I've gotten a few comments saying that other stations do still transmit morse code and my title is incorrect and wondering why I didn't mention this. If you read the description underneath the video, and listen to my video in its entirety, I specify about halfway through that this is the last one that transmits morse code COMMERCIALLY. Yes, there are still museums and ham ops that transmit morse code - this I also mention. UA-cam titles only allow for you to use a limited amount of characters, so each one must count. No title will ever account for everything in a video - so please - before commenting to criticize - watch the video. Thanks!
It's a shame that you had to say this. Logic would imply that one should actually consume a piece of media before they give opinions about it, and some people simply cannot resist the urge to quickly comment and display their approximate and inaccurate understanding to everyone. It's lazy, it's bad, it's extremely common, and it is almost never addressed as the toxicity it is, and it is almost never called out. I mean, it's so much easier to ignore it. So, as someone who has to deal with these type of people frequently, I thank you for taking the step to actually address those comments and call out that ignorance. Bravo.
Picking up the history of Morse Code stations (especially the commercial ones) itself is so precious and this video is awesome. In Japan, commercial radio stations were all gone by the closure of the last station in Nagasaki called JOS in 1999. So Morse Code operators in Japan, including myself, are mostly military service personnel and the amateurs. I even worked K6KPH twice in 2003 and 2014. So it's really nice to see a video of KPH. Many thanks and keep it up! 73 de JJ1BDX also N6BDX
Oh I watch it in its entirety. I’m still here to complain. I don’t care if you have thousands of messages and comments about this. You either made a mistake or intentionally choose the most click bait title. I’m sure plenty have corrected you. Im not just talking about amateurs. This is very false internationally. CW and Morse are used elsewhere commercially and even wide AM and FM are still used. It’s during in the US but it has gotten a huge spike from 2020. My concern is that your video isn’t inspiring anyone to learn Morse maybe even hurting. Anyone reading this please learn Morse and consider getting your amateur (ham) license.
I got a Novice license, WN4BCG, back in 1972. Novices were limited to CW on the HF bands only. I had a beautiful Hallicrafters SX-101A receiver, and built a Heathkit DX-60 transmitter. That was the first year novices were allowed to use VFOs and not be bound to crystals for frequency selection, so I built Heathkit’s matching unit for my DX-60. The guy who got me interested in the hobby was a broadcast engineer for WSM 650 in Nashville.
You are making me feel ancient. I remember when that sort of hardware was new and shiny. Somewhere in the basement I have a morse practice rig with a hand made tube oscillator. Got that back in the late 60's I think.
The Church of the Continuous Wave. I remember visiting KPH in the early nineties on a junior high field trip -BORING. Recently, I subjected my family to explore its holy grounds and I am True Believer. Thank you to the operators and volunteers that keep this time capsule alive and for featuring a local treasure. 73 from KI6HHJ.
The telegrapher's jingle: Who are we? Who are we? We are the men of the telegraph key. Long on brains, short on cash, three dots, four dots, two dots, dash.
I have been involved with Morse code since I was a kid. I was a Morse code instructor in the Air Force for three years back in the 60's and also have a general license which I haven't used in eons, WB3EMF. Your little ditty above reminds me of hearing it from a friend of my dad's who was a broadcast engineer in Hartford, CT Thanks for the memories!
Haha! ... .... .. _ As the ship's radio officer I was often called by the navigation officer on duty to help with aldis lamp. They had a great response to ships that wouldn't reply to the callup. ditdahditdahditdah (AAA) A no-reply earned "4Q2"
That was also part of cadence used by the old signal corps in the Army. Good way to find out who else knew CW when marching. I learned quickly not to do that near aviators, as they were also familiar with CW from chasing Navaids.
@@w2dsx Dude! That's too cool! That's how I learned CW initially, by (as you put it) chasing NAVAIDS back in the 80's. Now that I am a ham, I'm relearning CW. 73 de KI4BSW.
It’s great to see a young adult with such a passion. This is the last generation of electronics that techies like me used to repair before everything became disposable. Such a shame how money has become the key factor in the way everything is done these days.
To me, building things for radio has become a slight addiction! It started with "basic" Bazooka dipole coax antennas I could use portable and coil up easy. Then I was asking a local ham on air about the old school variable air caps I was looking at and if they were suitable for a manual antenna tuner @50w? I'd never even met him and he sent me a MASSIVE and hard to find 1800pf variable air cap as well as a smaller 365pf one! I'd share pics but "ewetube"... Then I made a couple 24' tall quad band collinears, then a "very experimental" VHF 5/4 wave antenna which I screwed up the 4:1 balun on and let the "factory smoke" out of my mobile radioooooo nooo OOPS $$$!!! 😅 Then on to kit radios. I LOVE scrounging for cool old parts that are useful from random electronics.
I am overwhelmed that that you took the time to support and educate the UA-cam community about Morse code and the the history of DATA transmission. Welcome to the club! N2KTO
Lovely video! I will start my HAM course in a few weeks, and slowly learning morse, even though I don't have to. And if I ever get to the area I will most definitely visit this place!
I believe, the box kite was used by life rafts to drag a wire up into air to serve as an antenna. The higher an antenna is, the farther the signal will travel and better chance of someone hearing the distress call signal from the life raft.
My Dad was a long time ham radio operator. He was really old school, he had his Extra Class License and could send and receive code at 25 wpm. Hearing that sound again really brings back memories!
Actually Morse Code was very sophisticated for its day. In the (ideal) Morse code one dash is equivalent to three dots, Morse reasoned the more characters in representing letters the longer the message would take to send so he identified the most common letter in the English language - the letter E = one dot. the letter I = two dots, the letter S =three dots, the letter T = on dash and so on. In our high speed world of 5, 7, 8, 16 and 32 bit code we shouldn't forget the ingenuity of our predecessors....
Definitely adding KPH to my bucket list. If you make it up north, check out the Spark Museum of Electrical Invention in Bellingham WA - it's right up your alley. Also, the Sunset Amateur Radio Club maintains W7BU in the radio room of the USCG (retired) Lightship Columbia, tied up adjacent to the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria OR. DE W7NRM
I like radio communication and doing setups and experiments, and I'm fascinated by this old equipment, I'm learning the Morse code and I intend to communicate in that way too, thanks for the video ... 73 from PY4VUA, Minas Gerais Brazil.
Nice presentation video and rememorable equipment to see. Worked 16 years at a Ships Message Relay Centre in Rotterdam Harbour (Netherlands) in the past, where some of it was used (Telex) and we forwarded messages to the Coastal stations worldwide to be sent out to the ships by morsecode. Nowadays morsecode is a nice part of my amateurradio hobby. Thanks for the nice video, PG7M
Thanks for posting this! And congrats on getting your ticket, it's great to see a YL operator also! If you revisit KPH in video or whatever future endeavors, check out one of the former operators, Denise Stoops, the first YL operator at KPH when it was open. She was very involved is KSM/KPH after the revival, was once the "QSL Mistress" for the station and is usually one of the operators sending on Marconi Day and Night of Nights. There's a lot of other famous YL's in Amateur Radio and some have some great stories to tell also. Good luck with the hobby!
Hi Shannon. Great video. It's so good to see a younger person interested in how global communications developed. I was a Radio Officer on British Petroleum (BP) ocean-going tankers in the late 1960's and early 70's. I believe there is nothing like the KPH museum anywhere else in the world. That's a real shame. Please ask if you want some more background on the UK/European scene. S
Just a quick search on Family Search dot org shows that Samuel Finley Brown Morse (Great Grandson the "Morse" of the code) moved to Pebble Beach, California where he did quite well. You should do some quick research - it's another totally absorbing hobby you can get into. As an Army trained Morse Intercept operator, this was a great video. Thanks.
