[SMCARA] NSS Annapolis

Wed Apr 22 22:10:36 EDT 2020

I do remember those patches, what a pain!

sl

On Thu, Apr 23, 2020 at 12:20 AM JD Delancy <w1jd at comcast.net> wrote:

>
> 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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