Event Report

We Declare Night of Nights XIII a Success!

As the sky darkened on the west coast the operators in the former RCA receive site were originating the signals of KPH, KFS, KSM and K6KPH.  The operating room entry is through the illiminated door to the right

At precisely 0001gmt 13 July (5:01pm pdt) Chief Operator Richard Dillman began hand keying the Night of Nights opening message.  Dave Wolfe, ex-WCC operator, translated for those in attendance who were Morse challenged.

Listeners around the world waited patiently with their earphones on for the Morse signals to arc over the dome of the Earth and reach them at their remote locations where the local time might be in the wee hours. Reception reports were received from as far away as south Australia, Tasmania and South Sudan.  

It is only through the trust and vision of the Point Reyes National Seashore that the volunteer group the Maritime Radio Historical Society have been able to restore KPH to its former status as "the wireless giant of the Pacific" as a means to honor all the men and women who made the profession of radiotelegrapherone of honor and skill.     

Chief operator Richard Dillman checks the MF receiver before sending the opening message

Opening message:

CQ CQ CQ DE KPH/KFS/KSM  NIGHT OF NIGHTS OPENING MESSAGE FOLLOWS QSW 500/HF =       

TO ALL SHIPS AND STATIONS =  

ON THIS THIRTEENTH ANNUAL NIGHT OF NIGHTS THE MARITIME RADIO HISTORICAL
SOCIETY EXTENDS WARM GREETINGS TO ALL LISTENERS ASHORE AND AFLOAT.

 

ACROSS THE RADIO BANDS, EACH WITH ITS OWN PERSONALITY.  MANY OF US THOUGHT IT WOULD NEVER END.  FOURTEEN YEARS AGO TODAY THE DEATH OF COMMERCIAL MORSE WAS ANNOUNCED.  BUT MORSE STILL LIVES AND THE FAITHFUL CARRY THE TRADITION FORWARD.

NOW THE SIGNALS OF KPH, KFS CAN ONCE AGAIN BE HEARD, JUST AS THEY WERE BY SO MAY RADIO OFFICERS ON ALL THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD.  WE INVITE YOU
TO ENJOY THIS EVENING WITH US AND RELIVE THOSE DAYS WHEN MORSE CODE
RULED THE OCEANS.

AR

VY 73 ES GL DE KPH/KFS/KSM  

Kids love Morse.  You wouldn't think it in the day of text messages and smart phones but whenever they visit they immediately gravitate toward the practice key we keep set up just for them. 

Two young visitors watch closely as Mike Payne plies the airwaves with his bug.

Rick Wahl, ex-NMC, ex-KPH working stations at position 4 (the "window seat")

RO Dean Sever standing watch at the Radiomarine console aboard SS AMERICAN VICTORY/KKUI

Senior Morse Operator Ray Smith.  It was Ray who sent the last Morse message from KPH at Point Reyes/Bolinas.

The traditional Night of Nights cake was consumed at the Bolinas transmitting station Just before the benediction was sent.  This tradition was begun by Denice Stoops

NIGHT OF NIGHTS BENEDICTION 

True Believers who have attended past Night of Nights events in person or on the air know that we end the event by sending a solemn benediction giving thanks that we have been able to preserve this wonderful facility and asking that we be worthy of the great responsibility that comes with our project. 

Each year by tradition this benediction has been sent by our beloved Denice Stoops.  This year Denice is still recovering from her stroke and will be unable to wield her famous chrome Vibroplex.  But the benediction will of course be sent.  Here's the benediction as Denice composed it with an added beginning and ending paragraph: 

   

CQ CQ CQ DE KPH/KFS/KSM  CLOSING BENEDICTION FOLLOWS QSW 500/HF

THIS CLOSING BENEDICTION IS TRADITIONALLY SENT BY OUR BELOVED DENICE STOOPS.  DENICE IS UNABLE TO BE AT THE KEY TONIGHT BUT WE SEND HER BENEDICTION JUST AS SHE HERSELF COMPOSED IT.       

