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Contact: Denice Stoops, 415-868-9697
The Maritime Radio Historical Society is pleased to announce that K6KPH will once again be on the air on New Year's Eve as a participant in Straight Key Night 2005. KPH will also be on the air with transmissions from dusk to dawn (Pacific time) on MF. We hope this overnight transmission will give listeners the best chance to hear the MF signal. We are particularly interested in reception reports of the MF transmissions. Volunteers from the Maritime Radio Historical Society will be staffing the Historic RCA building in Point Reyes National Seashore from noon to 10 p.m. on December 31, 2004. Visitors are welcome to stop by to learn more. To get to the Historic RCA building from the Point Reyes Station/Bear Valley Visitor Center area, follow Sir Francis Drake Blvd. west for about 11 miles. A mile past the Johnson Oyster Farm, turn right at the sign for the North District Operations Center and follow the lane between two rows of cypress trees. Details about the K6KPH and KPH operations appear below. Straight Key Night (SKN) is an annual event sponsored by the ARRL each New Year's Eve. The objective of SKN is relaxed CW exchanges between participating stations using only straight keys - no bugs or electronic keys allowed. Some of the best CW operators in the game are traditionally heard on SKN. SKN 2005 begins at 1600 PST December 31 and runs for 24 hours through 1600 PST January 1 (0000 --2400 GMT January 1, 2005). For full SKN information, please see the ARRL Web site at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2005/skn.html - K6KPH details: Time - K6KPH will begin operation at 1600 PST/0000 GMT. We expect to operate for about six hours, or until 2200 PST/0600 GMT. Frequencies - K6KPH will be on 3545kc, 7050kc, 14050kc and 21050kc if the band is open. There is a slight possibility that a transmitter will be activated on 18097.5kc. Operators will advise if that frequency is being monitored. Operators - Multiple operators will be on duty at the operating positions, some of whom are likely to be ex-KPH ops. Equipment - As always, K6KPH will be using only the original KPH transmitters, receivers and antennas. No amateur equipment is used at the station. The transmitters for 3.5Mc, 7Mc and 14Mc will be 1950s vintage RCA sets. The transmitters for 21Mc, and 18Mc, if activated, will be a Henry commercial sets. Antennas - Transmitting antennas will be double extended Zepps for 3.5Mc and 7Mc and H over 2s for 14Mc, 18Mc and 21Mc. Power will be 1.5kW on all frequencies. - KPH Details: Times - In addition to the amateur operation, KPH will be on the air with continuous transmissions on MF beginning at 1700 PST/0100 GMT. Frequencies - Announcements will be made on 500kc. Press, weather, and other information will be sent on 426kc. 500kc will be monitored for calls from ships at sea. The silent period on 500kc will of course be observed. Equipment - The transmitter will be a Henry commercial set. Power will be about 5kW. Antenna - The MF transmitting antenna will be a Marconi T. - Signal Reports & QSLs - Signal reports and QSLs may be sent to: Ms. Denice Stoops - More Information - For more information about KPH/K6KPH and the Maritime Radio Historical Society, including photos of the transmitters and the operating positions, please see: |
Last updated: April 28, 2024