Wonderful. Excellent. Thanks for posting this. Yes, you need an "Elmer" to give a few tips on Morse, like gripping the knob of the key rather than tapping with your finger. ;-) Actually, while Morse is hard to learn with a terribly steep learning curve, if you stick with it, it becomes more fun that you can imagine. The heck of it is that the fun of Morse Code is completely invisible until you get past 20 words per minute. Around 20 to 25 WPM, code becomes like a spoken language. I had no idea this was the case until I got there. Nobody told me. Code was hard and required a LOT of effort but I kept at it because I wanted to contest using Morse. One day, I was working in my radio room, the radio was on and tuned to the CW portion of 40 meters. I was doing something else, building something, paying no attention to the radio, and CW signals were beedling along in the background. Suddenly, words appeared in my mind, as though someone had spoken them! It freaked me out. It was the CW on the radio. I started to hear it like speech, whole words and phrases at a time, with no effort. Then, of course, the problem of speed disappeared. Fast code is actually easier to copy than slow code. The faster the better. So, that's what's waiting for you, if you pursue it. :-) TNX AGN VY 73 DE PHIL, KW2P
The building reminds me of another place that has remained largely unchanged over the years - Felts Field, an ancient airport in Spokane, WA. in particular, an Art Deco clock tower, but there are other interesting structures.
When this is all over we'll be heading back to the west coast of the USA, and this will definitely be on our list of places to visit. Thanks for making this, Shannon, it was fascinating to hear K6KPH in the background sending a CQ and I hope to work them (and you) one day. You have a great radio name, as Shannon Aeradio (also known as Shanwick) is still an important station in international aviation HF communications for cross Atlantic flights. 73/88 from Colin, GM4JPZ/N6OET
Thanks, Shannon! Good stuff. I got my cw license in 1971.I remember the thrill of working a ham in Bonn, West Germany from my little Heathkit 75 watt station and wire antenna, on a tiny Brooklyn lot! On the east coast, a fun day can be had at W1AW, the ARRL station. I remember thinking as I sat down, that I owned the bands. :) It's fun being on the receiving end of a cw pileup. 73 es 88!
Great video on the field of Morse code (CW) and KPH. I've been a cw op for over 60yrs got started in the Army back in 1961. but still use cw even today. as an Amateur Radio op. and I personally think that it is not a dying art. in fact I see an increase in new ops all the time. and if you listen to the airways on Amateur Radio especially during contests. you'll see what I mean. it has tons of merits and it is not a dying art it is still a viable mode to know and use. have fun and thanks for sharing. de Ellis WA1RKS
Thank you for posting this video on UA-cam. I'm a Ham and remember hearing some Morse code in the background of an old b52's song back in the day..... Turns out it was a “marker” signal from coastal marine station in Canada called CFH . Great fun ! It's great to see someone young interested in how things were done in the past. SBF.
7:10 is that a Globe Wireless mousepad? I worked there for a while. I was at the WNU station in Slidell, LA during the big "Last CW Message" ceremony. My boss signed off one of the West Coast stations (it might have been KPH), and the station engineer signed off WNU. They had both been Morse Operators for those stations back in the day. Ah, nostalgia.
Thanks for posting this video! If I'm ever in the area, I'll surely make plans to visit the station. I hold an Amateur Extra license (20WPM) as well as a 2nd Class Commercial Radiotelegraph license. I just received a Kent telegraph key for my home station and it's a joy to use. I've been 'texting' since 1982. DE N4HPG
I just came across your channel today and have to just grin. I am an old-timer and seeing your enthusiasm for radio is so refreshing! Most of the new folks want to just bypass the things that started the beginning of our hobby. Thank you for showing me that all is not lost and that even if your last name is Morse, Mores code is the backbone of communication! BTW, you gained a new subscriber today too!
John aka OldGuy - I too learned Morse code as a scout in the 60’s. My dad was a radio operator in the Korean War so he learned Morse code at that time, and taught me when I was a scout. We had a lot of fun making homemade Telegraph keys and sending back and forth from different rooms in the house. I also occasionally listened to ham radios with a short wave receiver back in the 70’s and 80’s and Morse code was very common. Sad to know it is falling out of use. I did not realize that it is no longer required for a Ham license.
I was a Morse Code operator in the Air Force and the instructor would say: Di Da is Alpha, everything else is different. Basic/Advance Morse school was at Ft. Huachuca in Arizona.
In Sweden we have the World Heritage Grimeton (SAQ) which every year is broadcasting morse code. It was one of few ways for Europe to Communicate with America during WWII
How about doing a short series on the new generation of digital amateur radio communications and its application to IT? Most people think of HAM radio in nostalgic terms, it is for old people, simply outdated. Not true. Since the early 1950’s HAM’s have been developing open-source modes of digital communications that are now standards in the communication industry. They are inventors. Morse Code is considered digital communications. My first taste of digital HAM radio was around 1984 integrating the first digital packet radio modem to a Radio Shack Model 100 tablet battery-operated computer on the VHF bands. Mobile all the way. For the IT nerd, understand that today, computer, networking technology, and even much programming is plug-and-play requiring limited skills and expertise. There’s little challenge anymore for the average tech. In comparison, digital RF communications combine IT, radio frequency, earth, space, weather sciences, etc. HAM’s with a background in digital communications are highly sought after. When I interviewed IT applicants for our agency, you knew that a person with HAM radio knowledge and expertise would not be intimidated by cross-platform technology, new programming milieus, were creative problem solvers with strong interpersonal skills. They performed better during a crisis and worked better with diverse teams. Overall, they were better-rounded technologists, with many active in the community supporting local, state, and FEMA emergency response, providing non-profit technology support, and teaching. You should check out Armature Radio. It is great fun, rewarding, and gets you away from the deteriorating world of social media. Obtaining a license is easier than ever and will help you develop advanced skills that set you apart from others in the employment market. AR KA2OLL
FWIW, in the early 80's when standard work stations starting showing up on our desks, no one wanted to "touch" those things. Since the Radiomen were around them 24/7, we "volunteered" to be the administrators. Though I was a RM/TC first, everywhere I went, I somehow ended up being the IT guy. Went to several IT schools while I as a RM/TC "A" and "C" school instructor out at Petaluma CA. Once retired, did a 10 year stent with Sprint as a switch tech but later went back into the IT world full time. So I agree, HAM ops fit right in with the IT world as long as they want to learn how to apply it just like IT types could be HAMs if they wanted to change hats from time to time. I still listen to HF and even fire up my linux skywave OS on a laptop, hook up my SDRPlay and run the wife crazy. 73's
Greetings I am the longest serving active r/o 36 years now I know a few that started about 1990 that are still sailing My first ship i was 2nd op on a cruise ship in 86 I worked before that at 2 telegraph Coast stations I sailed on 2 ships that were only cw 100%... No satcomm sitor etc I Hold the 1st telegraph (now called telegraph op) but serial number remains t1-hq Just renewed my coast guard license It's number 8 good until 2027 and still says radio officer I'm shocked My last ship standing a 500 khz watch was in 97 . 25 years ago Seems like yesterday 73
Shannon congratulations on your find. You really need to go back there and ask to have a tour of KPH's Transmitter station 20 miles in Bolinas. You were at the receiver site. Back in the day it was part of the RCA Radio coastal communications network. I live on the East coast in NYC. Back in the day RCA Radio Central out East in Rocky Point were the receiver site, and transmitter site, with a control point located right behind the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. I have been to all of them and like you as a young kid got the grand tour when all of this stuff was really in use, 24/7 365. Very High power equipment, And that is what got me on the path that I took to learn the art of high speed telegraphy. Those switches on the blue faced rack just above the table with the mores key, was used to Key the transmitters at the transmitting site. Go get a tour of that site. It seems you really would enjoy that part of seeing just how the signals got out to the world via those big transmitters. Thank you for the video. I really felt your excitement. If you do get an invite, ask for it during Night of Nights, I don't know if they still do that. you will not regret it. you Rock 73 :)
wooow this......was....AWESOME!!!!! it was worth every second, i was glued to the screen while watching this im so jealous now. thank you for posting this video.
