The "new" NMC on Mt. San Bruno after moving from Ocean Beach in San Francisco 

Semper Paratus - Always Ready.  That's the motto of the United States Coast Guard.  Those who have seen USCG cutters and aircraft brave the worst weather to aid mariners in distress know how true it is.  The proud men and  women who staff the communications facilities take that motto to heart as well.  As Night of Nights 2013 approached the staff at our neighboring station, NMC stepped up to return the voices of that station and NMQ to the air on Morse code.  Once again, they stood watch on 500kc and were QRV on HF as well.  Now comes USCG CPO Eric Simmons (Ret.) with his report on N of N operations for 2013:  

  Entry to the current NMC receive site at Point Reyes 

The question of USCG participation in Night of Nights 2013 was discussed a number of months before the event. We had no idea what sort of maintenance would need to be done in order to participate, especially on the MF band. Here's our recollection of some of the efforts that were taken to make this a reality.

The MF transmitters in regular use by CAMSPAC (Communications Area Master Station Pacific) Point Reyes are manufactured by Nautel. They are a 2500 Watt transmitter and are typically used for sending NAVTEX broadcasts on 518 kHz. While these machines were designed for CW/MCW/FSK operation and should tune over a couple hundred kilohertz, the only mode they've been typically operated in for more than a decade is F1B. CAMSPAC had operated in previous Night of Night events, but MF operation was sketchy at best. So, it was unknown how gracefully any of the MF transmitters would handle being tuned lower and keyed in CW.

CAMSPAC has the ability to control MF transmitters at Bolinas, CA/NMC, Cambria, CA/NMQ, Astoria, OR/NMW, and Honolulu, HI/NMO from its receiver (RX) site located on the Point Reyes National Seashore. However, its electronics staff only maintains the NMC and NMQ sites. The other sites are maintained by either another USCG unit or with contracted support. So, the NMC & NMQ sites were the logical choices to use for the event. After that decision, we had to shake off some dust, restore all the unused functionality to the transmitters, and conduct some tests to make sure they'd perform properly.

 

NMQ MF transmitters and dummy load

NMQ was the first site to get this treatment since there was already a maintenance visit planned for that site. NMQ has two transmitters that feed into an automatic antenna switch. So, at any time one transmitter is connected to the tuner and antenna and the other transmitter is a hot standby connected to a dummy load. If the primary transmitter fails to key up, the backup transmitter should come online immediately and the antenna switch flips positions. We already knew that switch worked, but we needed to test the automatic antenna tuner across the full range of frequencies.

The Cambria exciters all tuned up just fine. The PAs seemed happy throughout the manufacturer's specs. After a little cleanup, the automatic antenna tuner woke up and was able to run easily from 448kc up to 518kc and back with no issues. Things went so smoothly that day that there was even enough time to tune the tone generators and calibrate the modulation depth in case the urge to operate A2A struck. While we only expected to have enough spare time to tinker with one transmitter after finishing our regular maintenance, things went so smoothly that we were able to completely finish both. The antenna, an inverted-L overlooking the coast atop a high cliff, is kept in good repair and needed no work.

 

MF inverted L antenna at NMQ

 

Shaking the dust loose at NMC was a little more trouble, though. At that site there are two transmitters, two tuners, and two antennas. NMQ had given us a little practice and familiarity on the Nautels. So, tuning up those transmitters went fairly quickly. One of the exciters had some problems that kept it from being adjusted properly, but spare parts were on hand and the exciter was replaced quickly. It also had a faulty transistor in one of its amplifiers, which was repaired. However, the other transmitter, which had seen much less use over the years, had no issues.

The antennas at NMC are 173' bottom-fed monopoles. The tuners use a motorized wiper across two very large inductors controlled by a feedback loop generated by tapping an RF sensing coil. Both antenna tuners at NMC had suffered some weathering over the years that kept them from tuning properly very far away from 518 kHz. We discovered that some of the limit switches for the wipers were inoperable. After a couple afternoons' worth of work and the replacement of a few parts, they both were able to tune each antenna with no problems.

Operating the Bolinas transmitters from CAMSPAC's receive facility during Night of Nights was no problem. The Nautels use a DC keyline, so an operator could use a keyer or straight key right in the receiver room.

NAVTEX broadcasts still had to go out on schedule, however. This was not a problem for NMC. The primary transmitter could be used to send NAVTEX, while the secondary could be used for CW. This was a bit trickier at Cambria since the one antenna and tuner were shared between two transmitters. Care was taken to ensure that NMQ was changed over to FSK shortly before the scheduled NAVTEX broadcast.

