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THE KPH PROJECT

The KPH Project

In cooperation with the Point Reyes National Seashore, part of the National Park Service, the Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS) has taken on the job of preserving the historic ex-RCA coast station KPH and returning it to the air.

Bob Schrader W6BNB writes:

To all of you nice MRHS people:

I hope you know how much your bringing back the sound of old KPH to those few of us who are still around from the 1930s Sparks ship days and how much it means to us. I worked KPH almost every day on six trips around the world and for a dozen or so trips over to Manila and back to SF, plus a few others trips... I even had the pleasure of seeing old Marshall and Bolinas in operation in 1932 when only a ham (althouh already with a Radiotelegraph Second license) at Central Trade School with old Fred Mangelsdorf and most of his class. While KTK was my home station for four of my six years. I almost daily received passenger messages from KPH and KFS and would also send them our TR reports.. KPH was one of the first and last stations I worked from shipboard. That was from 1933 to 1939. Real fond memories!

Thanks.

Bob Shrader "RS" W6BNB

COAST STATION KSM

Coast Station KSM

KSM is the coast station of the MRHS. Our goal is to honor and commemorate the men and women who made the profession of radiotelegrapher one honor and skill. We feel that the best way to do this is to preserve their skills and traditions through actual use at a real coast station. Somewhat to our surprise, the FCC granted our application for a full, commercial, common carrier public coast station.

Coast Station KSM

AMATEUR STATION K6KPH

K6KPH

K6KPH is the amateur station of the MRHS. Here's full information about operating times, frequencies, equipment and purpose.

Amateur Station K6KPH

MRHS PROJECTS

MRHS Projects

MRHS members are involved in other radio projects around the San Francisco Bay area as well as projects directly connected with the MRHS program. Here's information about some of these.

MRHS EVENTS

RADIO ARCHAEOLOGY

Radio Archaeology

The sites of historic radio stations surround us, especially along the coasts. As part of our project to record and preserve our maritime radio heritage, MRHS members try to locate these sites and document what is there now. Armed with maps, GPS navigators, historic records and, at least in one case, the plank from a shipping crate, we've had some remarkable success.

INCREDIBLE RADIO TALES

Incredible Radio Tales

When radio officers hit the beach in San Francisco they went immediately to "the Dog House", a rooming house in Powell Street that, for reasons lost to time, was the home away from home for seafaring brass pounders. There were probably similar places in every port around the country if not the world. And what must these Sparkies have talked about at table? Why radiomen, radio conditions, and radio equipment of course!

Ah! What one would give to sit in on one of those bull sessions. These were men who could coax a sweet note from a decrepit quenched gap transmitter, copy through static and interference (using their own personal Audion detector smuggled on board) and look the Radio Inspector straignt in the eye when he strode self importantly into the shack.

Our time machine is out of service at the moment due to a shorted power transformer. So we won't be able to join the boys at the Dog House tonight. But we can preserve and present some of our own radio tales, all of them true, for your enjoyment.

As you read, let the sounds of static on 600m at midnight and the dim light of glowing tubes in a dark room become real. Imagine the silence and smell the dust in the abondoned transmitter gallery of a once great station. And above all remember the men and women who came before us and made the profession of radiotelegrapher one of honor and skill.

REPORTS FROM NMO

Reports From NMO

Jeffrey Herman was a radioman at Coast Guard station NMO Hawaii during the glory days when Morse was king and 500kc was alive 24 hours a day. For the benefit of those of us who were not so fortunate as he, Jeffrey has written this account of what it was like to stand watch on 500kc, what the proper procedures were and what it was like to receive his first SOS. He has kindly agreed to allow us to post his reports here.

HISTORIC COAST STATIONS

"I'd like to get a job sending Vs"

Historic Coast Stations

During the golden age of maritime communications the globe was populated with hundreds of coast stations, each with its own area of coverage, call sign and personality. Many of us remember tuning across the marine bands and hearing these stations, standing shoulder to shoulder with hardly any space between them, calling out for traffic or working ships. Recordings of some of these stations were preserved and are posted in the Coast Station Recordings section of this Web site. But what did these stations actually look like? We here at the MRHS have collected as many photos of these historic stations as we could find and posted them here for your enjoyment. They range from many photos showing the big, well documented to a single photo for a small station that was in operation for only a few years.

Do you have photos like these you'd like to share? Please let us know. We'd be honored to post them.

