[SMCARA] NSS Annapolis

Wed Apr 22 20:19:47 EDT 2020

I still have nightmares when I think of that KW-7 patch panel, a matrix 
of 12x12 or maybe 16x16, I believe.  We had 15 minutes to pull out the 
expired code patches and program the new code with the same plugs but 
different holes.  Never saw such a happy group of crypto operators when 
the block adapters kits came out and were installed!  Down time for 
RADAY change went from 15 minutes to about 15 seconds as you had at 
least two blocks per KW-7. You'd "pre-program" one block before pulling 
the expired block, insert the new block and restore the circuit

    jd

On 4/22/20 6:49 PM, Frederic Clarke wrote:
>
> Bad memory cells!  It was the KL-7/47. The KW-7s came after we got the 
> SHIPALT to our comm spaces. The early ones had a nightmarish patch 
> panel with many jumpers to set the code.
>
> Tom
>
> On 4/22/2020 5:25 AM, JD Delancy wrote:
>> Nice tale, Tom.  In my younger days, in the 60's, I too work with 
>> those "mechanical crypto machine" but I remember them being 
>> nomenclatured KL-7s and KL-47s.  The KW-7s were the ones used 
>> predominately on HF circuits.  They were something else to work with, 
>> especially on shaky HF circuits
>>
>>      jd
>>
>> On 4/21/20 10:55 PM, Tom Clarke wrote:
>>> Hi Chris,
>>>
>>> Interesting Story.  NSS was a famous Navy Radio Station and was 
>>> often used for code practice by hams, since all comms were encrypted 
>>> into 5 letter groups and transmitted on CW. (NRK NRK NRK DE NSS NSS 
>>> NSS - that's for you Sam!) I listened to it as a kid growing up in 
>>> CT (K1AST), struggling to get my CW speed up for General.  We also 
>>> set our clocks using the WWV, Time Signal which was in Arlington Va 
>>> before moving to Colorado!
>>>
>>> After I joined the Navy, as a ham. I used to hang out in the radio 
>>> shack on the ship.  The Radioman (RM) would copy the Fleet Broadcast 
>>> from NSS at Annapolis on CW and they would give me, as the junior 
>>> Ensign on the ship, the encrypted traffic to decode. The old KW-7 
>>> mechanical crypto machine was loud, cranky, needed lots of oil, and 
>>> TLC, but such was the life of a "Blackshoe" Ensign (O-1) in the 60s!
>>>
>>> The RMs were amazing as they could copy 30-35 WPM on a typewriter 
>>> and have a conversation at  the same time! I would come up to his 
>>> receiving position and wait for his nod. Then I would ask the 
>>> question or let him know what he needed to know and he would not 
>>> miss a single group on the typewriter (mill). This was all on HF and 
>>> LF. Our ship was later equipped with Radio Teletype for comms, but 
>>> the RMs still copied the Fleet Bcst for practice.  Eventually SatCom 
>>> took over the traffic handling and Morse became a dying art.
>>>
>>> Being on a ship was fun (at times! ), but I got tired of going 
>>> everywhere at 12 Knots, so off  I went to Pensacola and got my 
>>> wings. All our our long range communications were on HF. Primarily 
>>> RATT or RTTY (Radio Teletype, but with voice and CW as backup. When 
>>> we started getting the new P-3C Orions, the CW keys were gone! The 
>>> little cubby hole at the comm station was still there, but no key! 
>>> The new P-8 replacement for the P-3 only has one HF and all comms 
>>> are via satellite, except for local and some overwater long range 
>>> air traffic control. They don't even carry an RM, as the Comm duties 
>>> are done by the Navigator. The Nav duties are handled by the 
>>> computer now!
>>>
>>> After I retired here, I got into Packet (before internet!) and we 
>>> had quite a network, all at 1200 Baud! Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, the 
>>> developer of APRS,  had a magnificent  digipeater on one of those 
>>> 300 foot historical towers.  Through a foul-up the tower with the 
>>> digi on it was demolished instead of one with no antennas! No more 
>>> wide coverage digi! There was another tall digi (called a Node) up 
>>> at Andrews AFB that had 6 or 8 different frequencies and if you came 
>>> in on 145.01 for instance, it would repeat the packet on 2 meters, 6 
>>> meters, 220, 440, etc. We had a digi here at Pax that allowed us to 
>>> access any of the bulletin boards up in DC or Balto.  Along came the 
>>> internet at 19,500 baud or so and "so long" packet. There were also 
>>> DX Clusters on packet that moved quickly to the internet.  About the 
>>> only packet anymore is APRS on 144.39.
>>>
>>> That big antenna array with the 1200foot  center tower was for the 
>>> VLF transmitter, which also served as station in Omega Navigation 
>>> System. There are several larger and higher power VLF stations 
>>> around the world and Annapolis became redundant. We used to use it 
>>> for TACAMO testing here at Pax, but when it was decommissioned, we 
>>> had to go to Hawaii or Spain for our VLF testing. Darn the bad luck!
>>>
>>> Time marches on!
>>>
>>> 73 Tom W4OKW, ex K1AST, WA4DGM,(TN), W4OKW (FL), EA7BXP (Spain) Used 
>>> change callsigns when you moved, but no longer.
>>>
>>>> A sailing friend who runs tours out of Annapolis is often asked 
>>>> about the 3 remaining radio towers near the Naval Academy.  Here is 
>>>> a great video she found on the history of the installation and some 
>>>> detail on naval communication and VLF submarine communication (21.4 
>>>> kHz). At the end is the way to get rid of a tower if you no longer 
>>>> need it!
>>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=jWuJ6DB9drw&feature=youtu.be
>>>>   Hope you enjoy it!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Christopher Olson
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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