This Maritime Radio posting is very interesting as well as reminiscent. As a Monitoring Officer with the FCC during the 1940's I routinely took bearings on KPH, KSF, WCC, WSL, WOE, WNU, WPA, NMU, and many other coastal maritime stations as reference bearings to aid in the accuracy of bearings taken on unknown stations. Itwas easy to find a maritime station in operation on a frequency near that of an unknown station, because the maritime stations operated routinely on 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 22 MHz, depending on time of day and distance to the ship.
After taking bearings on unknown stations it was mandatory to also take bearings on a known station near the same frequency and direction of the unknown station. The purpose was to be able to compenate for errors due to the vagaries of sky-wave propagation that would result in measured bearing directions being somewhat different than the true bearing.
The maritime stations were the backbone of the reference bearing facilities available to all FCC Monitoring Stations nationwide, including those in Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
It's also interesting to note that a friend in one of my radio clubs in Florida is a former operator of the Bolinas station KPH.
It's very interesting society for preservation of our older maritime radio history, specially for maintenance of all telegraphy heritage. Congratulations to all society members and Directory Board by the wonderful work.
Thanks for the nice posting, OM. We feel very lucky to be working on this project. As visitors to our Web site will see, we operate the last commercial Morse code coast station (KSM) that we know of in North America. We also operate amateur station K6KPH which uses all the original KPH transmitters, antennas and receivers (and some of the operators!) of KPH. We're on the air each Saturday from about 1900Z to about 2300Z.
VY 73 To All,
Richard Dillman, W6AWO
Chief Operator
Maritime Radio Historical Society
Hi, Richard: I, too, want to add my kudos and thanks for your excellent efforts at restoring this historical station, as well as for the web site and activity on Night of Nights.
Regarding K6KPH's operating schedule on Saturdays, I seem to recall seeing what frequencies/bands you guys operate, but couldn't find that info again. Could you print it here or steer us to where you have it?
Tnx and very 73...
Joe...w6udo, San Diego, CA
Joe, I'm a huge fan of the old maritime CW stations because they helped teach me Morse code when I was a teenager, thus enabling me to get my first Novice license. I still miss hearing the music of their crisp CW on shortwave, but at least I can get my nostalgia trip during the annual "Night of Nights" event every July 12. (More info: http://www.radiomarine.org/)
If you or anyone else reading this would be interested in keeping updated on Maritime Radio Historical Society happenings, you can get on the list by sending an e-mail to radiomarine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
In answer to your question about K6KPH operations, the following information comes directly from a recent e-mail announcement regarding that station and KSM:
Stations KSM and K6KPH will resume their normal schedule of operation this Saturday.
KSM CW operations will begin at about 1900Z.
KSM RTTY broadcasts of marine press and weather will begin at about 1800Z.
Frequency information is available at http://www.radiomarine.org but for
convenience our operating frequencies are listed below (in kc).
RTTY transmissions will alternate between Baudot and FEC.
K6KPH will be guarding 7050kc and 14050kc as usual for signal reports and
traffic. Please use commercial procedure when calling K6KPH: repeat "K6KPH" on either of the above frequencies until the operator responds with "DE", then give your call.
Reception reports sent to the QSL Mistress, Denice Stoops, at the address below will receive confirmations by mail.
Denice Stoops
PO Box 381
Bolinas, California 94926
USA
Oops, wouldn't you know it -- K6KPH won't be on the air this Saturday. I just received this e-mail:
Quote:
KSM and K6KPH CW service will be unavailable Saturday 23 August. KSM RTTY service will be available as usual. We hope to return to our full schedule the following Saturday.
Maritime Radio History Society
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