- Night of Nights X -
Night of Nights X Final Information
HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATIONS RETURN TO THE AIR FOR "NIGHT OF NIGHTS IX"
o Station KPH will return to the air!
o MRHS station KSM will be on the air.
o Station KFS will return to the air!
o Coast Stations WLO and KLB will 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
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It's hard to believe that this will be the tenth 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.
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), 10 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 past Drakes Bay Oysters and "G" Ranch.
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.
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KFS
KFS will transmit on 12695.5 and 17026.0 NOTE: frequency 17026.0 will be available only after local sunset Pacific time, 9:30pm, 0430gmt.
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
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KSM
KSM will transmit on 426, 500, 6474 and 12993kc.
(We don't have enough antennas to accommodate the other KSM frequencies when KPH and KFS are on the air)
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
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WLO
WLO has confirmed the HF frequencies below. MF will be unavailable this year.
WLO will transmit on 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
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KLB
KLB has advised that they will be on MF only but their HF frequencies are included here just in case.
KLB will transmit on 488, 500 (A1 & A2), 2063.0, 8582.5kc
KLB will listen for calls from ships on 500kc and 8368.0kc.
Reception reports may be sent to:
WLO Radio
7700 RINLA AVENUE
MOBILE, ALABAMA 36619
USA
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NMN, NMC, NOJ
NMN, NMC and NOJ have advised that they will be unable to participate in Night of Nights this year.
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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.
K6KPH verification reports may be sent to:Ms. DA Stoops
P.O. Box 381
Bolinas CA 94924-0381
USA
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
BT
BV ES VY 73 TO ALL,
MRHS
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