Since remote control of the NMQ's frequency, mode, and antenna switch position can all be changed at the NMC RX site, this was easy enough to do. However, making any changes to the Bolinas transmitters required the operators to call the transmitter site watchstander and ask him to run back to the transmitter room to switch frequencies when needed.

Operators on duty at NMQ during the glory years  

Bringing CW back on the air for HF was a completely different kind of challenge. While those transmitters, tuners, and antennas are all still used every day and were ready to go, the CW keyline circuits from the receive site to the transmit site had long since been removed. Currently, the transmitters are operated using use a VOX keyer. There is no longer any simple way to key the transmitters using CW. The solution was to use the mark tone generated by a Thrane & Thrane SITOR modem in CW mode. We then fed the audio into the VOX lines for the desired transmitters. The transmitters were then put in USB mode and tuned so the sideband generated by the tone would land on the desired carrier frequency.

An old AEA PK-232 was used for a variety of functions. One was to provide DC keying. A simple keying interface was built so that 2 HF transmitters at Bolinas, as well as the MF transmitter sites at NMC & NMQ, could all be keyed simultaneously. One line went directly to the DC keyline for the MF transmitters. A second line went to a modified DB-25 connector at the back of the Thrane & Thrane modem, which is tied into an audio keyline matrix. The operator could then simply unplug one or more keylines from the interface to prevent any single or multiple transmitter(s) from coming keying, if so desired. The second function of the PK-232 was to act as a computer interface. Using PAKRATT software, we were able to run a number of text files through it and have it key the transmitters. One was for the HFCW call tape or "Wheel". Another was for the CQ to announce upcoming broadcasts. And, yet another was used for the transmission of weather product. We could also key CW live from the software, if needed.

As in years past, it took roughly 45 minutes after the start of the event to massage our jerry-rigged system to perform as we wanted it to. Trying to be mindful of the time, we still managed to transmit right in the middle of a silent period of 500 kHz, as we were getting our homebrewed system worked out.

After 0045Z, we seemed to have a rhythm down. We have the "Wheel" running on HF. About once an hour, we put out a CQ on 500 kHz from both NMC & NMQ. We'd then tune the MF transmitter at NMQ for 448 kHz and the MF transmitter at NMC for 472 kHz. We would then transmit updated offshore weather using MF & HF simultaneously. It was just short enough that we didn't need to stop for the silent period.

We heard a few weak stations calling KPH, KFS & KSM periodically, but no calls for us. As 0500Z came closer, we decided to close down operations at the NMC RX site. It wasn't until after I had turned down the HF receivers that I received a phone call from a gentleman that said he had been trying to call us on the 6 MHz calling channel using his FCC issued call sign. I quickly turned up a receiver on 6 MHz. Low and behold there was his extremely loud signal. I have him a verbal QSL over the phone and we closed down for the night, logging 1 station contacting NMC.

After we closed down, we proceeded to the KSM transmitter site at Bolinas to meet with their staff. We arrived as RD was sending out his final message of the night. Once completed, we chatted up a number of people that had remained until the very end of the event. I believe that after all was said and done Mike and I arrived at our separate homes at about 0100 local time.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mike Leska. Without his electronics expertise, operation on MF would have ultimately failed. I hope that all of his hard work will help us to continue operate on MF for the next few years without any issues.

We're already making plans for next year. We hope to have a more streamlined setup that will allow us to plug into the system easily and get on the air quickly. We look forward to being on the air next year!

Best regards,

Eric Simmons

We know that many true believers have been following the progress of our beloved Denice Stoops who suffered a stroke while joining her third Military Sealift Command ship in Singapore.  It will be remembered by most that Denice was the first female radiotelegrapher hired at KPH, this in 1979.  When the station closed DA did everything from dispatching tow trucks ("At least I'm still in radio.") to selling windows.   When KSM returned to the air her Morse keying skills and her chrome Vibroplex were legends that have been recorded in many YouTube videos.  

 

 

After her stroke DA returned to the states to be with her family.  But now we have received the wonderful news that she will be returning home to Bolinas in August.  Mr. Paul Shinn of the MRHS Transmitter Department will be at the airport to meet her and bring her home.  

Denice is one of two former USCG Morse operators to transition to KPH (the other being Rick Wahl).  Thus we thought it would be appropriate to share this message sent by DA from KPH on the day the USCG retired the sparks insignia and abolished the radioman rating.  We thank OM David J. Ring for providing the link to this moving message.

IN 1975 I WAS A RADIOMAN AT WHAT WAS THEN KNOWN AS COMMSTA SAN FRANCISCO, NMC. AFTER MY ENLISTMENT WAS OVER, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE HIRED AT KPH, WHO IS ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BROADCASTS TODAY AS A MUSEUM. 6 YEARS AGO, YESTERDAY, ON JUNE 30, 1997, KPH THE WIRELESS GIANT OF THE PACIFIC CLOSED ITS DOORS TO COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC. 

