[CW] Info from John W3KHG about N1EA

[Sudipta Ghose]

Hi All,
This is VU2UT from Kolkata India.
David is one of the friendliest HAMs I have come across so far.
I have enjoyed his friendship for the last three decades.
Kind regards and 73
Sudipta Ghose

On Tue, Sep 15, 2026 at 1:07 PM Walter - K5EST via CW <cw at mailman.qth.net>
wrote:

> Great write-up DR
>
>     Walter, K5EST ⚓
> ZUT ---> CW Forever
>
> On Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 23:50 D.J.J. Ring, Jr. via CW <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> wrote:
>
>> W3KHG sent me this: unfortunately I can't extract the links.
>>
>> David Ring was first licensed as a radio amateur in 1965, with the call
>> WA1DRS. He upgraded to Amateur Extra in 1967 and obtained N1EA in 1978.
>> Professionally, he held both an FCC First Class Radiotelegraph License and
>> First Class Radiotelephone License, as well as a U.S. Coast Guard Radio
>> Officer license. �
>> Eastern Massachusetts ARRL +1
>> He worked in broadcasting and at marine coast stations, including the
>> famous WSC coast station at West Creek, New Jersey. He went to sea as a
>> U.S. Merchant Marine radio officer from approximately 1980 through 1993. A
>> later posting identifies his last ship as the research vessel R/V Knorr
>> (KCEJ) of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, in 1994. �
>> Google Groups
>> The Prinsendam disaster
>> This is the episode for which Ring is particularly well known.
>> On October 4, 1980, Ring and fellow Radio Officer James N. Pfister, NS1L,
>> were aboard the American supertanker Williamsburgh, call sign WGOA, when
>> they received the Morse distress traffic from the burning Holland-America
>> passenger ship Prinsendam, call sign PJTA, in the Gulf of Alaska. �
>> Eastern Massachusetts ARRL +1
>> The remarkable part is that the Prinsendam's satellite communications
>> failed during the emergency, while traditional Morse radiotelegraphy
>> continued functioning. Ring's archive preserves recordings associated with
>> the emergency as well as the Williamsburgh's radio log. �
>> QSL.net
>> Ring and Pfister provided an important communications link—relaying
>> positions and estimated arrival times and helping keep the distress
>> frequency clear. Contemporary coverage in QST specifically recognized their
>> role. �
>> World Radio History
>> All of the passengers and crew were ultimately rescued. In 1988, Ring and
>> Pfister received the Veteran Wireless Operators Association's Marconi Gold
>> Medal for their work during the rescue. �
>> Eastern Massachusetts ARRL
>> He is still involved in maritime-radio history
>> This is particularly interesting: Ring wasn't merely a historical figure
>> whose activity ended decades ago. I found posts from 2025 and July 2026
>> under D.J.J. Ring, Jr./N1EA discussing commercial radiotelegraphy and
>> maritime communications. �
>> Google Groups +1
>> In August 2025, he was scheduled to give a presentation entitled
>> “Commercial Radiotelegraphy” at the Northeast HamXposition, discussing life
>> as a Merchant Marine radio officer and the Prinsendam SOS. �
>> HamXposition
>> He also appears to have put considerable effort into preserving the
>> history and operating practices of 500-kHz maritime CW, commercial Morse,
>> ship radio rooms, marine coast stations, and professional radiotelegraph
>> operators.
>> His Prinsendam archive is particularly worth looking at:
>> David Ring N1EA — Prinsendam SOS and maritime Morse archive⁠�
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> CW mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:CW at mailman.qth.net
>> CW List ARCHIVES: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/cw/
>> Unsubcribe send email to
>> cw-unsubscribe at mailman.qth.net
>> Subscribe send email to cw-subscribe at mailman.qth.net
>> Support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>> =30=
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> CW mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:CW at mailman.qth.net
> CW List ARCHIVES: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/cw/
> Unsubcribe send email to
> cw-unsubscribe at mailman.qth.net
> Subscribe send email to cw-subscribe at mailman.qth.net
> Support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> =30=



-- 
One of those ... ...
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/cw/attachments/20260916/c4a08345/attachment.html>