So great to see your enthusiasm for the things we love. I’ve been restoring Teletype machines for a few years, and there’s nothing like the smell and sound of that era. Great job.
I was a 'Radioman' in the USN from '72-76. Got my amateur radio license shortly after I got out of the Navy. Those teletype machines and 'ribbons' brought old memories flooding back! Thanks for the nostalgia.
Remember the Christmas time Teletype printouts? Very detailed, yards of tape. I operated a communications/facsimile broadcast out of Fleet Weather Central Rota Spain.
My father was a radioman in the navy too. retired in '76 after 20 years. He taught me electrical theory when I was 8 and he had me fix my first tv at 10. He is Amazing. He's still here, just turn 80 on the 15th. I have to show him this video. He''ll cry with joy for sure!
My Mother was Women's Army Air Corps (WAAC) in WWII. She taught morse code to aircrews. One of her students was Tyronne Power. All her life she sat with her key on her chair listening to TV and doing code. Albeit not actually sending code. When touring a submarine that was in port with Mom when I was as kid, she started translating code coming across their little communication center. The sailor was amazed, he set up a test, and let her send code. He said "you send code faster than I've ever seen". She loved doing code!!❤
Probably the fastest human sender and receiver of Morse code was Thomas Edison. He routinely sent and received 40 words per minute on the telegraph. Of course, he could only do that with another operator as experienced and fast. You might enjoy reading Tom Standage's book, "The Victorian Internet" about telegraphy, including the origin of Morse code.
This was a great kindness! Thanks for all of this. I do like hearing CW in that two-tone style (Though others might find it annoying). It has a kind of “chime“ quality to it.
Morse is no longer used except by a few cw boys in the amateur bands. That said, the annual 'straight key night' is a lot of fun. I use the old reliable J-38 key.
" a time capsule to bring you back to the 90s" Aww, I was expecting to see a 486 running PSK31 and a Free Kevin sticker on its beige case. Wrong 90s--- or not. I commented too early. WOW!!! I would pay to fly to the US JUST to visit that place. Good find!
I was expecting something from the 40's or maybe the '50's. This really made me feel old when she was saying, "aw, look at these old boards. Wow, I Shannon, thanks for such passion about radio, morse code, and antiques in general. When I first started programming, my terminal was one of those old ASR-33 and ASR-35 teletypes hooked to a DEC PDP-8, and I used to fix them, the tape drives that loaded the OS, etc. Tech sure has come a long way...W5VCJ signing off
Great presentation! Thanks. Looking at the "old" printers, computers, etc., definitely makes me realize just how old I am. (And you all will get ! :-) ) All this stuff was state of the art at some time. The old, much used Rolodexes were interesting. Keep up the good work! John W4KV
Shannon that was so fantastic. I love your enthusiasm. I’ve been a Ham since the later part of the 1960s in the Midwest of the U. S. I was first licensed as a Novice as WN9BUA. Then working on my knowledge and my CW speed I finally got my General class license as WB9BUA. In my younger days and practicing with W1AW I worked up to about 30 WPM. It was so much fun. Since I’ve moved west to Arizona and now for the last 25 years or so I am now licensed as an Extra class as WA7PTG in SoCal (some years ago an amateur came back phonetically to me as ‘Push To Gab’ for my PTG call sign). I kind of liked that and will often use it during a QSO. Great work and video. Many thanks and 73s.
RTTY receive setup 40 years ago used to receive newswire services at 50 words a minute using Siemens 100 teleptinter, FSK modem and Racal RA17 HF receiver as part of our hands on lab work in 1st year college Telecommunications Engineering, bonus points here if anyone knows what I'm talking about 😁😂😃
im lost I remember my first introduction to ham radio at 18 years old or so. I was in a hams garage who was printing out teletype messages from the front lines and I forget what war but he was taking messages from soldiers and passing them on to their families. Seeing that shack, the equipment and the teletype in operation led me to promptly get my ham license which I have to this day.
MARS Military Auxiliary Radio System serving the troops on the front line back in the 1960's I was up all night phone patching on HF. I used to drive my parents nuts with the noise coming from my little radio room in the basement. wow memories. I'm 66yrs now.
Flat out awesome! Thanks for doing this one. Former Army Radio Operator (1971-74). Loved Morse because, for some reason, I took right to it in entrance testing. I can still send & receive a bit. Excellent video. Well done. Again, thanks. I could tell you a few things about "old" machines. Made me laugh, young lady. Good to see & hear your enthusiasm.
Shannon: Love your spirit and energy describing the old equipment (90's) used by operators taking/transmitting morse code. I am a Army trained morse code operator (1965) serving overseas for 2 1/2 years listening to various operators(China, Vietnam, North Korea, etc) and this video brought back some fond memories. Thanks for being a "true" supporter of the morse code tradition and I wished you could have been one of my instructors back in Ft Devens, Mass., I would have paid attention more. Joe Murphy(05H)
I really enjoyed this video. Personally I would like to see more historical videos. Shannon if you can make more historical videos in the Denver area, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the work that you do.
I'm a licensed amateur radio operator, morse code is still alive and well! I have a 5W QRP transceiver and transmit on 20 meter and 40 meter every weekend.
The main function of the Maritime Radio Operator was for Safety of Life at Sea, satellite communications spelled the demise of many jobs for the skilled radio operator, both on board ship and coastal radio stations. I was a radio officer with Cunard Line 1977~1985 and so left shipboard life before the end of commercial MF & HF terrestrial maritime radio. Thanks for posting this, I now have to plan a visit to this museum as it was one of the many coastal stations I contacted when I was a Radio Officer.
I have a brother in Petaluma - about an hour from KPH - and I visit him most years. Super easy to fly into SFO, rent a car, and drive up there. If you're a radio person, it's totally worth it. I've been to their Night of Nights event, and also got to operate K6KPH for two hours on a random Saturday during a visit. They are very accommodating, and happy to have visitors. Total blast, and be sure to drive out to the tip of Pt Reyes while you're almost out there anyway. And Shannon - I make that trip from here in Colorado! You can too!!
Mark Wolfe it’s really the best reason to have a PO Box. Especially important if you have Amateur Radio license plates on your car; otherwise someone can see you driving around, find out your address, know you aren’t home, and know you probably have a bunch of expensive radio gear.
@@osculant Oh good grief. Thieves steal things they can sell easily. Who are they going to sell a ham radio to? A thief broke into my car and stole a case of some very expensive optical equipment out of the back seat. They left it laying next to the car because they can't easily sell something that specialized no matter how expensive it is.
Tnx fer nice video. Loved to see a young woman interested in ham radio and morse code. This was my internet in the days of yester years making it possible to talk to people from other parts of the world. Happy hamming. 73 de LA1MSA.
Morse is still used in aviation to confirm VOR stations. The requirement for pilots to know MC is long gone so the dot dash pattern is printed on charts to verify the patterns broadcast.
