MARITIME RADIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY |
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1 May 2022
MRHS Newsletter No. 84
Dedicated to the True Believers Worldwide
ANTENNAS
GMT TYME
POWER UP
DA
SKIMMERS
HENRY
LOGS
WORK CREW
BUG ROUNDUP
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ANTENNA REPORT FROM RS
At the MRHS Point Reyes receive site there are some antenna opportunities. Much work to be done and will need to go on a project list for funding with prioritization. These are antennas for receiving as PT. Reyes is the Receive site.
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This center pole for the two V-beams ( North and South V Beams ) is leaning. Both
V-beams have wire on the ground and are not in service.
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Coil of the Marconi T wire. It is 7-strand #9 Hard Drawn Copper which is very stiff and difficult to coil. The Marconi T most recently had been used for the LF/MF KiwiSDR. Hi Lift bucket trucks would be needed for this job due to pole height. An alternative antenna for the LF/MF KiwiSDR is being sourced and installed. |
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Marconi T vertical radiator attachment point, where vertical radiator attaches to flat top - lying on the ground in the brush and weeds. |
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End pole for the south V-beam. You can (barely) see the insulator hanging near the pole. The wire is on the ground. |
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If you would like to help support this work and/or you enjoy using the KiwiSDR receivers you can use the link below to donate through PayPal or send your gift to:
MRHS
PO BOX 392
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
The MRHS is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so your gifts are tax deductible. Our Tax ID Number is: 20-1122405.
Thank you in advance for your continued support. We are committed to using your gifts responsibly to help preserve our maritime and communications heritage!
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In making contacts and keeping a log, being able to see the time is important. At RS Position #6 you are in a spot where you can't see the clock the other positions see so this 1950s vintage unit sits on the operating desk. Roughly the width of standard note paper and though it could be set to any time we keep it at UTC. The Art Deco styling fits right in at RS. GMT TYMETER - ever hear of them? |
5 March 2022 I had worked the day at RS and for whatever reason this piece of cable that sits on the counter as you walk into the CW room from outside caught my attention. Wanting to know more so I could feature a story in this newsletter MRHS President Richard Dillman was e-mailed and besides filling me in, RD put me in touch with George Clyde.
PG and E had power on the East side of Tomales Bay at Marshall where the 1914 Marconi ( and a little after that, RCA) receiving station was and had to get power out to the new RCA receiving station at Point Reyes ( RS and the very building this is in). The cable was placed underwater across Tomales bay in the Fall of 1930 from Marshall on the East side to Indian Beach on the West side. According to PG and E, this cable had been in service from 1930 until 1981, when it was abandoned. Service voltage was 11,000 volts. In today's world plastic is the standard for insulation but as you see in older days rubber and asphalt soaked cord was used.
A Kayaker had noticed that this cable was severed where it went up the beach and more cable was seen going to a bluff where a landslide happened previously. George Clyde from KWMR did some investigating and it was listed on Nautical charts warning boaters. NOAA who prepares the charts stated that is was added to the charts in the mid 1970s and was a PG and E Power cable. A call to PG and E yielded the time period installed, voltage and the fact that is was a feed to the RCA receiving building at Pt. Reyes. Thanks to all who provided information for this story.
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MRHS Member Denice Stoops |
On a Saturday in March, the KPH transmit site in Bolinas had an unexpected (but most welcomed) visitor - our own Denice Stoops (known as 'DA'). Denice was the first female radiotelegrapher hired at KPH. She graduated from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) radio school in Petaluma California as a Morse operator and subsequently was stationed at NMC in Point Reyes. At the time, NMC was the USCG master radio station for the West coast and handled weather, vessel position and emergency traffic from ships in the Pacific. After her tour with the USCG, Denice was offered a job by the station manager at KPH, just down the road from NMC. Denice was the first woman operator at KPH, working there for may years as an accomplished Morse operator. On July 12, 1999 coast stations KFS and KPH ceased commercial Morse operations. Mourning the loss of maritime radiotelegraphy and of her career, Denice says of that day "I wore black". |
2 April 2022 at 2315 UTC the solar flux was 143 and K6KPH's 1500 watt signals were reaching out. This Reverse Beacon Network picks up your signal when you call CQ. If you look up the skimmer call signs you will see Mike (MP) and Wally (WP) on 15 meters were being heard from Japan to Uruguay, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica and points in between! Sure nice to have better band conditions than previous. |
Here is the 15 meter Henry Transmitter which is capable of 5,000 watts but rules governing Amateur transmitter power has us at 1,500 watts. When we were shutdown at BL and RS for the covid pandemic, antenna work at BL was done and we now have antennas for all frequencies of KPH, KFS and K6KPH. Prior to that the bands were not good so we borrowed the 15 meter antenna for 17 meters but all is back in service. The exciter is solid state with two frequencies as we use 21050 for our weekly transmissions and 21047.5 for West Coast Code Runs. The exciter feeds into an IPA (Intermediate Power Amp) that runs a 3-500Z tube with one forced air blower. The PA ( Power Amplifier) runs a 3CX3000A7 with two forced air blowers. |
Here is a sample of our K6KPH logs for April |
On the weekend of 19 March these 4 horses were waiting at the gate at Bolinas (BL). Not bothering anything, they wandered around but were gone on the following weekend. If they show up again we will make them Honorary MRHS members as stipulation on being in is showing up! |
Announcing the W6SFM On-Air BUG ROUNDUP
The Samuel F. Morse Amateur Radio Club -- a CW enthusiast club based in Sacramento, California – invites you to a special time bringing bug operators together on the air. This 48-hour event is not a contest; rather it is a time dedicated to celebrating our CW and Bug key heritage. In the same spirit as ARRL's Straight Key Night, participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs using a Bug style key as the sending instrument. There are no points scored in this event, and all who participate are winners.
Reserve the date! The event begins on May 20 00:00 UTC and concludes May 22 00:00 UTC. That's 5:00 PM Friday evening until Sunday 5 PM Pacific Time. Homepage located at https://w6sfm.com/bug-roundup/ (copy and paste in browser).
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And don't miss our fabulous MRHS Swag store. Your purchases also provide some much needed income to the MRHS. To access these treasures, click on the picture of our lovely MRHS Model, Tina Shinn/TS, below! |
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When visiting KPH be sure to tune in to KWMR for
the great music,
local knowledge and,
most important, emergency information.
For more information about KWMR, and to listen to the live stream, click here.
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