New frequency information has been provided for WLO. Please see the WLO listing below.

Plus...

o Station KFS will return to the air!

o MRHS station KSM will be on the air.

o Coast Guard station NMN to be heard for the first time since USCG ended the use of Morse!

o Coast Stations WLO, KLB, NMC, NOJ and NMN may join in.

o Amateur station K6KPH, with commercial operators at the key, will be QRV for signal reports.

o Operations begin at 1701pdt 12 July, 0001gmt 13 July. We usually continue two way operations for about 6 hours but broadcasts on the commercial stations KPH, KFS and KSM may continue after that.

If you're not already a member, join the MRHS mailing list for late information. Just send an email message to: Radiomarine-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

------------

It's hard to believe that this will the eighth annual Night of Nights. What began as a modest effort on the part of a small band of dedicated enthusiasts has grown into a truly global event.

Listeners around the world wait with their earphones on to hear the first signals rise up out of the static. Many write wonderful letters with phrases like "It was tough going there for a while but I stuck with you through to the end!". Words like those let us know that we're on the right track and that this event is as close to the hearts of many other "true believers" as it is to ours.

In this eighth annual "Night of Nights", historic Morse code radio station KPH will return to the air in commemoration of the closing of commercial Morse operation in the USA.

Frequency 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), 8 years and one minute after what was thought to be the last commercial Morse transmission in the US. Now the Maritime Radio Historical Society's own KSM carries on the tradition of commercial Morse.

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 (0700GMT).

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. KFS will use a 1940s vintage Press Wireless PW-15 transmitter on 12Mc. This is the transmitter that was in service at KFS on the "last day" of American Morse and is thought to be the last PW-15 in service in the world. The transmitting antennas include a Marconi T for MF, double extended Zepps for 4, 6 and 8Mc and H over 2s for 12, 16 and 22Mc.

KPH will send traffic lists, weather and press broadcasts as well as special commemorative messages, some of which will be sent by hand. At other times the KPH, KSM and KFS "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 1500PDT (3:00pm). 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 and KSM are 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 +1 415-663-8982 (email: ddillman@igc.org).

BT

Station Information follows...

------------

KPH

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

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.

------------

KFS

KFS will transmit on 12695.5 and 17026.0

KFS will listen for calls from ships on 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

------------

KSM

KSM will transmit on 426, 500, 6474 and 12993kc.

(We don't have enough antennas to accommodate the other KSM frequencies.)

KSM will listen for calls from ships on 500kc 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

WLO has provided a list of new frequencies.

WLO will transmit on 438, 500 (MF not yet confirmed), 2055.5, 4343.0, 8658.0, 12992.0 and 16968.5kc

WLO will listen for calls from ships on 500kc (not confirmed) and HF Channel 3 (see KPH listing for frequencies).

Reception reports may be sent to:

WLO Radio
7700 RINLA AVENUE
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619
USA

Or via email to: wloradio@wloradio.com

------------

KLB

KLB will transmit on 488, 500, 6411.0 and 12917.0kc beginning at 0030 GMT

KLB will listen for calls from ships on 500kc and HF Channel 3 (see KPH listing for frequencies).

Reception reports may be sent to: klb@wavecable.com

------------

NMN

For the first time since the USCG ended Morse operations NMN will be back on the air!

NMN will transmit on 448, 468, 500, 8471, 12718.5 and 16976kc

NMN 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
U. S. COAST GUARD COMMUNICATION AREA MASTER
STATION ATLANTIC (CAMSLANT)
4720 DOUGLAS A. MUNRO ROAD
CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA, USA 23322
ATTN OSCS J.D. BURLESON, OPERATIONS SPECIALIST IN CHARGE

------------

(NOTE: As of this writing operators are unavailable to put NMC on the air. But it will be worth listening in case there's a last minute change.)

NMC

NMC will transmit on 448, 472, 500, 6383.0, 8574.0 and 17220.5kc

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

(Note that NOJ will be operational on MF this year!)

NOJ will transmit on 416, 470, 500, 8650.0, 12889.5 and 16909.7kc.

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

------------

K6KPH

Amateur station K6KPH will transmit and listen on 3550, 7050 and 14050kc for KPH, KFS and KSM reception reports.

Professional operators will be at the key and commercial procedures will be used. But please don't hesitate to call, no matter what your code speed or experience level may be.

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

BT

BV ES VY 73 TO ALL,

MRHS

Back to the MRHS main page...