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CHATHAM MARCONI MARITIME CENTER NEWSLETTER
MARCH 27, 2012  

CMMC commemorates the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago!

Titanic 100 Years Later and Marconi's Wireless Technology  

is a four day celebration featuring programs by the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, Cape Cod National Seashore and the Falmouth Amateur Radio Association. Visit the CMMC web site, www.chathammarconi.org for additional details.  

Radio Operator on Titanic.

  April 13, 4:30 PM at the Chatham Community Center: CMMC premiers a new Titanic video by writer Ed Fouhy and filmmaker Chris Seufert.   

The film focuses on a Marconi Radio Operator, Matt Tierney, who was on duty at the Marconi radio station on Nantucket the night of the tragedy, and his role in the historic events.

A presentation by Maritime Historian, Mark Wilkins follows the film.

 

Bob Olsen, member, CMMC Amateur Radio Association.
(click to enlarge).
April 12 - 15: CMMC's Amateur Radio Association, in cooperation with the Cape Cod National Seashore, will operate round-the clock from 8:00 AM April 12 until 8:00 PM April 15.
Four radio stations will be on the air at CMMC commemorating the Titanic anniversary, using the call letters KM1CC (MCC were the call letters of the Marconi wireless station at Wellfleet), Morse code along with other communications techniques will be used to talk to amateur radio operators all over the globe.
CMMC Celebrating
 the Chatham

300th Anniversary.
Greetings!

  As Chatham celebrates its 300th anniversary, CMMC will commemorate the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago, and the vital and historic role Marconi Radio played in the rescue of survivors. We will acknowledge the individual Marconi radio operators who played a role. CMMC will also highlight the significance of these events to the commercial success of Marconi Radio and the paradigm shift in the use of wireless radio to ships at sea.


Frank Messina, KB1UZZ

  Frank Messina 

Vice President, CMMC 

The public is invited to view exhibits at the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center
April 12 - 15: 
 The CMMC Center  holds Open House
10 AM to 4 PM on April 12, 13, 14
and 1 PM to 4 PM on April 15.

Cape Cod National Seashore and the   

Chatham Marconi Maritime Center

 Commemorate Wireless Technology and the Centennial of the Sinking of the Titanic

 Nearly a century has passed since 2208 passengers and crew set sail on a luxury liner from Southampton, England, on its maiden transatlantic voyage. Four days later on April 15, 1912, RMS Titanic struck an iceberg and plunged to the ocean floor.

RMS Titanic last known photo.

 

A fact that surprises many is that Marconi's Cape Cod wireless station in South Wellfleet played a significant role in the rescue of 707 survivors. When RMS Carpathia's wireless operator called Titanic to report that Cape Cod had messages for him, the response was, "Come at once. We have struck a berg."

 

Titanic survivors waiting to be rescued by Carpathia.

Thus, the rescue of survivors began. This moment in history changed wireless communication and safety at sea. International regulations were adopted which mandated round-the-clock radio watch on ships carrying more than 50 persons. North Atlantic iceberg patrol was begun. 

 

The Titanic's widely heard distress messages were picked up by two Massachusetts operators, who would years later work together at Chatham Radio WCC. Matthew Tierney heard Titanic's distress messages while on duty at the Nantucket Marconi station. As RMS Carpathia steamed toward New York, Tierney received survivors' messages, destined for their anxious families. Albert Snow heard Titanic as a twelve year old amateur radio operator in Orleans.