TODAY WE RETIRE THE SPARKS INSIGNIA WORN BY ME BACK IN 1975, AND BY RADIOMEN AROUND THE WORLD AND IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD. 

FOR THE OLD CHIEFS AND EX RADIOMEN WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRE UP SOME MEMORIES OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE AN HF AMVER OPERATOR AT NMC. THESE PICTURES HAVE BEEN SWIRLING THROUGH MY MEMORY ALL WEEK AS I PREPARED TO WRITE THIS MESSAGE. 

THE CAMARADERIE AND COMPETITION TO BE THE BEST CW OPERATOR, WAS UNDERSCORED ONLY BY THE ENTHUSIASM TO BE RADIOMEN. OPERATORS ANXIOUSLY AWAITED OBS SKEDS, FIGHTING OVER DUTY ASSIGNMENTS, DURING WHICH WE COMPETITIVELY PERFORMED OUR CRAFT. 

LEARNING HOW TO COPY CUT NUMBERS FROM INCREDIBLY FAST RUSSIAN OPERATORS, AND HOW TO COPY BEHIND IN ORDER TO TYPE FASTER, WERE PART OF THE JOB. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SAW AN OPERATOR SITTING AT A TYPEWRITER AND COPYING A PRESS BROADCAST FROM KPH USING ONE FINGER ON ONE HAND, SMOOTHLY MOVING FROM ONE KEY TO THE NEXT IN A EVEN RHYTHM. I HAD NO IDEA HOW I WAS EVER GOING TO GET TO THAT LEVEL OF ABILITY, BEING SOMEWHAT STUCK ON 22 WORDS PER MINUTE AS A RADIOMAN SCHOOL GRADUATE, BUT I WAS CERTAINLY MESMERIZED BY THE SKILL OF THE YOUNG MAN COPYING THE PRESS. PRESS BROADCASTS TYPICALLY WENT OUT AT AROUND 25 WPM, SOMETIMES FASTER. COMPARED TO A NORMAL WEATHER BROADCAST THAT WAS SENT AT 18 WPM, 25 WPM PRESS WAS COMMONLY COPIED BY THE STAFF AT NMC FOR CODE PRACTICE. 

THE FIRST TIME I SAW SOMEONE USE A SPEEDKEY, I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE ONE. THERE WAS ONLY ONE CATCH, I WOULD HAVE TO PROVE MY PROFICIENCY AND BE TESTED TO OBTAIN A SPEEDKEY CERTIFICATE IN ORDER TO USE ONE ON THE AIR. WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE I DID EARN THAT CERTIFICATE, AND EVENTUALLY WENT ON TO OWN MY OWN SPEEDKEY, WHICH IS A CHROME PLATED ORIGINAL DELUXE VIBROPLEX, THAT I STILL USE TODAY. 

BEGINNING AS A RADIOMAN IN THE U.S. COAST GUARD PREPARED ME FOR MY CAREER AS A COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATOR, AND IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY TO SEE THE SPARKS INSIGNIA THAT I ONCE WORE, BEING COMMEMORATED AND REMEMBERED WITH THE RESPECT AND REVERENCE IT DESERVES. FROM THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC, TO THE DAWN OF THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AGE, THE RADIOMAN HAS STOOD HIS WATCH AND LISTENED TO THE MUSIC OF MORSE WITH DEDICATION AND EXPERTISE KNOWN ONLY BY HIS FELLOW OPERATORS. WHETHER AT SEA OR ASHORE, THEIR JOB WAS THE SAME, TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY AT SEA WITH RELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS. 

I AM PROUD TO HAVE WORN THE SPARKS INSIGNIA, AND IT IS WITH A SAD HEART THAT WE RETIRE THAT EMBLEM OF PROFICIENCY TODAY. NMC AND KPH , BESIDES BEING PHYSICAL NEIGHBORS, HAVE WORKED WELL TOGETHER THROUGH THE YEARS, AND THE MEMBERS OF THE MRHS THANK NMC FOR INCLUDING US IN THE CEREMONY TODAY. IN THE TRADITION OF THE MARITIME COMMUNITY, WE WISH THE COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW, FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS. 

