Unbelievable Discovery

[KL7FZ]

FLASH!! JUST FOUND IN ALASKA!

It was just announced this morning in northern Alaska, that during the spring thaw, an old Amateur Radio Operator (also known as a "HAM&quot was found frozen in an old radio shack at a decommissioned military installation near Nome, Alaska. He was still sitting at the radio operator's position with a Morse Code key in his hand. An array of now- antique radio equipment was still in place and in good condition. When the old building was excavated and thawed out, and power was restored, the old equipment came on just as if it was never off. Audio was heard from the receiver that sounded like old Morse Code. Amazingly, shortly after that, the old geezer thawed out, and without missing a stroke, went right back into sending the code, albeit with some rather rough sounding sending due to stiff old fingers. The frequency went silent as the other operators on frequency heard the old call go out. It had not been heard on the air for nearly 80 years! Then a huge noise was heard as all the other operators answered at the same time. Eager to talk to the OM and find out what had happened. The strength and number of the replying signals took the OM by such surprised that his old, and not quite yet thawed heart, went into cardiac arrest and he keeled over the desk. His hand still on the key, a last few characters issued forth. Dah Dah Dit Dit Dit # Dit Dit Dit Dah Dah. #We later learned that this was the traditional goodbye signoff that the old ops used. It was 73. Meaning "Best Wishes". # With that the radio frequency went silent again. In honor of another old operator gone on to the great radio room in the sky. But, for a brief moment, the ether was again filled with a signal from the past. A long lost operator had finally gotten to say goodbye and end a conversation that he was unable to complete a long ago time when nature stopped him in mid sentence. But still the old code had gotten through.

It was decided that his remains should be buried in place with all the old radio gear, much to the consternation of some radio collectors. The site was dozed over and a small placard placed over the site. It is a stange symbol for a headstone. I wonder if "Collins" was his real name? We may never know.

73 Old Man. 73.

From Alaska
KL7FZ reporting
April 1, 2004

[W5KLB]

To quote Mr. AMG: "I'm 100% in favor of it"

[K7DLX]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KL7FZ @ April 01 2004,05:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The frequency went silent as the other operators on frequency heard the old call go out. It had not been heard on the air for nearly 80 years&#33;[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
And the FCC issued an immediate NAL to the Alaskan station due to the fact that the old call had been recycled and now is a vanity call belonging to a Technician class licensee in Beaver, Utah.

Oh yes, and happy April 1, everyone&#33;

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>I shouldn&#39;t be knocking vanity calls - my new vanity call should be here tomorrow...</span>

[W1SK]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (w7wwb @ April 01 2004,08:12)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KL7FZ @ April 01 2004,05:21)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The frequency went silent as the other operators on frequency heard the old call go out. It had not been heard on the air for nearly 80 years&#33;[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
And the FCC issued an immediate NAL to the Alaskan station due to the fact that the old call had been recycled and now is a vanity call belonging to a Technician class licensee in Beaver, Utah.

Oh yes, and happy April 1, everyone&#33;

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>I shouldn&#39;t be knocking vanity calls - my new vanity call should be here tomorrow...</span>[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Slam on vanity calls. I was thinking about geting a vanity call, but I fear that the old timers wouldnt apreciate it all that well if I got a 1x2 or a 2x1 but people still do it anyway. I can see it right now, meeting some old timer at a hamfest expecting to see another old timer, and a 20 year old kid (yes I consider myself a kid still) pops up and says &quot;Hi, whats up dude&quot;.

Joe - KB1KDY

[KC8QMU]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Slam on vanity calls. I was thinking about geting a vanity call, but I fear that the old timers wouldnt apreciate it all that well if I got a 1x2 or a 2x1 but people still do it anyway. I can see it right now, meeting some old timer at a hamfest expecting to see another old timer, and a 20 year old kid (yes I consider myself a kid still) pops up and says &quot;Hi, whats up dude&quot;.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

You laugh, I&#39;m 25 and have done exactly that at the hamfests before. They just kind of stare at you for a minute like you&#39;re going to mug them or something and then they realize who you are. They usually know I&#39;m younger than them to begin with though.

It&#39;s always good when you meet someone face to face after talking to them on the air for some time.

[KG4RYT]

His last communication was
&quot; My hands are freezing... My fingers are freezing together... I cannot hit the key any more .. I wish i knew how to use voice phone communication.... code really sucks when you are freezing to death.....you bunch of duck pluckers.......... I&#39;m freezing to death up here........I&#39;m back out....10-7.....end&quot;

Maybe if he just had a back up radio like a Cobra 29LTD he could have received some help.