[CW] Sept 2 special event on USS Missouri

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

Subject:  Sept 2 special event on USS Missouri
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 2005 07:43:48 -0400

Greetings Museum Ships and Military History enthusiasts,

September 2, 2005 marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Japanese 
surrender papers on board the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, formally 
ending World War II.  The USS Missouri, currently located at Pearl Harbor, 
Hawaii, will be holding extensive ceremonies on board September 2, and the 
ship's club station KH6BB will be on the air as well.   On CW we will be 
using the original Vibroplex key that was used on board in 1945 to send the 
first news of the surrender signing; the key has been loaned to KH6BB for 
the event by the Maritime Museum of Monterey CA, with permission to use the 
key on the air.

First operations from KH6BB will take place on September 2 at 0000Z (note 
that this is the afternoon/evening of September 1 in the US), because this 
time corresponds to 0900 September 2 in Tokyo Bay, the time and date that! 
the papers were originally signed.  At this time we will re-transmit the 
exact message that was sent from Missouri in 1945 reporting the signing.  
Since Missouri's hull number is BB-63, the primary operating frequency will 
be 14.063 MHz CW.  Depending on propagation, alternate frequencies will be 
18.073 and 21.063 MHz.  There may be combined SSB/CW operations on 14.263, 
18.163, or 21.363 MHz.   Operations will continue until approximately 0600Z 
depending on propagation.

KH6BB will also be operating on September 3 and 4 from about 0000-0600Z 
(Friday September 2 and Saturday September 3 local time in the US), possibly 
earlier depending on propagation.  There may be operations on September 2 
and 3 around 1600-1800Z, again depending on propagation. Check the KH6BB web 
page event calendar at <www.kh6bb.org> for last minute details on times and 
frequencies.

This special event developed so quickly that we were unable to submit it to 
ARRL for publication in QST which is why we're putting the word out on these 
mail lists.  So, warm up your boatanchors and look for KH6BB during these 
special event days.

Hope to talk with many of you on the air!
pete, KH6GRT