[Elecraft] Historic CW On the Air

[Fred Jensen]

On 7/13/2011 8:32 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Station KPH/KFS in California participated in the "Night of Nights"
> operations this week marking another anniversary since the end of CW as the
> mainstay of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

Managed to snag KPH QSA 5 [no surprise there!] and KLB at about QSA 3. 
Did not hear WLO, but I have in the past.  Nothing on the Holy Frequency.

> Check out the sidetone-- very typical of commercial CW gear and why I
> chuckle at those who insist on a perfect sine wave sidetone from their rigs.

Our operating positions had a second RX, the one at the position I 
usually sat was an R-388, and while the station supplied sidetone for 
our cans [not exactly a sine wave], I just felt better getting mine from 
that RX ... sort of proved to me that the TX was actually on the air 
since I couldn't see it.

> I had the pleasure of visiting that station, and working them on the air
> occasionally, when their CW signal was the "voice of the Pacific"

The only place I ever heard them down in So. Cal. was on 600m.  See below.

> The transmitter site shown is some miles south at Bolinas. That way they
> didn't need any fancy QSK circuitry.

And also because the CW maritime radio service was full duplex 
everywhere, except 600m.  My 5KW signal on 600m was sure loud in the 
R-388 :-)

N of N is a fun little romp through history, if you haven't tried it, 
you might give it a shot next year.  If you're not familiar with 
commercial CW procedures, I have a 85 MB British PDF that will inform 
you way deeper than you might like to go.  Let me know, I'll email you a 
copy.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011
- www.cqp.org