[HCRA] FW: [VWS] A Whole Lot of Maritime CW

Sat Jul 2 07:52:09 EDT 2005

----Original Message Follows----
From: Alan Bosch <labosch at verizon.net>
Reply-To: VWS at mail.viennawireless.org
To: VWS Reflector <VWS at mail.viennawireless.org>
Subject: [VWS] A Whole Lot of Maritime CW
Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2005 00:07:52 -0500

Greetings:

Thought you CW afficionados and old salts out there would like this, from 
the DX Listening Digest.

AlanB

** U S A. Night of Nights VI - Official Announcement

     HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATION RETURNS TO THE AIR
     Former RCA Station KPH Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary

COAST STATION KSM WILL MAKE ITS INAGURAL TRANSMISSION
COAST STATIONS WLO, KLB, NMC AND NOJ TO BE ON THE AIR

In the sixth 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.

This year's Night of Nights is special: it's the 100th anniversary of KPH, 
KSM will appear on the air for the first time and four other US coast 
stations will be on the air, several of them on MF in addition to HF.

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), 6 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 (0700 
GMT).

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 on 12 Mc. Power output will 
be 4 to 5 kW. The transmitting antennas include a Marconi T for MF, double 
extended Zepps for 4, 6 and 8 Mc and H over 2s for 12, 16 and 22 Mc. [/s]

KPH will send traffic lists, weather and press broadcasts as well as special 
commemorative messages, many 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 1500 PDT (3:00 pm). 
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 @ radiomarine.org or Tom Horsfall at +1 
510-237-9535 email: wa6ope @ hotmail.com

BT

Station Information follows...

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

Reception reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA

Denice is a former KPH operator and was the first female telegrapher hired 
at the station.
------------
KSM will transmit on 426, 500, 6474 and 12993 kc

KSM will listen for calls from ships on 500 kc and HF Channel 3 (see KPH 
listing for frequencies). Reception reports may be sent to:

Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA
------------
WLO will transmit on 438, 500, 8514.0 and 12660.0 kc

WLO will listen for calls from ships on 500 kc and HF Channel 3 (see KPH 
listing for frequencies). Reception reports may be sent to:

WLO/KLB 700 RINLA AVENUE MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619 USA

Or via email to: wloradio @ wloradio.com
------------
KLB will transmit on 6411.0

KLB will listen for calls from ships on 6276 kc

Reception reports may be sent to:

WLO/KLB 700 RINLA AVENUE MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619 USA

Or via email to: wloradio @ wloradio.com
------------
NMC will transmit on 448, 472, 500, 6383.0, 8574.0 and 17220.5 kc

NMC will listen for calls from ships on 500kc and HF Channel 3 (see KPH 
listing for frequencies). Reception reports may be sent to:

COMMANDING OFFICER ATTN ITC ERIC SIMMONS COMMUNICATIONS AREA MASTER STATION 
PACIFIC 17000 SIR FRANCIS DRAKE BLVD POINT REYES STATION, CALIFORNIA 
94956-0560
USA
------------
NOJ will transmit on 8650.0, 12889.5 and 16909.7

NOJ will listen for calls from ships on Channel 3 (see KPH listing for 
frequencies). Reception reports may be sent to:

COMMANDING OFFICER ATTN OSCM WILLIAM KECKLER US COAST GUARD COMMUNICATIONS 
STATION KODIAK PO BOX 190017 KODIAK, ALASKA 99619 USA

BT

BV ES VY 73 TO ALL, MRHS

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