Hi Shannon, it's really cool that your last name is Morse and you're a ham. I encourage you to learn morse code and get on the air with it! I enjoyed your video. I have one comment, not a criticism. KPH may well be the last remaining commercial station that used code, but there are tens of thousands of us hams who use Morse code to communicate daily. ARRL has a fully operational station in Newington CT that broadcasts practice code daily, and is open to the public. Station is W1AW. The VOA (voice of America) has a transmitting station here in Eastern NC that is still operational. There was 3 but 2 were closed, one demolished and the one in Greenville NC is owned by ECU (East Carolina University) . Interesting fact: ECU uses the facility to recondition the artifacts brought up from Blackbeard the Pirate's sunken ship The Queen Anne's Revenge. Many of the original VOA antennas are still on site and the local ham radio club (Brightleaf ARC) has reconditioned several of them and use them for events. As I said, not a criticism, but you sounded a little like you were saying that Morse code is no longer in use. It may not be in commercial use, but it is certainly not dead and i invite you to dig into the things we do now to keep Morse code alive. We say that when all else fails, morse code gets through. And it is true. When voice and digital modes may not get through, a Morse code signal will. Thanks. And i hope that you continue to promote ham radio through your UA-cam channel! 73 de N4PIR. (Morse for "Best wishes from N4PIR") Gary Faust N4PIR Cape Carteret NC
Maybe I didn't make it clear enough but I did mention that it's still in use today, just not commercially, as it was replaced by new technology. I did talk about amateurs like myself using morse code.
Absolutely brilliant that this survives . an important part of telecommunications history. One look tells me this was a professionally installed and well used commercial installation that carried a huge amount of traffic. Well done for bringing it to public attention . C'mon people visit and make a donation as you go in . guarantee its worth it
That gray machine looks like an old Mod 28 teletype. Haven't used one of them for many years. The paper tape punched with holes can be fed into the Mod 28 to "re-send" whatever was typed into the paper tape.
Very cool. I had a friend who was Norwegian Cruise Lines Chief Radio Officer. Every time he was at sea, i would call a shore station and pay to send messages to him in CW just to drive his shipboard radio operators crazy. They hated taking messages in code in the 1990's when direct satellite voice was available. 73 KD4VEG
Not only we share the same Interest on Sailor moon but even on things like these (which I am a oceanliners lover) and until the 20s they didn't have any other method of communication with land or other ships but wireless telegraphy in the form of the historic Marconi system.... Well I'll end it here I assume I know the rest of the jazz U rock just subbed to you even in this channel :)
16:18 data telegraph analyser if I’m not mistaken these were used for analysing the individual bits in a character the likes of which would be sent to a teleprinter. These units could show if there was mechanical bias created by delay or a teleprinter that needed servicing. I think they were called TDMS telegraph data monitoring system or something like that. It was a long time ago back in the 80s and 90s.
Wonderful video. I’ll have to visit that place. Thanks for sharing. I collect and restore the teletype gear that you were looking at in that station so that was really nice to see. Welcome to Colorado. W2TTY.
This is fantastic what a national treasure for the US. This is the sort of comms technology I served my time in the RAF as a comms technician working on. I worked in high power HF transmitter sites, communication Centers .... fascinating!
My dad was a CW radio operator ( Sparks ) and technician for RCA in the 50,s and ITT Communication in 60,s and 70's . He worked at Tucrten, NJ for RCA and ITT on Long island , NY at Southamton as operator and technician at the transmitter station at Amagasitt , 20 miles away from the receiver station . The transmitter station was keyed from the receiver station via land line (phone line) , with a high power. transmitter it has to be far enough away from the receiver station or it will wash out all the other frecs and you will hear nothing. You think you saw old radio stuff there , I would go with my dad to the transmitter station in the 60,s. I had two 300 foot high free stand towers in the salt Marsh a 1000 or feet apart with the antenna cable between them and down to the transmitter building and through the concrete roof to the transmitters inside , think there was 3 of them. The oldest one was built in the 20,s or before , very high power , high voltage , built in a wire fence room for safety . Had water cooled grass vacuum tubes , very large , about 18" tall and water cooled copper tubing coils , and probably other things too, was just amazing to look at and listen to the gym in the building from all powerful transmitters running . Every transmitter has its own sound on the air and every operator or ( brass pounder )has there own style of sending or ( fist ) . Then later he sailed many ships as Radio Officer in the 70,s and 80,s He was all over the World. He was the last Radio Office to complete a trip on the Marine Electric bulk carryer that sank after leaving Norfolk with a load of coal , only 3 suivers . He got off Norfolk before that bad trip , that was lucky as he sailed that ship alot hulling grain and coal . He sailed for Sea Land container lines , tankers , freghters, Pacific Princess . Charles R Nevel Gone now , ( silent key )
I found this by chance. My dad was a dedicated, licensed radio operator who obtained his HAM license by learning Morse code. He spent many weekends talking to fellow radio people around the globe, and occasionally he would allow me to say hello as well. You might want look into the modern evolution of amateur radio today. Apparently, it is possible today to send emails and VOIP over radio waves. This allows people in really remote places to communicate almost normally with friends and family. Perhaps a young viewer might pickup on it. Who knows.
So you know, the first commercial ship to shore station WCC, located in Chatham, Massachusetts is still there operated by volunteers as well. It is located only a couple miles from the spot where Marconi made the first transatlantic radio transmission.
Great video! Thanks for the tour of KPH. I got my ham license in 1978 when Morse code was still required. So, I have a love for that mode. And welcome to Amateur Radio. Hope to catch you on the air some day. 73, de ka4ezy. Mike
Go for it FCC technical licence not too hard study for a tech savvy person today on diet of UA-cam and Google, Hams are helpful bunch happy for newbies joining the ranks it's more cost effect than ever than when l started almost 30 years ago. Find a Ham club and go to Hamfest to pick up a cheap station.
I used that type of paper punch machine in 9th grade in computer class. We typed in simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems to a central remote computer via feeding that paper punch and waiting for a response. Was fascinated by that.
Great videos. Keep them up. I am also a radio ham in the UK. My callsign M3DOV. I like HF SW VHF UHF AM and also SDR radio aswell. I am 31 and got my licence when i was 14.
I've gotten a few comments saying that other stations do still transmit morse code and my title is incorrect and wondering why I didn't mention this. If you read the description underneath the video, and listen to my video in its entirety, I specify about halfway through that this is the last one that transmits morse code COMMERCIALLY. Yes, there are still museums and ham ops that transmit morse code - this I also mention.
UA-cam titles only allow for you to use a limited amount of characters, so each one must count. No title will ever account for everything in a video - so please - before commenting to criticize - watch the video.
Thanks!
It's a shame that you had to say this. Logic would imply that one should actually consume a piece of media before they give opinions about it, and some people simply cannot resist the urge to quickly comment and display their approximate and inaccurate understanding to everyone. It's lazy, it's bad, it's extremely common, and it is almost never addressed as the toxicity it is, and it is almost never called out. I mean, it's so much easier to ignore it. So, as someone who has to deal with these type of people frequently, I thank you for taking the step to actually address those comments and call out that ignorance. Bravo.
@@naikrovek thanks :) appreciate the support!
Picking up the history of Morse Code stations (especially the commercial ones) itself is so precious and this video is awesome. In Japan, commercial radio stations were all gone by the closure of the last station in Nagasaki called JOS in 1999. So Morse Code operators in Japan, including myself, are mostly military service personnel and the amateurs.
I even worked K6KPH twice in 2003 and 2014. So it's really nice to see a video of KPH. Many thanks and keep it up! 73 de JJ1BDX also N6BDX
I realize it's kinda off topic but does anyone know a good website to stream newly released series online?
Oh I watch it in its entirety. I’m still here to complain. I don’t care if you have thousands of messages and comments about this.
You either made a mistake or intentionally choose the most click bait title. I’m sure plenty have corrected you. Im not just talking about amateurs. This is very false internationally. CW and Morse are used elsewhere commercially and even wide AM and FM are still used. It’s during in the US but it has gotten a huge spike from 2020.
My concern is that your video isn’t inspiring anyone to learn Morse maybe even hurting.
Anyone reading this please learn Morse and consider getting your amateur (ham) license.
I got a Novice license, WN4BCG, back in 1972. Novices were limited to CW on the HF bands only. I had a beautiful Hallicrafters SX-101A receiver, and built a Heathkit DX-60 transmitter. That was the first year novices were allowed to use VFOs and not be bound to crystals for frequency selection, so I built Heathkit’s matching unit for my DX-60. The guy who got me interested in the hobby was a broadcast engineer for WSM 650 in Nashville.