After seeing that post our friend Clive Collins posted this:

And as has been said before, "then the ghosts took over, to stand the lonely watches, while the transmitters stood, grey, silent and cold, like the stones in a graveyard, waiting eternally for the spark of electrical life to bring them back "on traffic" and a new beginning that will never come"

That's exactly what took place at KPH Bolinas/Point Reyes after 30 July 1997 when Jack Martini, the last KPH station manager, had the sad duty of turning out the lights and locking the door after everyone else had left, Denice included.  But Jack left the receivers on at Point Reyes so that even while the big transmitters in Bolinas fell silent the ears in Point Reyes still lived, keeping a symbolic watch over the airwaves.  That's what we found when we returned to KPH almost two years later, expecting to find the Morse operating room trashed.  Instead it was like they had left twenty minutes ago, as chronicled in the story "Spooky... Very Spooky" on our Web site.

It took about two years to restore the receive station to operation (we began on the transmit station first) the first thing we did was sit Denice down at Position 1 and have her plug in her chrome Vibroplex.  After keyng the transmitters in Bolinas she pushed back from the console but didn't say anything for a moment.  Then came her meaningful, moving statement that we have used as out motto:

"Who says you can never go home again?"

We look forward to welcoming DA back to KPH for the second time.

> Eternal Flame

In Newsletter No. 39 Transmitter Supervisor Steve Hawes reported on the unexpected failures ("It's always something") he and Paul Shinn had to deal with at the transmitter site for Night of Nights 2013.  As part of that report he mentioned the "eternal flame" produced by failed bleeder resistors.  Now we have a photo of the offending components to share with you.

The "eternal flame" monicker derived from our visits to another transmitter site where we observed a flaming arc in a similar resistor that remained uncorrected for months.  Naturally nothing like that would be allowed to happen at our site! 

I can hear it now:  "What's WPYH860".  Good question.  There is of course a story.

I spent more than three decades in the Special Services section of Greenpeace, the environmental organization.  We called it "The Firm".  It was the best job in the world.  We dealt with all sorts of high level advanced geekery in support of Greenpeace ops.  When I joined in 1977 HF was still the only way to communicate with ships at sea.  I had the pleasure of building our first coast station at Ft. Mason overlooking the Golden Gate.  Several versions were built since then as we moved to different offices.  The last iteration was at our office in San Francisco.  We transmitted from there and received via a remote controlled received at the KPH receive site.  We ran about 800W TPO and had a pipeline to our ship operating in Alaskan waters.  It was particularly rewarding to have comms with the ship even when the INMARSAT satellite system was down, something that occurred frequently at high latitudes when the satellite was hidden my terrain - or the ship's funnel. 

The final incarnation of WPYH860

 

 

 

Alan spotted this note about a frequency change for KPH from 8430kc to 8350kc.     

 

 

 

 

These bulletins make fascination reading.  But they often pose more questions than they answer about long forgotten stations.  Why were they there?  Who owned them?  What traffic did they handle?  And here's another thing to ponder.  According to the FCC database 8430kc is licensed today to... none other than long time KPH competitor KFS!  No one appears to be licensed for 8350kc.   

Another thing that catches the eye is what a problem those pesky amateur stations were right from the beginning of radio.  Exiled to wavelengths shorter than 200 meters because of their interference with communications with RMS TITANIC/MGY (see Cam Trowbridge's excellent book on Marconi) they still persisted in creeping above (in wavelength) that wave length or not bothering to get a license at all.  The very first number of the Bulletin carries information about amateur violations but the one that really got our attention is in No. 13 for January 1916.  It concerns the Hillcrest station, our very own KPH which moved there from Green Street in the city.

 

   

We'd give a lot to have been there when the Radio Inspector showed up at OM Bradley's door.  Given all the other amateur shenanigans that were going on at the time he must really have been a thorn in the side of the KPH ops.   

 

KPH Hillcrest 1916, the same year OM Bradley came to grief at the hands of the RI

 

Alan referred us to a link where most of these bulletins for the period 1915 to 1932 are posted. 

Click HERE to check it out.  It contains most of the bulletins... but not all.  OM Marote was good enough to send along a CD with all the numbers of the Bulletins which we will be reading late into the night.  Thanks!

 

 

 

> Support the MRHS 

It's time - once again - to thank all those who have made contributions to help the MRHS keep the flame of true maritime radio alive.  These contributions have been large and small, and have come  in the form of checks, cash and on line donations.  Every one is deeply meaningful because each is an indication that there are those beyond our small group who think that what we are doing is somehow important.  So... thank you.

If you find yourself with a spare few dollars and would like to help us carry on with the many repairs and restorations that are a way of life at the MRHS just click on the yellow button.

 

 

> MRHS Merchandise

Support the MRHS and look cool at the same time. Such a deal!  We've got hats, mugs, T shirts, belt buckles and bumper stickers, all with variations of the MRHS logo.  Get a hat and mug for yourself and a put yourself in solid with the XYL by getting her a MRHS hoodie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Just click on the images above to go to the MRHS True Believers store and browse our offerings.  Thanks!