Conv-Ham Radio in Vietnam

NOTE

Although no one has mentioned it, in 1971 (and most likely from a number of years before then)

there was a ham radio setup in a room on the top floor of the Ky Son Annex BEQ,

I used it several times to call my wife in Japan by going through Camp Zama, Japan.

Jim White

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Until 1973, the only legal ham radio station in South Vietnam was XV5AC, a de facto "club" station at the American Embassy. Very active apparently. During my 32 years as DX Awards Manager for CQ magazine--many, many XV5AC cards were submitted for award credit. One interesting account of XV5AC's start and subsequent operation begins at http://hamgallery.com/gallery/S/xv5ac2.htm Operators at XV5AC included American Radio Service station manager Ian Tervet, K6MHQ. In 1974, a second license, XV5DA, was issued to an American at the DAO (former MACV) complex near TSN. Ian operated there too.
Billy Williams AFVN Qui Nhon, Danang, Saigon 1971-72

Ham Radio in Vietnam

October 2018

From: Bobby Sullivan

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: Ham radio used at AFVN

Cell phones and the internet have resulted in much less radiogram traffic on the ham bands but we do still relay the occasional message - I handled one yesterday. Billy, I was on that 75 meter emergency net following hurricane Michael. I wish you would have checked in. I haven't heard you on the air in years. I can usually be found on 3950 kHz at 0900 EDT every morning except Sunday. Give me a call and we can dredge up some memories. I would like to hear how the Saigon station turned out after I left in January 1967. I was one of the original bunch sent there in January 1966 to build the TV stations in Saigon and spent much time working radio while awaiting the arrival of the TV equipment. I was the guy operating the transmitter controls when we made our first TV cast on (I think) October 19, 1966. A number of us had been assigned to the educational TV studio at Lowry AFB and got very short notice to PCS. Jean LeRoy and several others can tell you about that. One day I'll tell you an interesting story about Jean.

Bob (USAF Ret) Saigon 1966-67

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From: Dick Ellis

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: Ham radio used at AFVN

I used the "ham" radio at the Saigon station to call up the weather reports to the detachments each afternoon.... I don't know how we got away with using the ham radio but it was in engineering. I sent a message home to my future father-in-law (W4ED) in North Carolina while in Da Nang I think it was. I didn't get to talk but sent a written "Ham-Gram" home through a MARS station. Dickie

From: Frank Rogers

Dated: October 29, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Nice memo-jogging photo. Did visit the MARS station, but I didn’t “ham” in Vietnam. Near Yokota Air Base used a TA-31 dipole on the ground leaning against the outside of my house and could contact just about all over the world, including as far as Israel. Gave it to JARAY Ham Club at Yokota when departed Japan. Should have kept it; never got that good service with far more expensive antenna in CA.
Frank KB4KIT. DaNang 1971

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: Ham radio used at AFVN

Hi Bob--Yes I remember hearing a certain W5RE, a few weeks ago. I think you were operating portable or mobile. Will get on 3950 one day and put out a call for you.
I try to stay out of the way unless I have traffic, so didn't check in. They had plenty of good help running the net.
Billy, N4UF

From: Bobby Sullivan

Dated: October 29, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Having been an avid ham since 1952 it hurt me badly to have to give it up during my year in VN. Nguyen Cao Ky was a ham and I operated the VCR that recorded his first broadcast from his own country. I think that was in February 1966. We set up a temporary studio on Tan Son Nhut and I had a chance to have a nice chat with him. But, my boss had already hinted pretty strongly that he would string me up if I asked him for a ham license there.
We didn't have a KWM-2A at the station in Saigon but I did have one chance to operate one at the TSN MARS station. My brother and I went there one night to try to get a phone patch but the line wrapped around the room and out the door. There were two stations there but they were using only one. I asked if they needed another operator but I was told that the radio was broken and they hadn't been able to get radio maintenance out to repair it. About ten minutes later I was talking to the station at Cedar Rapids. The NCOIC said "Hey, thanks. Go ahead and run your patch." Having been Collins Radio Co. trained on the KWM-2A didn't hurt a bit.
Bobby Sullivan, W5RE

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Yes, Jordan's King Hussein was JY1. Also active on the ham bands. Worked him once for a short contact. Big pileups waiting to talk, so contacts were brief. In the ham radio tradition, he was simply "Hussein." Another notable was Barry Goldwater, K7UGA. Worked him in the 1960s while he was mobile in the DC area. The buzzline around Jax Amateur Radio operators in 1964 was "elect K7UGA and help put a beam on top of the White House.

Billy Williams, N4UF

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From: Jim Anderson

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Until 1975 the Ham station at DAO was often monitored by off duty Air America personnel and other interested parties. I was told a story about one of the operators communicating with a gentleman in Jordan. When asked what he did he responded, "I'm a King".

Jim Anderson

From: Rodger McKnight

Dated: October 24, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

The antenna is on top of front door.

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 25, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

Nice Photo Rodger.
I couldn't get the regular antenna to work properly on 14 mc. Strung a wire antenna and tied it off in the area below the AFVN compound. Not an ideal installation but it got signals out to some degree.
The daily AFVN voice net between Saigon and the detachments operated around 7200kc. (40 meters) when I was there.
The Collins KWM-2 was a premier grade transceiver sold primarily for Amateur Radio use but also used widely for military long-distance work. Also at many MARS stations.
I saw a Collins 1kW linear amplifier (a 30L1 I think) at AFVN Danang that was used to boost signals when propagation wasn't good. Never used it with my improvised antenna as sparks could fly with that much power if the antenna match wasn't good.
In contrast, at THVN Qui Nhon, they had a Heath HW-22 to use for their communications with THVN Saigon. A bargain basement set-up compared to Collins KWM-2.

From: Art Roberts

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: Ham radio used at AFVN

While I was at Tan Son Nhut from ’68 to ’69, the base bulletin told us hams to NEVER get on the air. So, like everyone else, I used the “over phone”, through the base MARS station. During times of rough radio communications, the fellows at station let me get on the rig, with headphones, and talk with my XYL (wife), who was also a ham. We were able to navigate the static and noise and keep in touch. These conditions could be very frustrating for non-hams.
When I first arrived at my duty station, I called the MARS station and said I wanted to send a message home. The operator ask for the home phone number. Next thing I know I am talking with my wife. Great service!!!
Art Roberts W1AER
Former SSgt USA

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 30, 2018

Subject: Ham radio used at AFVN

They still have the radiogram (traffic) message system, Dickie. Technological advances for personal communications have diminished appeal. But, after the recent Florida hurricane, I heard hams in the panhandle relaying messages to and from shelters. Supply requests, status reports, shelter admin, etc. And for a while, there was no other communications at all in some counties. In Vietnam, KWM-2s and similar set-ups provided all kinds of communications possibilities. You could connect with the U.S. reliably for several hours most days. Covering SE Asia on 40 meters was no problem especially during daytime.

From: Billy Williams

Dated: October 23, 2018

Subject: New: AFVN

I remember using the AFVN Da Nang KWM-2 and an improvised wire antenna to work DX on 20 meters (14 mc.)
The antenna wasn't much but the height and clear shot from the mountain must have helped.
Billy Williams

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