You are making me feel ancient. I remember when that sort of hardware was new and shiny. Somewhere in the basement I have a morse practice rig with a hand made tube oscillator. Got that back in the late 60's I think.
Mark Bernier congrats for being online and even active at that age! My mother is 89 and online but does only write emails.
The Church of the Continuous Wave. I remember visiting KPH in the early nineties on a junior high field trip -BORING. Recently, I subjected my family to explore its holy grounds and I am True Believer. Thank you to the operators and volunteers that keep this time capsule alive and for featuring a local treasure. 73 from KI6HHJ.
17:32 I have no idea what this machine is, but I love it. Many satisfying boxes being ticked there.
The telegrapher's jingle: Who are we? Who are we? We are the men of the telegraph key. Long on brains, short on cash, three dots, four dots, two dots, dash.
I have been involved with Morse code since I was a kid. I was a Morse code instructor in the Air Force for three years back in the 60's and also have a general license which I haven't used in eons, WB3EMF. Your little ditty above reminds me of hearing it from a friend of my dad's who was a broadcast engineer in Hartford, CT Thanks for the memories!
Haha! ... .... .. _ As the ship's radio officer I was often called by the navigation officer on duty to help with aldis lamp. They had a great response to ships that wouldn't reply to the callup. ditdahditdahditdah (AAA) A no-reply earned "4Q2"
The HS band used to beat this out on the drum coming onto the football field. Of course many did not know the meaning. I learned Morse in 1965.
That was also part of cadence used by the old signal corps in the Army. Good way to find out who else knew CW when marching. I learned quickly not to do that near aviators, as they were also familiar with CW from chasing Navaids.
@@w2dsx Dude! That's too cool! That's how I learned CW initially, by (as you put it) chasing NAVAIDS back in the 80's. Now that I am a ham, I'm relearning CW. 73 de KI4BSW.
It’s great to see a young adult with such a passion. This is the last generation of electronics that techies like me used to repair before everything became disposable. Such a shame how money has become the key factor in the way everything is done these days.
I’m still repairing new devices. You just have to upgrade from a blowtorch.
To me, building things for radio has become a slight addiction! It started with "basic" Bazooka dipole coax antennas I could use portable and coil up easy. Then I was asking a local ham on air about the old school variable air caps I was looking at and if they were suitable for a manual antenna tuner @50w? I'd never even met him and he sent me a MASSIVE and hard to find 1800pf variable air cap as well as a smaller 365pf one! I'd share pics but "ewetube"... Then I made a couple 24' tall quad band collinears, then a "very experimental" VHF 5/4 wave antenna which I screwed up the 4:1 balun on and let the "factory smoke" out of my mobile radioooooo nooo OOPS $$$!!! 😅 Then on to kit radios. I LOVE scrounging for cool old parts that are useful from random electronics.
I am overwhelmed that that you took the time to support and educate the UA-cam community about Morse code and the the history of DATA transmission. Welcome to the club! N2KTO
David Hubbell MORSE
@@hymatwat9412 -- --- .-. ... .
Tory Boy .... . .... .
David Hubbell , Back in 1957 when I got my first ticket, CW was da bomb. It still is. de KQ2E
Overwhelmed?? Whut?
Lovely video! I will start my HAM course in a few weeks, and slowly learning morse, even though I don't have to. And if I ever get to the area I will most definitely visit this place!
I believe, the box kite was used by life rafts to drag a wire up into air to serve as an antenna. The higher an antenna is, the farther the signal will travel and better chance of someone hearing the distress call signal from the life raft.
My Dad was a long time ham radio operator. He was really old school, he had his Extra Class License and could send and receive code at 25 wpm. Hearing that sound again really brings back memories!
25wpm is darn fast. I copied for the Air Force back in the '70s. Your Dad could copy plain text at that speed, that is impressive.
Actually Morse Code was very sophisticated for its day. In the (ideal) Morse code one dash is equivalent to three dots, Morse reasoned the more characters in representing letters the longer the message would take to send so he identified the most common letter in the English language - the letter E = one dot. the letter I = two dots, the letter S =three dots, the letter T = on dash and so on. In our high speed world of 5, 7, 8, 16 and 32 bit code we shouldn't forget the ingenuity of our predecessors....
My kinda gal! She appreciates things that matter.
Definitely adding KPH to my bucket list. If you make it up north, check out the Spark Museum of Electrical Invention in Bellingham WA - it's right up your alley. Also, the Sunset Amateur Radio Club maintains W7BU in the radio room of the USCG (retired) Lightship Columbia, tied up adjacent to the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria OR. DE W7NRM
I like radio communication and doing setups and experiments, and I'm fascinated by this old equipment, I'm learning the Morse code and I intend to communicate in that way too, thanks for the video ... 73 from PY4VUA, Minas Gerais Brazil.
Nice presentation video and rememorable equipment to see. Worked 16 years at a Ships Message Relay Centre in Rotterdam Harbour (Netherlands) in the past, where some of it was used (Telex) and we forwarded messages to the Coastal stations worldwide to be sent out to the ships by morsecode. Nowadays morsecode is a nice part of my amateurradio hobby.
Thanks for the nice video, PG7M
Amazed me when I learned how multiplexing and modulation goes back to the telegraph days in the 1800's. Very neat! Thanks for sharing!
Information theory was in stone circa 1930s ie Shannon, Hartly and Nyquest it only took silicon 70 years to catch up to the theory 😁😂😃
Thanks for posting this! And congrats on getting your ticket, it's great to see a YL operator also! If you revisit KPH in video or whatever future endeavors, check out one of the former operators, Denise Stoops, the first YL operator at KPH when it was open. She was very involved is KSM/KPH after the revival, was once the "QSL Mistress" for the station and is usually one of the operators sending on Marconi Day and Night of Nights. There's a lot of other famous YL's in Amateur Radio and some have some great stories to tell also. Good luck with the hobby!
Hi Shannon. Great video. It's so good to see a younger person interested in how global communications developed. I was a Radio Officer on British Petroleum (BP) ocean-going tankers in the late 1960's and early 70's. I believe there is nothing like the KPH museum anywhere else in the world. That's a real shame. Please ask if you want some more background on the UK/European scene. S
Just a quick search on Family Search dot org shows that Samuel Finley Brown Morse (Great Grandson the "Morse" of the code) moved to Pebble Beach, California where he did quite well. You should do some quick research - it's another totally absorbing hobby you can get into. As an Army trained Morse Intercept operator, this was a great video. Thanks.
Well, now I'm even more intrigued since my father's side of the family ended up in California as well!
Wonderful. Excellent. Thanks for posting this. Yes, you need an "Elmer" to give a few tips on Morse, like gripping the knob of the key rather than tapping with your finger. ;-)
Actually, while Morse is hard to learn with a terribly steep learning curve, if you stick with it, it becomes more fun that you can imagine. The heck of it is that the fun of Morse Code is completely invisible until you get past 20 words per minute. Around 20 to 25 WPM, code becomes like a spoken language.
I had no idea this was the case until I got there. Nobody told me. Code was hard and required a LOT of effort but I kept at it because I wanted to contest using Morse.
One day, I was working in my radio room, the radio was on and tuned to the CW portion of 40 meters. I was doing something else, building something, paying no attention to the radio, and CW signals were beedling along in the background. Suddenly, words appeared in my mind, as though someone had spoken them! It freaked me out. It was the CW on the radio. I started to hear it like speech, whole words and phrases at a time, with no effort. Then, of course, the problem of speed disappeared. Fast code is actually easier to copy than slow code. The faster the better.
So, that's what's waiting for you, if you pursue it. :-)
TNX AGN VY 73 DE PHIL, KW2P
Wonderful, sadly when I visited it was closed. I peeked through the windows and saw some amazing equipment. The antenna farm is amazing as well.
