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MRHS NEWSLETTER No. 26
Dedicated to True Believers World Wide
Headlines  FCC releases Report & order for radiotelegraph licenses In Newsletter No. 22 we discussed the possibility that the FCC might consolidate all three classes of the commercial radiotelegraph license into a single license as was done with the commercial radiotelephone license. This has now been done. Click HERE to go to the FCC page with all the information. Direct dial phone number for KSM and K6KPH As many have probably read in MRHS Flash Message No. 13001 we have installed a direct dial telephone number at the receive site which is open for use by True Believers world wide to file radiograms, provide signal reports, coordinate schedules and tests or to just say hello! The phone number is +1 415-669-9646 In MRHS Flash Message No. 13001 we promised to mention the first caller on the new line. And that caller is...Mr. George M. Sinclair, K6ETM of Annandale, VA. George is a long time supporter of and frequent visitor to the MRHS as well as being an ace Morse operator. He provides KSM signal reports via K6KPH just about every weekend. Thanks for all, George!As we mentioned in the flash message we recovered and restored the actual telephone shown being used by our beloved Denice Stoops (DA) soon after she arrived at KPH in 1978 from NMC next door. We posted the original photo of DA using the phone.
Now comes Mr. John Nightingale of Vancouver, BC whose motto is "CW is still the class A1 emission". Couldn't have said it better ourselves, OM. John did us the great favor of color correcting and enhancing the photo so we can see even more details:
 | | Here's DA making a call on the rotary dial phone we recovered and restored, and doing it in style with the extra long finger nails that are her trademark. Note the HRO-500 to the left in the background and the Collins 51S-1 to the right. This represents the transition between the last tube receiver used at KPH and the first solid state receiver at the station. |
Last Saturday was our first day in full service since the new phone number was installed. Chief Operator Richard Dillman (RD) was delayed so Mike Payne was on duty alone for the first hour or so. RD writes:
"When I walked in Mike was working a ship on 16Mc with QTC6 (six messages), there were two visitors and the phone was ringing. I was able to restrain myself from saying 'it was your idea, Mike!' since he was the one to suggest the installation of the dedicated phone number. Anyway, it gave the feeling of what the place was like when things were really jumping in the glory days."
 | | Here's Mike Payne (MP) taking a call either from a True Believer or the representative of the Mongolian Merchant Marine. Note the green eye shades and the original KPH fly swatters complete with the dessicated bodies of QRT flies. The swatters are an important part of station equipment since the site is surrounded by grazing land for the foxtrot charlies. |
We were also contacted by email by Mr. Charles Ring, noted telephone collector, who suggested that the phone is a model 851 (Charles has a model 2851, the TouchTone version of the 851, at his bedside which tells you a lot about him). He also corrected our previous identification of the key system as a type 1A. It's actually a 1A2 using a shoebox (not "doghouse") KSU.
New MRHS Merchandise!
Announcements like this usually begin by talking about popular demand but in this case it's true. We've received lots of email asking why Bill Ruck's MRHS logo is not available on mugs and hats. We had no good answer for that. So... we bring you...
The MRHS anchor and chained lightning logo mug and hat!
Support the MRHS The proceeds from MRHS merchandise sales are used to defray the costs associated with running, repairing and restoring a full scale commercial coast station. We pay most of these costs our of our own pockets - and happily! But we had to hesitate about such things as adding the dedicated phone number because that represents a recurring cost we must meet.
Are you in a position to help The Cause with a donation? Even the smallest amount helps. And it lets us know that the project means a lot to other folks, not just to ourselves.
Thanks!
Samuel F. Morse Club
In the item above about the new phone line at KSM/K6KPH we mentioned that there were two visitors at the station. These were Mark Marholin and his wife. It turns out that Mark is president of the Samuel F. Morse club which is dedicated to the practice, preservation and promotion of Morse code as an operating mode. Naturally we immediately recognized Mark as a True Believer.
 | | Here's Mark knocking 'em dead on the K6KPH 7Mc and 18Mc frequencies at Position 4 |
After taking the station tour Mark asked if he could sit the circuit at K6KPH. We supplied him with a bug and a pair of 'phones and off he went. He's an excellent CW op as you would expect and will be welcome back at the station any time.
Mark posted some great photos on the club's Web site that can be seen HERE.
Want to visit KSM and K6KPH? Just drop is a line at info@radiomarine.org to let us know you're coming.
Operations Report
Saturday was a busy day at KSM. As mentioned above the Chief Op was delayed in arrival and showed up only to find that Mike Payne was busy working a ship on 16Mc that was QTC6 with the newly installed phone ringing off the hook.
The Ship was the famous LST-325/NWVC.
Mike worked other ships as well including SS AMERICAN VICTORY/KKUI and SS JEREMIAH O'BRIEN/KXCH (on MF). Plus on Straight Key Night Mike worked SS RED OAK VICTORY/KYVM (on MF), the radio room of which was restored to operating condition by our very own Steve Hawes.
The details are in Mike's report below. But first let's review our operating hours.
Operating Hours -
Here are the current operating hours for both KSM and K6KPH two way operations. KSM press and weather broadcasts begin at 1000pst (1800gmt).Saturday - 1200 - 1600pst, 2000 - 0000gmtSunday - 1200 - 1600, 2000 - 0000gmt (No KSM RTTY)Wednesday - 1900 - 2300, 0300 - 0700gmt (No KSM RTTY)Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea... let's go to press with Mike Payne's operations report for KSM and K6KPH...
Please follow the link below for recent scanned KSM and K6KPH logs.
As always, Mike says:
Please advise any c/s or data errors in this weeks report and I will attempt to correct same.
For the list of stations worked, go >>==> HERE <==<<
73 fm ZUT central, MP
MRHS Operating Department
MRHS Merchandise!
T shirts, hoodies, mugs, belt buckles, bumper stickers - we've got them all for you at the MRHS on line store - each with the MRHS logo. These are high quality items you'll use and enjoy for a long time. And every purchase you make helps to support the MRHS. Click on the image below or on the link below that to go to the MRHS True Believers on line store.
Until next time we wish you fair winds and following seas.
VY 73,
MRHS
Newsletter Back Issues
You want 'em, we got 'em! (Starting with Newsletter No. 4, the first that wasn't a plain email message.). They're on line for your reading pleasure. Just click on the link below.  | | Back Issues |
Visit the MRHS Web Site
You say you're a True Believer? You say you enjoy the sort of thing we talk about here in the Newsletter? Then you'll probably enjoy our Web site too where there's tons more to see and look at. Check it out.
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