom USMC

[Mark Sarsfield]

We still have the antenna bubbles on each side of the superstructure.  I figured that they played a role in the antenna set-up.  It's nice seeing one actually installed.  I could use some photos (if possible) of where the lines run on the other side of the bubbles and their entry points into the hull.  It may not be very accessible, though.   I will have to rig up soem insulators for attaching them to the superstructure, too.  We may not have the "arms" sticking out of the superstructure to attach them to, but we could easily replicate and weld on new ones.

[K0EFV]

Mark;
You know I don't ever recall looking on the inside the bubble .  Bad news is I won't be going up untill June this year for the museum ships event.  I am not sure yet if Aschenbrenner wil be up there as we planned to put the WWII radios on for the event.  I will have to start a list of things to take pictures of.  Do you ever see Sam Whitley around the sub?  The Batfish puts out one hell of a signal when they put the beam ant on.  I still do the certificate requests for WW2SUB.  If you run intoSam say hi for me.  I have shirttail relatives living in Muskogee.  They operate a custom clothing production business, Tshirts, embroidery, caps, jackets, patches, uniforms and the whole nine yards.  I think I will have to have Linda do me an extra  special Batfish shirt.  I just turned 81 and wonder how much longer I can keep up the pace.  My best to all you guys

K0EFV Tom USMC    

[Mark Sarsfield]

I have exchanged e-mails with Sam, but I don't think that we have met, yet. 

Not a big deal about photographing the internal coax.  I'll be at the boat twice next month.