[Fists] `Night of Nights - KPH, KSM, WLO, KLB, NMC, NOJ QRV

Wed Jul 12 02:23:20 EDT 2006

HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATION KPH RETURNS TO THE AIR FOR "NIGHT OF 
NIGHTS VII"

Former RCA Station KPH Celebrates Its 101st Anniversary

Coast Station KSM Celebrates Its 1st Anniversary

Coast Stations WLO, KLB, NMC and NOJ To Be On The Air

New Frequencies for KSM, KLB and NOJ

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In the seventh annual event that has become known as the "Night of Nights", 
historic Morse code radio station KPH will return to the air in 
commemoration of the last commercial Morse message sent in the United 
States.

Frequencies and reception report information for all stations appear below.

KPH, the ex-RCA coast station located north of San Francisco, will return to 
the air for commemorative broadcasts on 12 July at 1701 PDT
(13 July at 0001 GMT), 7 years and one minute after the last commercial 
Morse transmission in the US. These on-the-air events are intended to honor 
the men and women who followed the radiotelegraph trade on ships and at 
coast stations around the world and made it one of honor and skill.

Transmissions are expected to continue until at least midnight PDT 
(0700GMT).

Veteran Morse operators, including former KPH staff members, will be on duty 
at the receiving station at Point Reyes, CA listening for calls from ships 
and sending messages just as they did for so many years before Morse 
operations were shut down.

The transmitters are located 18 miles south of Point Reyes in Bolinas, CA at 
the transmitting station established in
1913 by the American Marconi Co. The original KPH transmitters, receivers 
and antennas will be used to activate frequencies in all the commercial 
maritime HF bands and on MF as well.

Many of the KPH transmitters will be 50s vintage RCA sets. KSM will use a 
1940s vintage Press Wireless PW-15 transmitter will be on its 12Mc 
frequency. Power output will be 4 to 5kW. The transmitting antennas include 
a Marconi T for MF, double extended Zepps for
4, 6 and 8Mc and H over 2s for 12, 16 and 22Mc.

KPH will send traffic lists, weather and press broadcasts as well as special 
commemorative messages, some of which will be sent by hand. At other times 
the KPH and KSM "wheel" will be sent to mark the transmitting frequencies.

Members of the public are invited to visit the receiving station for this 
event. The station will be open to visitors beginning at
1500PDT (3:00pm). The station is located at 17400 Sir Francis Drake 
Boulevard and is on the route to the Point Reyes lighthouse. Watch for a 
cypress lined driveway on the right about a mile past the entry to Coast 
Guard station NMC.

KPH is operated by the Maritime Radio Historical Society in cooperation with 
the Point Reyes National Seashore, part of the National Park Service.

Further information may be found on the Maritime Radio Historical Society 
Web site at http://www.radiomarine.org or by contacting Richard Dillman at 
+1 415-990-7090 (email: rd at radiomarine.org) or Tom Horsfall at +1 
510-237-9535 (email: wa6ope at hotmail.com).

BT

Station Information follows...

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KPH

KPH will transmit on 4247.0, 6477.5, 8642.0, 12808.5,
17016.8 and
22477.5kc on HF and 500 and 426kc on MF.

These frequencies have been made available through the generous cooperation 
of Globe Wireless, the current owner of the KPH and KFS licenses.

KPH operators will listen for calls from ships on ITU Channel 3 in all 
bands. The Channel 3 frequencies are 4184.0, 6276.0, 8368.0, 12552.0, 
16736.0 and 22280.5kc on HF and 500kc on MF.