POINT TO POINT

Point to Point

It was Marconi's dream to bridge the oceans and provide intercontinental communications as a rate that undercut the cost of the undersea cables. His signals first bridged the Atlantic in 1901. Only a little more than a decade later his international system was in place and functinging - and earning money. Soon competitors followed, creating the point-to-point industry - first using giant spark and arc transmitters, then magnificent Alexanderson alternators and finally short wave tube transmitters. Often the elite point-to-point service was co-located with the marine service which often had to make do with a corner of the operating building and antennas that the point-to-point service no longer needed. Here is the story of some of these point-to-point stations.

MISCELLANEOUS AND UNKNOWN

Miscellaneous and Unknown

We at the MRHS spend a lot of time trolling flea markets and eBay for historic radio photographs. When we get extra lucky, the photos show new views of historic stations we know about. These we post in the Historic Coast Stations section of this Web site. But often the photos exist on their own, without explanation or provenance. We present a collection of these photos here - with a request. If you can provide any details about these photos please let us know. Your information will add to the the growing collection of knowledge about our maritime radio heritage.

Miscellaneous and Unknown

PERSONAL COLLECTIONS

Personal Collections

Many of us at the MRHS maintain personal collections of vintage radio gear connected with maritime radio communications. Here's a look at some of those collections.

Radiomarine CRM-R6A

COAST STATION RECORDINGS

Coast Station Recordings

Maybe you're one of those who remember. Late on a winer night night... tubes glowing in the darkened radio shack... earphones on... And one after another they rolled in, the great coast stations of the world. Maybe you listened to improve your code speed. Or maybe you listened for the thrill of it. Once the marine bands were filled end to end with the signals of coast stations from around the world. Twenty four hours a day the skilled operators at these stations carried the messages of maritime commerce. And they were there to lend immediate assistance to mariners in peril at sea. We thought it would never end. But the golden age of Morse code marine communications has passed and now the marine bands are either silent or occupied by digital transmissions. Luckily, recordings of many of that golden age exist. Listen to them here and travel back in time, a time not so long ago, when Morse was king.

Listen

Help the MHRS keep these historic treasures on the air! Your generous donations are greatly appreciated.

Coast Station KSM

NOTICE: As of 8 October 2016 coast station has ceased operation, replaced by coast station KPH. We have received authorization to use the original KPH call sign and frequencies. Please listen for KPH CW on these frequencies:

426

500

4247.0

6477.5

8642.0

12808.5

17016.8

22477.5

Listen for KPH NBDP (RTTY) on these frequencies:

6324.5

12585.5

The call letters KSM were originally assigned to a station of the Robert Dollar Company. The station was located near Los Angeles. It operated on 500kc and eight frequencies in the HF band. When the MRHS was granted its own commercial coast station license we were very pleased to find that we had been assigned this historic call sign.

Note: KSM may be contacted directly by phone when the station is in operation to file radiograms, provide signal reports or coordinate schedules. Or to just say howdy! The phone number is +1 415-669-9646.

KSM is a commercial, common carrier coast station in the grand tradition of KPH and the dozens of other such stations that once existed in the USA. When the license for KPH was sold to Globe Wireless the MRHS felt it needed its own coast station to carry on the traditions and preserve the skills of the art of maritime radio through actual use.

KSM uses the original transmitters, receivers and antennas of KPH. The station is licensed for communications with ships at sea using both CW and RTTY modes in the MF and HF marine bands. KSM accepts traffic from ships at sea for onward transmission to addressees ashore. No charge is made for this service.

KSM Frequencies (in kc)

CW:

426
500
4350.5
6474.0
8438.3
12993.0
16914.0
22445.8

RTTY:

6328.0

8433.0
12631.0

KSM uses two modes of "RTTY": Baudot and FEC. Baudot transmissions are at 170cps shift, 45 baud. FEC transmissions are at 170cps shift, 100 baud.

On CW, KSM broadcasts its "wheel" (a repeating message inviting ships to call and giving the frequencies being used). When working ships, the KSM operator will key all frequencies so listeners will be able to hear the shore side of the contact no matter what frequency they are monitoring. All maritime radio operations are duplex. Once the ship makes contact with KSM it will shift from the calling to a working frequency. The KSM operator will repeat this frequency so listeners can attempt to hear the ship. KSM sends high seas weather for the Pacific at 2130gmt at 25wpm.

On RTTY, KSM broadcasts marine weather and press information alternating between the two modes listed above.

Ship Calling Frequencies (in kc)

KSM operators monitor 500kc and ITU calling channel 3 in all HF bands. Listeners who wish to monitor both sides of an exchange between KSM and a ship may wish to tune to the ship frequency as well as KSM.

