Biography

Clubstation DMØG - DARC e.V. OV Forchheim - DOK: B26 - Multi Purpose Vehicle
Owner and OP: Peter DK8AF

This "Mercedes Benz Unimog Spezial 404B" 4x4 military radio truck was build at Gaggenau/Germany in end of 1963 and set to service at the German Bundeswehr (army) in February 1964. It's military denotation was "LKW 1,5to gl Unimog 4x4, Funk, Kofferaufbau Typ C" and the installed Radio Set (Rüstsatz) was"Schreibfunkgeraetesatz HF 100 W R&S" (Rohde&Schwarz). UNIMOG is the synonym for UN_iversal MO_tor G_erät (machine).

Some technical details to the UNIMOG truck itself:
Engine: Mercedes Benz Type M180 - 6 Cyl. - 2200 ccm - 61kW / 82HP (at 4800rpm) gasoline (regular) engine. Maximum speed on the road is 95km/hr. Gasoline consumption is around 22-25l/100km (road) up to 45l/100km (4x4-offroad). The total weight including the radio cabin is around 4000 kg.

My unit was in service at the Bundeswehr until 1997 and then sold by the VEBEG together with 4 similar Unimog trucks to a german HAM.
He kept the cutiest one and sold the others piece by piece. He gave his 'fat boy' very much attention and took care and replaced worn out parts.
And he let the inside of the radio cabin in the same state as he got it by the VEBEG/Bundeswehr.

After 15 years 'in service' at that radio amateur i got the opportunity in June 2012, to purchase this "rolling Radio museum" and gave "him" (fat boy) a new home. This HAM looked for another HAM, who would keep the rare item 'as is', like some kind of technical history.

The first big challenge was, to get it the 340 km on it's own wheels to my home. This needed some time, and the help of my friend Dieter DG2NBN to accompany me with a transportation car (many thanks to Markus DL9DMN), to take all the additional parts and HAM gear, i got with the car. To give some feeling on our convoi: The maximum speed on a plain road with wind from the backside is 90 km/h max. But normally in our hilly environment the real speed went down closer to around 50-60 km/h. And service stops were strongly suggested every 100 km due to the age of this unit.

In Februar 2013 i applied for a special clubstation call sign from the german authorities and could gain the nice short callsign: Delta Mike Zero Golf, which could be interpreted with some phantasy as D-MOG ( D for Deutschland (Germany) and MOG as the common used name for all UNIMOG trucks by the group of enthusiasts).

I actually use it for contesting, fieldday, emergency service exercises, oldtimer car meetings and public events as an 'eye catcher' to show the abilties of amateur radio, of course also with my state of the art amateur radio gear.

If you like, you can find my last known fixedAPRS-Position by http://en.aprs.fi/static/a/DM0G.
The last known mobile position can be found by APRS using
http://aprs.fi/static/?call=DK8AF-12.

OP: Peter (DK8AF)

Some contesting activities:

• Participated in "DARC Distrikt Franken-Aktivitaetscontest" VHF/UHF 2m/70cm on 11. May 2013 16:00 to 19:00 UTC and HF 80m/40m on 12. May 2013 7:00 to 10:00 UTC - DOK: B26

• Participated in "IARU-Region-1 UHF/Microwaves October Contest, 05./06.Oct.2013" LOC: JN59RT

• Participated in "IARU-Region-1 Marconi Memorial VHF CW-Contest, 02./03.Nov.2013" LOC: JN59RT

• Participated in "DARC XMAS-Contest 80m/40m 26.Dec 2013 8:30 to 11:00 UT" DOK: B26

• Participated in "DARC Distrikt Franken-Aktivitaetscontest" VHF/UHF 2m/70cm on 10. May 2014 16:00 to 19:00 UTC and HF 80m/40m on 11. May 2014 7:00 to 10:00 UTC - DOK: B26

• Participated in "Military on the Air" Activity of the MRR on 12. Nov. 2014 17:00 to 20:00z on 40m/80m CW/SSB using my AEG-TELEFUNKEN SE6861/12mod Military Manpack Transceiver + 100W Solid State Linear Amp. fed into a double Dipol 12m abt gnd.


.....story will be continued.

Equipment

The main components of this original army radio set are:

• SIEMENS shortwave Receiver type E311b1b, 1.5 bis 30 Mhz (A1/A3/A3J/F1- the first SIEMENS receiver with native SSB capabilities).
• ROHDE & SCHWARZ (R&S) short wave transmitter Type SK-010 1.5 bis 24 MHz, 100 Watt (A1/A3/F1)
• SIEMENS T100Z Teletyper, 50 baud (up to 100 baud possible)inside desk cabinet with punched tape receiver / sender
• Fernschreibtastgerät TELETRON / PFITZNER TG-440B
• 220V AC an 24V DC hybrid cabling to use external 220V source (mains/generator) and fallback to 24V internal 100 Ah lead acid batteries.
• working desks and seats for 2 operators and one foldaway seat.
• independent radio cabin heater (gasoline) useful against outside temperatures up to -50° C.
• BOSCH/EISEMANN, Gasoline power Generator 230V/1,2kVA + 24V/0,7 kVA
• GEROH 6KMR, 6m telescopic mast fixed at the back of the Radio cabin.

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Additional I use my Ham-Radio gear as needed for the individual case.

• HF: FT-920, FT-897D, FT-900ATC, Dipoles, Verticals, 3 El. Beam (FB33)
• VHF: FT-897D 50W, FT-221R, Linear 140W (Solid State) , Flexa Yagi
• UHF: FT-897D 20W, Linear 100W (Solid State) , Flexa Yagi