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Author Topic: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition  (Read 13570 times)

Randy Conrad

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A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« on: July 08, 2015, 07:19:22 PM »

First of all....I wanna welcome home Ric and expedition team, and the Betchard expedition trip....for making it back safely. Sometimes, we overlook the idea that when things wrong we assume that things don't measure up like they're supposed too. Anyway, the thing that matters is the trip was successful, because everyone got there in one piece, and made it back home safely. I truly admired the "guides" on the to and fro from the ship to the island. Very professional if you ask me! Anyway, in the past couple of days many people have given the flack that this was a failed trip. I wouldn't really say that...due to the fact that dives were done successfully, the island was searched from head to toe, and the ill-fated ROV did go down into the deep blue sea. We still have film to research, and a drone video is yet to be shown. We did learn that Amelia most likely was heard by many people on the island...thanks to the antenna setup on the island. Like I said several weeks ago, learned so much that particular week about short-wave and the fact that a person can lose alot of sleep if they stay up too long listening. Anyway, I know alot of listeners were plum excited about the transmissions. Thanks again for who was in charge!
    As many of you know, things happen beyond our expectations. We never can control the outcome of things. Say for example...the status of the island in the past three years! From the video that Mark made, I think its safe to say that mother nature played a part in the ransacking of several areas of the island. So we have to move past this to further our research and move on. Another key area that like many of us were glued to the forum was the ROV descent. It was beyond anyone's comprehension that it would fail. And granted I'm sure that it was looked at once it left there. But, with the help of many they dropped it manually over the side of the boat and took pictures. So it wasn't a losing cause! It did go down...so successful! Anyway, I wanted to highlight several things I have researched on in the past couple of days and want your input on these items. Here goes!

1. Was Fred Noonan aware of Gardner Island in the area after navigating previous flights to Midway, and several other islands prior to meeting Amelia?
     How much did this man know of the area? Sounds like he knew alot! So what happened?

2. In Mark's video we see Tom King and another lady examining the cookhouse. In another video of the same cookhouse years before, I see something unique that
    I found interesting. Like the sheet metal used to cover the windows. Noting the metal was more grayer, than the other metal used on the outside of the building.
    Also, the piece of metal that Tom walked by almost resembled the back part of the plane with its wing-shaped outline! Did anyone examing the metal many years
    ago after examining the cookhouse for the very first time?

3. In relation to Betty Klenck's video on TIGHAR channel on YouTube.. she mentions Fred acting like a savage, and beyond control. Like something definately was
    wrong with the man. Does anyone know what kind of medical history Fred has? Was he a healthy man, have diabetes by chance, or was he just having seizures
    after suffering a major head injury from the landing? Interested to find out?

4. In Mark's video...one of the highlighted points of interest was the search for the "door"! Can someone please tell me what door it was they were looking for?

5. Several days ago my friend Joe posted a broach found on the island this past expedition in the village! My question is, what kind of lifestyle did the islanders have?
    The broach looked very modernistic, and didn't look handmade ( as if someone made it on the island?. Did islander women have access to these kinda of
     necessities of life? Very interesting find!

Anyway, I wanted to come on here and congratulate the team on a job well done! As Annie would say..."The sun will come out tomorrow....bet your bottom dollar thats tomorrow! Anyway, welcome home guys!
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Martin X. Moleski, SJ

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2015, 07:56:39 PM »

4. In Mark's video...one of the highlighted points of interest was the search for the "door"! Can someone please tell me what door it was they were looking for?

See Ric's post.
LTM,

           Marty
           TIGHAR #2359A
 
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Jim M Sivright

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2015, 08:14:58 PM »

Good post Randy, Thanks
I would like to ask a question, if I may. It concerns the radio transmissions from the island. I too, stayed up late at night listening on a ham website. Very interesting. After a few days, it was pointed out that the radio was not actually on the island, and it seemed to be of concern for some of the radio crowd. How does Ric address this, or is it a non-issue?

Jim
1938R
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Randy Conrad

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2015, 08:35:03 PM »

If I remember right...and if Bob Harmon is reading this to please jump in...but I recall them broadcasting on the island the first couple of nights, but broadcasting on the boat the rest of the time. Personally, I don't think it really matters...and it would be really hard if you were trying to relive history with an old radio per say, and especially with todays technology. However, it does show that you can pick up transmissions from Niku. Now you got to remember the boat wasnt that far off shore too. But, if the Lockheed Electra did land on that reef...then they heard Amelia...no questions about it!
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Randy Conrad

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2015, 08:42:10 PM »

Also, in the 19.50 mark of Mark's video there is a spot with alot of coconuts with twisted metal. What does this belong too?
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Bob Harmon

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2015, 09:37:14 PM »

If I remember right...and if Bob Harmon is reading this to please jump in...but I recall them broadcasting on the island the first couple of nights, but broadcasting on the boat the rest of the time.
Click here to hear Lee describe his radio setup to a Ham operator in Denver. Listen to the audio link "T31LP NOT LAND BASED".
1:35 - No antenna on island - tied to Norwich City
2:29 - Post-loss distress calls simulation - "We really haven't started that in earnest yet"
3:18 - No definite plans to operate on land with his "feet in the sand"

I don't think anything was done about simulations on possible harmonic frequencies at different times of day or night nor am I aware of Lee transmitting on AM as Amelia did, which would have allowed many people to try to hear him on regular shortwave sets.