DEAR GODDESS

THE MEMBERS OF THE MARITIME RADIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARE YOUR HUMBLE  

SERVANTS AND WE THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING US THIS PAST YEAR AS WE  

CONTINUED OUR STEWARDSHIP OF THE STATIONS KPH, KFS AND KSM STOP THE  

MUSIC OF MORSE HAS GLADDENED THE HEARTS OF MANY AS OUR SIGNALS CROSSED THE BARRIERS OF TIME AND SPACE AROUND THE WORLD STOP WE ASK THAT YOU GUIDE OUR DECISIONS AND ACTIONS DURING THE COMING YEAR THAT WE MAY BE WORTHY OF THE VALUABLE EQUIPMENT AND THE HONORABLE TRADITION THAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED INTO OUR HUMBLE HANDS STOP BLESS ALSO THE MANY EARS THAT SHARE THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOURS   

ZUT73/88 DA     

=     

WE NOW INVOKE AND REQUEST THE BLESSINGS OF THE RADIO GODDESS TO HELP
OUR BELOVED DENICE AND ALL RADIO MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR HOUR OF DIFFICULTY  

WE WISH YOU FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS  

GL AND VY 73 DE KPH/KFS/KSM SK  CL

Chief Operator Richard Dillman sends the benediction at 0000 Pacific time from the control room at the Bolinas transmitting station, thus bringing Night of Nights XIII to a close

          

MRHS Night of Nights volunteers line up after midnight in the control room at Bolinas.  Apparently holding the left hand over the right wrist is some sort of cryptic gesture for mutual recognition among radiomen.  L-R Greg Farrell, Bill Ruck, Mike Payne, Richard Dillman, Vern Wirka, Steve Pazar, Steve Hawes

NIGHT OF NIGHTS AUDIO

Through the kindness of Stewart Morgan/AL0I, we're able to present these over the air recordings from Night of Nights 2012.  Each listing below is a link to a mp3 audio file.

KKUI working WLO on 4Mc 

WCZ4195 working KLB on 8Mc 

WCZ4195 working WLO on 8Mc 

KKUI working KSM on 12Mc 

WDC5383 working KPH on 8Mc 

KKUI working KLB on 8Mc 

WDC5383 working KLB on 8Mc

CW OPERATORS NEEDED

We know there were several stations - not too many we hope - who were calling K6KPH but could not make contact.  Some of that was due to the usual problems of interference, QRN, etc.  But a lot of it was due to the fact that just didn't have enough operators to man all the K6KPH frequencies all the time.  If you're a Morse code enthusiast maybe you could give us a hand next year.  If you want, stop by any Saturday to take a look at the operation and become familiar with procedures.  With remote controlled transmitters, fixed frequency operation, multiple antennas and multiple receivers, K6KPH operation can seem complex at first - just like the coast station it is in fact.  But you'll get the hang of it soon enough.  No license is required so ex-ROs who might not have gone into amateur radio are welcome.  Interested?  Just send an email to info@radiomarine.org for more details.

K6KPH TOTALS

Mike Payne totaled up the stats for K6KPH operation.  The station was on 3550, 7050 and 14050. 

For 3550 there were 8 contacts
For 7050 there were 20 contacts
for 14050 there were a total of 107 contacts spread among five different operators.

TOTAL: 135 contacts.

KSM TOTALS

We had a great time working what ships there were to work and also listening to the ships work WLO and KLB.  It was almost like the old days, especially when we heard WCZ4195 calling WLO.  We suspected he might have called us first and we missed him.  We were glad that Frank Geisel was not there to observe that incident or Chief Operator Dillman might have been called into his office for a "fatherly chat".

BEST DX

The signals of KPH, KFS and KSM were once again spanned the oceans.  The best DX reports we've received so far include southern Australia, Tasmania and... South Sudan!  

                 

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Mike Payne on duty at Position 6 during Night of Nights