KSM

When the MRHS first restored the transmitters at Bolinas we were restricted to operating them at reduced power in the amateur bands under the call K6KPH. This was satisfying but it was not “the real thing”, a commercial Morse code coast station. So we decided to apply for our own coast station license. Actually, it took about a year to make that decision since we were intimidated by the prospect. After all, nobody had probably applied for a new Morse code coast station license in forty years. We thought heads would explode in Washington. Seems silly now but back then we didn’t understand that if the rules were in the books and you checked all the right boxes on the application would be forthcoming. We made it as easy for them as possible by applying for only 500kc and two HF frequencies that were unassigned. Sure enough, after a couple of months a license with the call sign appeared in the mail. As part of our plan for world domination we quickly applied for more channels for both Morse and RTTY. Eventually, after a decade of negotiation, we were able to reach an agreement with the owners of the KPH license for the return of that iconic call sign to Bolinas/Point Reyes. At that point we retired KSM but the license remains in force against the day that the KPH call sign is no longer available to us.