The ham radio crowd was disappointed that Lee was not land-based. See rule 8. Just a ham radio thing, nothing to do with any simulations.

« Last Edit: July 08, 2015, 11:47:39 PM by Bob Harmon »
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Michael HALL

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2015, 05:02:40 AM »

I say this in all seriousness.... Was "anything" new discovered on this trip that we did not know before?

I read through the entire trip report and  really did not see anything substantial. A glimmer of hope is in the Hail Mary sweep, and I hold onto some hope of an announcement once data has been thoroughly examined. Otherwise we are no further forward and our nemisis in the hunt Dick Spink seems to be getting mass media attention right now in the UK. (reference exclusive interview with Daily mail today "I know what I saw and I saw the lady!' Revealed, the Pacific islanders who insist Amelia Earhart WAS taken prisoner by the Japanese after crashing on remote atoll")

I am and have always been on the Tighar side of the hunt and remain so, I just hope Ric has some good findings to quieten the ever growing voice of The Spink campaign.


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Ric Gillespie

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2015, 08:32:37 AM »

After a few days, it was pointed out that the radio was not actually on the island, and it seemed to be of concern for some of the radio crowd. How does Ric address this, or is it a non-issue?

We never said the radio was going to be on the island and we never intended for the radio to be on the island.  That would be entirely impractical. As I understand it, the fact that the radio was on the ship was of concern to some hams who were participating in a contest to see who could "work" stations in one hundred different countries.  The contest rules said that the station had to be "in" the country. Being on a ship didn't count.  Not our problem. TIGHAR had nothing to do with the contest.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #8 on: July 09, 2015, 08:43:59 AM »

4. In Mark's video...one of the highlighted points of interest was the search for the "door"! Can someone please tell me what door it was they were looking for?

During our interviews with former Nikumaroro residents now living in the Solomon Islands, the story emerged of a metal door with a handle found by the island boys and used as a sled to pull each other around on the sand.  This allegedly occurred in the area around Bauareke Passage (the small southern lagoon passage). We speculated that if the story was true the door may have been either the Electra's cabin door or the cockpit hatch.  The chance that it still existed and could be found was slim but worth investigating and an examination of the area seemed within the capabilities of the tourists.
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Bob Harmon

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #9 on: July 09, 2015, 09:00:43 AM »

After a few days, it was pointed out that the radio was not actually on the island, and it seemed to be of concern for some of the radio crowd. How does Ric address this, or is it a non-issue?

We never said the radio was going to be on the island and we never intended for the radio to be on the island.  That would be entirely impractical.
What may have confused some people is this note in the June 12 daily:
"Be advised that the on-board radio antenna is not a good simulation of Earhart’s vee antenna. Once ashore, Lee will rig a much more accurate simulation and transmit from there."

And this note from the June 15 daily:
"Lee Paynter has rigged another antenna ashore, which may allow broadcasting on more frequencies."


« Last Edit: July 09, 2015, 09:14:48 AM by Bob Harmon »
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Jim M Sivright

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2015, 09:30:35 AM »

I am not a ham radio guy, and I didn't know about the contest, and I really don't care where the radio/antenna was...on the island..on the boat.. or bobbing up and down in the ocean.. and maybe I didn't make my post clear enough, but I am interested in the radio transmissions, because it gave some of us a chance to participate in the expedition, at least in a small way, rather then just waiting for the dailies, which of course, were great.

Jim 
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2015, 09:34:18 AM »

What may have confused some people is this note in the June 12 daily:
"Be advised that the on-board radio antenna is not a good simulation of Earhart’s vee antenna. Once ashore, Lee will rig a much more accurate simulation and transmit from there."

And this note from the June 15 daily:
 "Lee Paynter has rigged another antenna ashore, which may allow broadcasting on more frequencies."

Yes.  That was a miscommunication between me and Pat. I should have been clearer.  I didn't see the error until I got home and had a chance to read the dailies.
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Joshua Doremire

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Re: A Successful Expedition is a Safe Expedition
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2015, 01:02:42 AM »

After a few days, it was pointed out that the radio was not actually on the island, and it seemed to be of concern for some of the radio crowd. How does Ric address this, or is it a non-issue?

We never said the radio was going to be on the island and we never intended for the radio to be on the island.  That would be entirely impractical. As I understand it, the fact that the radio was on the ship was of concern to some hams who were participating in a contest to see who could "work" stations in one hundred different countries.  The contest rules said that the station had to be "in" the country. Being on a ship didn't count.  Not our problem. TIGHAR had nothing to do with the contest.

I suggest you re-consider the problem as a fundraising publicity opportunity for the next trip and perhaps a separate fundraiser to put a HAM operator on land for rule 8 postcards during an expedition. It's not a contest! It's the ability to say you contacted a HAM in a rare location. As it is radio contact from the ship was extremely popular.

The fact the post loss radio transmissions are a big part of the evidence would make a TIGHAR HAM radio postcard special. Being rare and special means the postcard 'contact' gets explained along with why someone was transmitting from there. Of course looking for a plane there will come up.

"That would be entirely impractical."
You are joking.  ;D Portable radio, 100' of wire, and a power source including solar, small portable generator, etc. All x2 due to hostile conditions of course. Have the tourists help you bring it ashore. Certainly it's not as hard to do as the LORAN station that was there...   

I do not intend to make light of the hostile conditions there. However the attention and success it brought is worth serious consideration. Listening live is something I will remember about this expedition. Pretty cool IMO.
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