The building reminds me of another place that has remained largely unchanged over the years - Felts Field, an ancient airport in Spokane, WA. in particular, an Art Deco clock tower, but there are other interesting structures.
When this is all over we'll be heading back to the west coast of the USA, and this will definitely be on our list of places to visit. Thanks for making this, Shannon, it was fascinating to hear K6KPH in the background sending a CQ and I hope to work them (and you) one day. You have a great radio name, as Shannon Aeradio (also known as Shanwick) is still an important station in international aviation HF communications for cross Atlantic flights. 73/88 from Colin, GM4JPZ/N6OET
Old? Can't be "old". No glow of vacuum tubes coming out of anything. :)
Cindy Tepper :You mean Thermionic Valves?
Thanks, Shannon! Good stuff. I got my cw license in 1971.I remember the thrill of working a ham in Bonn, West Germany from my little Heathkit 75 watt station and wire antenna, on a tiny Brooklyn lot! On the east coast, a fun day can be had at W1AW, the ARRL station. I remember thinking as I sat down, that I owned the bands. :) It's fun being on the receiving end of a cw pileup. 73 es 88!
I'm a 25 y/o ham and got my ticket when I was 21. I'm a total radio nerd and none of my friends get it. Lol
Great video on the field of Morse code (CW) and KPH. I've been a cw op for over 60yrs got started in the Army back in 1961. but still use cw even today. as an Amateur Radio op. and I personally think that it is not a dying art. in fact I see an increase in new ops all the time. and if you listen to the airways on Amateur Radio especially during contests. you'll see what I mean. it has tons of merits and it is not a dying art it is still a viable mode to know and use. have fun and thanks for sharing. de Ellis WA1RKS
Wow what an amazing place ,thank you for taking the time to share it with us ,I will do all I can to help support the station in the future .
I love your "geekiness" - and I will definitely plan a visit on my travels up the coast as soon as it's safe to travel again. 73
Thank you for posting this video on UA-cam. I'm a Ham and remember hearing some Morse code in the background of an old b52's song back in the day..... Turns out it was a “marker” signal from coastal marine station in Canada called CFH . Great fun !
It's great to see someone young interested in how things were done in the past.
SBF.
As a brasspounder, KPH's last transmission in 1997 made me cry real tears. What hath God wrought.
7:10 is that a Globe Wireless mousepad? I worked there for a while. I was at the WNU station in Slidell, LA during the big "Last CW Message" ceremony. My boss signed off one of the West Coast stations (it might have been KPH), and the station engineer signed off WNU. They had both been Morse Operators for those stations back in the day. Ah, nostalgia.
Thanks for posting this video! If I'm ever in the area, I'll surely make plans to visit the station. I hold an Amateur Extra license (20WPM) as well as a 2nd Class Commercial Radiotelegraph license. I just received a Kent telegraph key for my home station and it's a joy to use. I've been 'texting' since 1982. DE N4HPG
I just came across your channel today and have to just grin. I am an old-timer and seeing your enthusiasm for radio is so refreshing! Most of the new folks want to just bypass the things that started the beginning of our hobby. Thank you for showing me that all is not lost and that even if your last name is Morse, Mores code is the backbone of communication! BTW, you gained a new subscriber today too!
I learned Morse code in the Boy Scouts back in the 60’s. It’s been decades since I thought of it. Wow, cool video. Thanks.
John aka OldGuy - I too learned Morse code as a scout in the 60’s. My dad was a radio operator in the Korean War so he learned Morse code at that time, and taught me when I was a scout. We had a lot of fun making homemade Telegraph keys and sending back and forth from different rooms in the house. I also occasionally listened to ham radios with a short wave receiver back in the 70’s and 80’s and Morse code was very common. Sad to know it is falling out of use. I did not realize that it is no longer required for a Ham license.
I was a Morse Code operator in the Air Force and the instructor would say: Di Da is Alpha, everything else is different.
Basic/Advance Morse school was at Ft. Huachuca in Arizona.
cheesegyoza I grew up there in Sierra Vista and didn’t realize Morse code was taught there, thanks for the info!
I was stationed there for training in 1984 (Army).
In Sweden we have the World Heritage Grimeton (SAQ) which every year is broadcasting morse code. It was one of few ways for Europe to Communicate with America during WWII
I got my ham license in 1963. looking at that equipment, it seems like a pretty modern station to me... LOL AG0Y
How about doing a short series on the new generation of digital amateur radio communications and its application to IT?
Most people think of HAM radio in nostalgic terms, it is for old people, simply outdated. Not true. Since the early 1950’s HAM’s have been developing open-source modes of digital communications that are now standards in the communication industry. They are inventors. Morse Code is considered digital communications.
My first taste of digital HAM radio was around 1984 integrating the first digital packet radio modem to a Radio Shack Model 100 tablet battery-operated computer on the VHF bands. Mobile all the way.
For the IT nerd, understand that today, computer, networking technology, and even much programming is plug-and-play requiring limited skills and expertise. There’s little challenge anymore for the average tech. In comparison, digital RF communications combine IT, radio frequency, earth, space, weather sciences, etc. HAM’s with a background in digital communications are highly sought after.
When I interviewed IT applicants for our agency, you knew that a person with HAM radio knowledge and expertise would not be intimidated by cross-platform technology, new programming milieus, were creative problem solvers with strong interpersonal skills. They performed better during a crisis and worked better with diverse teams. Overall, they were better-rounded technologists, with many active in the community supporting local, state, and FEMA emergency response, providing non-profit technology support, and teaching.
You should check out Armature Radio. It is great fun, rewarding, and gets you away from the deteriorating world of social media. Obtaining a license is easier than ever and will help you develop advanced skills that set you apart from others in the employment market.
AR KA2OLL
I used to spend a lot of time running Olivia on 5MHz and worked over 500 miles with less than 100mW. We rock! :) de M0SNR
FWIW, in the early 80's when standard work stations starting showing up on our desks, no one wanted to "touch" those things. Since the Radiomen were around them 24/7, we "volunteered" to be the administrators. Though I was a RM/TC first, everywhere I went, I somehow ended up being the IT guy. Went to several IT schools while I as a RM/TC "A" and "C" school instructor out at Petaluma CA. Once retired, did a 10 year stent with Sprint as a switch tech but later went back into the IT world full time. So I agree, HAM ops fit right in with the IT world as long as they want to learn how to apply it just like IT types could be HAMs if they wanted to change hats from time to time. I still listen to HF and even fire up my linux skywave OS on a laptop, hook up my SDRPlay and run the wife crazy. 73's
Greetings
I am the longest serving active r/o
36 years now
I know a few that started about 1990 that are still sailing
My first ship i was 2nd op on a cruise ship in 86
I worked before that at 2 telegraph Coast stations
I sailed on 2 ships that were only cw 100%...
No satcomm sitor etc
I Hold the 1st telegraph (now called telegraph op) but serial number remains t1-hq
Just renewed my coast guard license
It's number 8 good until 2027 and still says radio officer
I'm shocked
My last ship standing a 500 khz watch was in 97 . 25 years ago
Seems like yesterday
73
Wow! Thank you for your services in the coast guard and aboard ships!
