This event is held annually on July 12, to commerate the retirement of commercial CW in 1999. The orginal equipment, which has been restored, is re-activated to communicate with other restored stations around the world.
From the MRHS Newsletter:
Night of Nights XVIII
Night of Nights will take place as usual on 12 July beginning at 5:01pm PDT, 0001 GMT 13 July.
All the information you’ll need about time, location, stations, frequencies and much more can be found in the
MRHS Events menu or
click HERE for direct access.
Basic Event Information:
Date: 12 July 2017 Pacific Daylight Time
First Transmission form MRHS Stations: 5:01pm Pacific Daylight Time 12 July, 0001Z 13 July 2017
Time: Doors open at 3:00pm pdt, first transmission 5:01pm pdt (0001gmt 13 July)
Refreshments: Served
Photographs: Encouraged
Tours: Given
None of this would have been possible without the trust and vision of the Point Reyes National Seashore. The only reason these facilities were spared the bulldozer that visited all the others is that they are on park land. And the only reason they have been restored to operation is that the PRNS staff understood their importance and trusted the MRHS to restore them to life.”
Location: RCA receiving station, 17400 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Point Reyes National Seashore
Click HERE for a map of the location from Google Maps
NOTICE: All the information below is subject to last minute change as final arrangements are made. Keep up with the latest details by following us on Twitter @Radiomarine and by subscribing to this Newsletter if you are not already a reader.
> Night of Nights 2017 (XVIII)!
It’s that time of year again. Time to honor all those ops who came before us by preserving their skills, traditions and culture through on the air operations.
Why 12 July? Long time True Believers know the story. But it may be worth repeating for new arrivals and to remind everyone of the traditions we hope to keep alive.
On 12 July 1999 some very tough looking grizzled old radio pioneers had tears in their eyes as the last commercial Morse code radiogram was sent. It was the end of an era. And as the last beeps faded away into the static they witnessed the end of the career to which they had devoted their lives.
These men – and some women – had stood watch over the airwaves on shore and at sea. Theirs was mostly the business of maritime commerce. But when their ship was in peril they were called upon to send the most electrifying three letters in radio, S O S, knowing that all their fellow radio operators would press their earphones close to get every scrap of information and bring aid to their stricken ship.
Once, our coasts were dotted with great Morse code radio stations, all communicating with ships at sea. They’re all gone now… all except one, the one they called the Wireless Giant of the Pacific, located at Point Reyes.
On that sad day in 1999 another event took place. The Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS) was formed. We made it our life’s work to honor the men and women of wireless by restoring that wireless giant. One year and one minute later the giant’s voice once again spanned the oceans as we picked up the thread and kept the faith with our colleagues of the air.
Every year since, in an event that became known as the Night of Nights, Morse code station KPH has returned to the air, joined by KFS and the station of the MRHS, KSM.
This is a global and local event. Hundreds of listeners around the world will be waiting with their earphones on, waiting for the signals of the great station to once again arc over the dome of the Earth to their receivers.
You can be with us in person!
Dozens of people will join us at the RCA receiving station in the Point Reyes National Seashore to watch as the signals are transmitted by hand using vintage telegraph keys.
A guest operating position will be available so bring your key and ‘phones or use ours and operate K6KPH. No license required! So if you’re an ex-commercial op who never became a ham here’s your chance to sling some Morse again. Or if you hold a current commercial radiotelegraph ticket you can operate KPH, KFS and/or KSM and have your license endorse to that effect.
> Historic coast stations KPH, KFS, KSM, and WLO will be on the air!
> RCA “H Set” Transmitter 298 will be on the air (KSM 22Mc)> 1942 Press Wireless PW15 transmitter will be on the air (KFS 12Mc)
> K6KPH will be listening for calls and signal reports> W4WLO will be listening for calls and signal reports
> Join us in person or on the air!
But wait, there’s more:
> Technical report on the RCA SSB R3 diversity receiver
> The enigmatic H over 2 antenna explained
> Frank Geisel’s Report No. 3 for June/July 1946
MRHS Stations
Eighteen transmitters will be on the air from the MRHS transmitter site in Bolinas! That doesn’t include transmitters held in ready reserve in case of failure. Members of the crack MRHS Transmitter Department and the H Set Team will be on hand to assure that all goes well.
> KPH:
Frequency Transmitter Antenna
500/426 Henry MF-5000D Marconi T
4247.0 RCA K Set Double Extended Zepp
6477.5 RCA K Set Double Extended Zepp
8642.0 RCA L Set Double Extended Zepp
12808.5 RCA L Set H over 2
17016.8 RCA L Set H over 2
22477.5 RCA H Set H over 2
The restoration of the H set has been chronicled in past issues of the Newsletter. It will return to revenue service for the first time in decades for Night of Nights. See Newsletter No. 38 for information about and photos of this magnificent transmitter.
NOTE: Broadcasts including commemorative messages, weather, traffic lists, etc., will be sent via KPH only. KFS will send the station identification “wheel” on all HF channels when not working ships.
> KFS
Frequency Transmitter Antenna
500 Henry MF5000D Marconi T
6365.6 Henry HF5000D Double extended Zepp
12695.5 Press Wireless PW15 H over 2
17026.0 Henry HF5000D H over 2
22581.5 Henry HF5000D H over 2
> K6KPH
K6KPH ops will monitor the frequencies below as propagation and the number of available operators permit. K6KPH will be open for signal reports, traffic or general contacts. Give us a buzz.
Frequency Transmitter Antenna
3550.0 Henry HF-5000D Double Extended Zepp
7050.0 RCA L Set Double Extended Zepp
14050.0 Henry HF-5000D H over 2
18097.5 Henry HF-5000D H over 2
21050.0 Henry HF-5000D H over 2
See the MRHS Website for more information: http://www.radiomarine.org/
Updated: 7/09/2017
Operating Events List
In the R&O, the FCC said it considered eliminating the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications and for other services but decided not to do so “at this time,” because it lacks “adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighs the collected revenue; or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process.” The Commission said it would reevaluate this issue in the future to determine if it should eliminate other fee categories.