The ITU channel 3 frequencies used by ships are:

4184.0
6276.0
8368.0
12552.0
16736.0
22280.5

Hours of Operation

KSM is normally on the air each Saturday from 1700GMT to 2300GMT.

Press and Weather

KSM transmits free press and weather every Saturday on all HF Morse and RTTY frequencies and on 426kc MF. Morse begin at 1700gmt, RTTY transmissions begin at 1800gmt. KSM teleprinter broadcasts (press and then weather) are sent first on Baudot and then repeated using FEC (usually in the order weather and then press). Pacific high seas weather is repeated on Morse only at 2130gmt.

Traffic List/Message Service

The KSM traffic list is broadcast each Saturday at 2100gmt on all HF Morse frequencies and on 426kc MF. KSM will deliver your message to any email address free of charge.

Guest Operators/License Endorsement

Visitors holding a commercial radiotelegraph operator license of any class are welcome to "sit the circuit" at KSM. You'll have the opportunity to send messages and announcements and work ships if you wish. You can also have your license endorsed for having served as a radiotelegraph operator at a commercial coast station. KSM is the last station in the US where this experience can be gained. While current radiotelegraph licenses no longer have a space for endorsements on the reverse side, the MRHS Chief Operator will type your endorsement on the station mill and sign it.

You can also contact KSM directly by email at: KSM@radiomarine.org

Reception Reports:

Send your KSM reception reports to:

MRHS

PO Box 392
Point Reyes Station, California 94956
USA

Normal Transmitting Equipment List

STATION FREQ. TRANSMITTER ANTENNA

Kc/s

CW Transmissions

KSM 426/500 A7 Henry MF-5000D Marconi-T
KSM 4350.5 B1 Henry HF-5000D EDZ*

KSM             6474     B2 Henry HF-5000D         EDZ
KSM             8438.3 B3 Henry HF-5000D         EDZ
KSM           12993     B4 Henry HF-5000D         H/2
KSM           16914     B6 Henry HF-5000D         H/2
KSM           22445.8  D3 Henry HF-5000D         H/2

For Special Occasions, Visitor Demo, as noted
KSM 6474 251 RCA ET-18A EDZ

KSM 12993 KFS 12B PW-15 H/2

K6KPH 7050 271 RCA ET-18A EDZ

KSM Teleprinter Transmissions

KSM 6328.0 A2 Henry HF-5000D EDZ

KSM 8433.0 A3 Henry HF-5000D EDZ
KSM 12631.0 A4 Henry HF-5000D H/2

CW on Amateur frequencies

K6KPH       3550       A1 Henry HF-5000D   EDZ
K6KPH       7050       D2 Henry HF-5000D   EDZ
K6KPH     14050       D1 Henry HF-5000D   H/2
K6KPH     18097.5    B5 Henry HF-5000D   H/2
K6KPH     21050       D4 Henry HF-5000D   H/2

(Note- for Code Proficiency and Field Day Bulletin transmissions, K6KPH operates on the W1AW CW frequencies of: 3581.5, 7047.5, 14047.5, 18097.5 and 21067.5.)

Teleprinter on Amateur Frequencies

K6KPH 7095.0 A2 Henry HF-5000D EDZ
K6KPH 14095.0 A4 Henry HF-5000D H/2

*(EDZ = Extended Double Zepp). All transmitter output power is 3-4kW, except PW-15 5kW and
K6KPH 1.5kW.

ALL TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING GEAR IS ORIGINAL KPH OR KFS STATION EQUIPMENT LOVINGLY RESTORED AND MAINTAINED BY THE MRHS

sjh 051011

View all images as a slideshow

KSM maintains the tradition of providing a press service by providing the Wheelhouse Weekly from the Masters Mates & Pilots and the Telex Times from the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association via its transmitters in Bolinas, CA. This notice of a frequency change for the ARA press appeared in the January/February 1953 issue of The ARA Log union magazine. We at one time broadcast the ARA press but sadly the ARA has discontinued that service.

The news of the world was transmitted to ships at sea on a subscription basis by stations like KPH. Here's the front page of the Ocean Press as printed aboard SS MANHATTAN on 24 June 1934. It is this tradition that KSM upholds today with its free press transmissions. We hear great stories of ace operators copying press aboard ship at 40wpm with the pressman banging on the wireless cabin door demanding copy so he can meet his deadline for publication of the on board paper. It's easy to picture that scene.