@@ShannonMorse
Hello Ma'am
Thanks reply
I'm Merchant Mariner not us coast guard
But they issue our documents
Shannon congratulations on your find. You really need to go back there and ask to have a tour of KPH's Transmitter station 20 miles in Bolinas. You were at the receiver site. Back in the day it was part of the RCA Radio coastal communications network. I live on the East coast in NYC. Back in the day RCA Radio Central out East in Rocky Point were the receiver site, and transmitter site, with a control point located right behind the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. I have been to all of them and like you as a young kid got the grand tour when all of this stuff was really in use, 24/7 365. Very High power equipment, And that is what got me on the path that I took to learn the art of high speed telegraphy. Those switches on the blue faced rack just above the table with the mores key, was used to Key the transmitters at the transmitting site. Go get a tour of that site. It seems you really would enjoy that part of seeing just how the signals got out to the world via those big transmitters. Thank you for the video. I really felt your excitement. If you do get an invite, ask for it during Night of Nights, I don't know if they still do that. you will not regret it. you Rock 73 :)
Great post. I love KPH! Such a gem in the Park Service.
wooow this......was....AWESOME!!!!! it was worth every second, i was glued to the screen while watching this im so jealous now. thank you for posting this video.
Thank you for posting! Great to see it all.
I was a radio-operator in the Dutch navy. Many memories again.
"The screen is so old, it's flashing "
"Look, there is a floppy disk"
Damn, i'm old now
So great to see your enthusiasm for the things we love. I’ve been restoring Teletype machines for a few years, and there’s nothing like the smell and sound of that era. Great job.
Thanks Shannon, I really enjoyed your visit to the radio station wow, ham radio an Marconi
"time portal back to the 90s" LOL I have shoes older than that!!
I was a 'Radioman' in the USN from '72-76. Got my amateur radio license shortly after I got out of the Navy. Those teletype machines and 'ribbons' brought old memories flooding back!
Thanks for the nostalgia.
Remember the Christmas time Teletype printouts? Very detailed, yards of tape. I operated a communications/facsimile broadcast out of Fleet Weather Central Rota Spain.
KYW 1060 still has the teletype sound in the background
Was a USN Radioman from 90-10, and went to teletype repair "C" school. Seeing those old Mod 28 units still running does my heart good.
My father was a radioman in the navy too. retired in '76 after 20 years. He taught me electrical theory when I was 8 and he had me fix my first tv at 10. He is Amazing. He's still here, just turn 80 on the 15th. I have to show him this video. He''ll cry with joy for sure!
Fascinating, thanks for this video and amazing tour. I recall I visited the living museum but it was closed. Now I want to return. Very good tour!
Im a former radiotelegraph operator student and am really amaze what i've seen on this video..thanks for uploading this video..from The Philippines🇵🇭
Very awesome! Thanks for the info! As a pilot, Morse code is used still to identify Navigation stations.
My Mother was Women's Army Air Corps (WAAC) in WWII. She taught morse code to aircrews. One of her students was Tyronne Power. All her life she sat with her key on her chair listening to TV and doing code. Albeit not actually sending code. When touring a submarine that was in port with Mom when I was as kid, she started translating code coming across their little communication center. The sailor was amazed, he set up a test, and let her send code. He said "you send code faster than I've ever seen". She loved doing code!!❤
Probably the fastest human sender and receiver of Morse code was Thomas Edison. He routinely sent and received 40 words per minute on the telegraph. Of course, he could only do that with another operator as experienced and fast. You might enjoy reading Tom Standage's book, "The Victorian Internet" about telegraphy, including the origin of Morse code.
Thanks for the tip! Ordered the book!
This was a great kindness! Thanks for all of this. I do like hearing CW in that two-tone style (Though others might find it annoying). It has a kind of “chime“ quality to it.
Morse is no longer used except by a few cw boys in the amateur bands.
That said, the annual 'straight key night' is a lot of fun. I use the old
reliable J-38 key.
From Way Back in the 90s....
Man, you made me feel so old.
" a time capsule to bring you back to the 90s" Aww, I was expecting to see a 486 running PSK31 and a Free Kevin sticker on its beige case. Wrong 90s--- or not. I commented too early. WOW!!! I would pay to fly to the US JUST to visit that place. Good find!
I was expecting something from the 40's or maybe the '50's. This really made me feel old when she was saying, "aw, look at these old boards. Wow, I Shannon, thanks for such passion about radio, morse code, and antiques in general. When I first started programming, my terminal was one of those old ASR-33 and ASR-35 teletypes hooked to a DEC PDP-8, and I used to fix them, the tape drives that loaded the OS, etc. Tech sure has come a long way...W5VCJ signing off
Please please elaborate on all of these things!!!! I am new, and have NO elders... I would LOVE to hear♡♡♡
Hello Shannon; Thank you for this awesome video and keeping this Morse Station alive . God Bless you and stay safe. Great job!!!
Great presentation! Thanks.
Looking at the "old" printers, computers, etc., definitely makes me realize just how old I am. (And you all will get ! :-) ) All this stuff was state of the art at some time. The old, much used Rolodexes were interesting.
Keep up the good work!
John W4KV
Shannon that was so fantastic. I love your enthusiasm. I’ve been a Ham since the later part of the 1960s in the Midwest of the U. S. I was first licensed as a Novice as WN9BUA. Then working on my knowledge and my CW speed I finally got my General class license as WB9BUA. In my younger days and practicing with W1AW I worked up to about 30 WPM. It was so much fun. Since I’ve moved west to Arizona and now for the last 25 years or so I am now licensed as an Extra class as WA7PTG in SoCal (some years ago an amateur came back phonetically to me as ‘Push To Gab’ for my PTG call sign). I kind of liked that and will often use it during a QSO. Great work and video. Many thanks and 73s.
I serviced some of those computers and printers in my early days. :)
RTTY receive setup 40 years ago used to receive newswire services at 50 words a minute using Siemens 100 teleptinter, FSK modem and Racal RA17 HF receiver as part of our hands on lab work in 1st year college Telecommunications Engineering, bonus points here if anyone knows what I'm talking about 😁😂😃
@@phoneticau yes im a ham operator, I still do RTTY and talk on HF every day :)
im lost I remember my first introduction to ham radio at 18 years old or so. I was in a hams garage who was printing out teletype messages from the front lines and I forget what war but he was taking messages from soldiers and passing them on to their families. Seeing that shack, the equipment and the teletype in operation led me to promptly get my ham license which I have to this day.
MARS Military Auxiliary Radio System serving the troops on the front line back in the 1960's I was up all night phone patching on HF. I used to drive my parents nuts with the noise coming from my little radio room in the basement. wow memories. I'm 66yrs now.
Flat out awesome! Thanks for doing this one. Former Army Radio Operator (1971-74). Loved Morse because, for some reason, I took right to it in entrance testing. I can still send & receive a bit. Excellent video. Well done. Again, thanks. I could tell you a few things about "old" machines. Made me laugh, young lady. Good to see & hear your enthusiasm.
This is where the characters in a post-apocalyptic movie are headed.
Love this video about the history of this station.
- 73's KD9EGI
You are such a positive uplifting and well spoken person. I always enjoy watching your videos. Thumbs up and subscribed.
Hey Shannon Morse, KM6FPP, I'm AA8VA, that was great! I love your unbounded enthusiasm for these these geeky things some of us enjoy.
I love cw and had respected KPH cw operation. I had some QSOs with K6KPH so want to visit KPH near future. VY 73 de JP1GUW from JPN.
Old school would be using your ears in heavy traffic using a pencil and paper.
Shannon: Love your spirit and energy describing the old equipment (90's) used by operators taking/transmitting morse code. I am a Army trained morse code operator (1965) serving overseas for 2 1/2 years listening to various operators(China, Vietnam, North Korea, etc) and this video brought back some fond memories. Thanks for being a "true" supporter of the morse code tradition and I wished you could have been one of my instructors back in Ft Devens, Mass., I would have paid attention more. Joe Murphy(05H)
I really enjoyed this video. Personally I would like to see more historical videos. Shannon if you can make more historical videos in the Denver area, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the work that you do.
Beautiful MODEL 28 ASR and REALLY slow 28 KSR. Having flashback to Teletype School at Sheppard AFB in the mid-80's. THANKS
I'm a licensed amateur radio operator, morse code is still alive and well! I have a 5W QRP transceiver and transmit on 20 meter and 40 meter every weekend.
