KPH MORSE STATION BACK ON THE AIR!!

[Brian Carling]

Here you go guys.... forwarded message follows...

>             HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATION
>                        WILL RETURN TO THE AIR
>
>        Former RCA Station KPH To Be Heard Once Again
>
> In the fifth annual event that has become known as the "Night of
> Nights", historic Morse code radio station KPH will return to the air in
> commemoration of the last commercial Morse message sent in the United
> States.
>
> 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), 5 years and one minute after the last commercial
> Morse transmission in the US. 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).
>
> For this fifth annual Night of Nights one frequency for the equally
> historic coast station KFS may possibly be activated.  We are working
> now to repair the antenna needed for the KFS transmission.
>
> 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.
>
> KPH will transmit on 4247.0, 6477.5, 8642.0, 12808.5, 17016.8 and
> 22477.5kc on HF and 500 and 426kc on MF.
>
> If KFS is activated  transmissions will be on 12695.5kc.
>
> These frequencies have been made available through the generous
> cooperation of Globe Wireless, the current owner of the KPH and KFS
> licenses.
>
> Many of the transmitters will be 50s vintage RCA sets.  Power output
> will be 4 to 5kW.  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.
>
> Operators will listen for calls from ships on 4184.0, 6276.0, 8368.0,
> 12552.0, 16736.0 and 22280.5kc on HF and 500kc on MF.
>
> KPH, and KFS if activated, will send traffic lists, weather and press
> broadcasts as well as special commemorative messages, many of which will
> be sent by hand.  At other times the KPH and KFS "wheel" will be sent to
> mark the transmitting frequencies.
>
> 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.
>
> 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 is 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 +1 415-990-7090 (email: ddillman at igc.org) or Tom
> Horsfall at +1 510-237-9535 (email: wa6ope at hotmail.com).
>
> BV ES VY 73 TO ALL,
>
> RD
>
> ======================================
> Richard Dillman, W6AWO
> Member of the Maritime Radio Historical Society
> http://www.radiomarine.org
> Collector of Heavy Metal:
> Harleys, Willys and Radios over 100lbs.
> ======================================

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