An amazing story, and that gear is absolutely beautiful!
The main function of the Maritime Radio Operator was for Safety of Life at Sea, satellite communications spelled the demise of many jobs for the skilled radio operator, both on board ship and coastal radio stations.
I was a radio officer with Cunard Line 1977~1985 and so left shipboard life before the end of commercial MF & HF terrestrial maritime radio. Thanks for posting this, I now have to plan a visit to this museum as it was one of the many coastal stations I contacted when I was a Radio Officer.
I have a brother in Petaluma - about an hour from KPH - and I visit him most years. Super easy to fly into SFO, rent a car, and drive up there. If you're a radio person, it's totally worth it. I've been to their Night of Nights event, and also got to operate K6KPH for two hours on a random Saturday during a visit. They are very accommodating, and happy to have visitors. Total blast, and be sure to drive out to the tip of Pt Reyes while you're almost out there anyway. And Shannon - I make that trip from here in Colorado! You can too!!
In 1982, in the navy, I could write incoming messages at a speed of 140 letters per minute, I am 62 years old and I still haven't forgotten.
Very nostalgic, looks like I saw a kenwood R5000 receiver by the morse padlde, which I think came out in the 80's.
Use a post office box to update the address to get rid of the creepers.
Mark Wolfe it’s really the best reason to have a PO Box. Especially important if you have Amateur Radio license plates on your car; otherwise someone can see you driving around, find out your address, know you aren’t home, and know you probably have a bunch of expensive radio gear.
@@osculant Oh good grief. Thieves steal things they can sell easily. Who are they going to sell a ham radio to? A thief broke into my car and stole a case of some very expensive optical equipment out of the back seat. They left it laying next to the car because they can't easily sell something that specialized no matter how expensive it is.
Tnx fer nice video. Loved to see a young woman interested in ham radio and morse code. This was my internet in the days of yester years making it possible to talk to people from other parts of the world. Happy hamming. 73 de LA1MSA.
Morse is still used in aviation to confirm VOR stations. The requirement for pilots to know MC is long gone so the dot dash pattern is printed on charts to verify the patterns broadcast.
Hi Shannon, it's really cool that your last name is Morse and you're a ham. I encourage you to learn morse code and get on the air with it!
I enjoyed your video. I have one comment, not a criticism. KPH may well be the last remaining commercial station that used code, but there are tens of thousands of us hams who use Morse code to communicate daily. ARRL has a fully operational station in Newington CT that broadcasts practice code daily, and is open to the public. Station is W1AW. The VOA (voice of America) has a transmitting station here in Eastern NC that is still operational. There was 3 but 2 were closed, one demolished and the one in Greenville NC is owned by ECU (East Carolina University) . Interesting fact: ECU uses the facility to recondition the artifacts brought up from Blackbeard the Pirate's sunken ship The Queen Anne's Revenge. Many of the original VOA antennas are still on site and the local ham radio club (Brightleaf ARC) has reconditioned several of them and use them for events.
As I said, not a criticism, but you sounded a little like you were saying that Morse code is no longer in use. It may not be in commercial use, but it is certainly not dead and i invite you to dig into the things we do now to keep Morse code alive. We say that when all else fails, morse code gets through. And it is true. When voice and digital modes may not get through, a Morse code signal will.
Thanks. And i hope that you continue to promote ham radio through your UA-cam channel!
73 de N4PIR. (Morse for "Best wishes from N4PIR")
Gary Faust N4PIR Cape Carteret NC
Maybe I didn't make it clear enough but I did mention that it's still in use today, just not commercially, as it was replaced by new technology. I did talk about amateurs like myself using morse code.
Absolutely brilliant that this survives . an important part of telecommunications history. One look tells me this was a professionally installed and well used commercial installation that carried a huge amount of traffic. Well done for bringing it to public attention . C'mon people visit and make a donation as you go in . guarantee its worth it
That gray machine looks like an old Mod 28 teletype. Haven't used one of them for many years. The paper tape punched with holes can be fed into the Mod 28 to "re-send" whatever was typed into the paper tape.
Very cool. I had a friend who was Norwegian Cruise Lines Chief Radio Officer. Every time he was at sea, i would call a shore station and pay to send messages to him in CW just to drive his shipboard radio operators crazy. They hated taking messages in code in the 1990's when direct satellite voice was available. 73 KD4VEG
Not only we share the same Interest on Sailor moon but even on things like these (which I am a oceanliners lover) and until the 20s they didn't have any other method of communication with land or other ships but wireless telegraphy in the form of the historic Marconi system.... Well I'll end it here I assume I know the rest of the jazz
U rock just subbed to you even in this channel :)
16:18 data telegraph analyser if I’m not mistaken these were used for analysing the individual bits in a character the likes of which would be sent to a teleprinter. These units could show if there was mechanical bias created by delay or a teleprinter that needed servicing. I think they were called TDMS telegraph data monitoring system or something like that. It was a long time ago back in the 80s and 90s.
Wonderful video. I’ll have to visit that place. Thanks for sharing. I collect and restore the teletype gear that you were looking at in that station so that was really nice to see. Welcome to Colorado. W2TTY.
This is fantastic what a national treasure for the US. This is the sort of comms technology I served my time in the RAF as a comms technician working on. I worked in high power HF transmitter sites, communication Centers .... fascinating!
My dad was a CW radio operator ( Sparks ) and technician for RCA in the 50,s and ITT Communication
in 60,s and 70's .
He worked at Tucrten, NJ for RCA and ITT on Long island , NY at Southamton as operator and technician at the transmitter station at Amagasitt , 20 miles away from the receiver station .
The transmitter station was keyed from the receiver station via land line (phone line) , with a high power. transmitter it has to be far enough away from the receiver station or it will wash out all the other frecs and you will hear nothing.
You think you saw old radio stuff there , I would go with my dad to the transmitter station in the 60,s.
I had two 300 foot high free stand towers in the salt Marsh a 1000 or feet apart with the antenna cable between them and down to the transmitter building and through the concrete roof to the transmitters inside , think there was 3 of them.
The oldest one was built in the 20,s or before , very high power , high voltage , built in a wire fence room for safety .
Had water cooled grass vacuum tubes , very large , about 18" tall and water cooled copper tubing coils , and probably other things too, was just amazing to look at and listen to the gym in the building from all powerful transmitters running .
Every transmitter has its own sound on the air and every operator or ( brass pounder )has there own style of sending or ( fist ) .
Then later he sailed many ships as Radio Officer in the 70,s and 80,s He was all over the World.
He was the last Radio Office to complete a trip on the Marine Electric bulk carryer that sank after leaving Norfolk with a load of coal , only 3 suivers .
He got off Norfolk before that bad trip , that was lucky as he sailed that ship alot hulling grain and coal .
He sailed for Sea Land container lines , tankers , freghters, Pacific Princess .
Charles R Nevel
Gone now , ( silent key )
I had the pleasure of seeing both the transmitter site and receiver site for KPH not long ago. It’s good to be a True Believer! 73’s
I found this by chance. My dad was a dedicated, licensed radio operator who obtained his HAM license by learning Morse code. He spent many weekends talking to fellow radio people around the globe, and occasionally he would allow me to say hello as well.
You might want look into the modern evolution of amateur radio today. Apparently, it is possible today to send emails and VOIP over radio waves.
This allows people in really remote places to communicate almost normally with friends and family. Perhaps a young viewer might pickup on it. Who knows.
So you know, the first commercial ship to shore station WCC, located in Chatham, Massachusetts is still there operated by volunteers as well. It is located only a couple miles from the spot where Marconi made the first transatlantic radio transmission.
Morse Code, love the stuff!!! I'm so pleased MRHS has taken the place in tow and keeping it running. Thanks to them and the volunteers!!!! DE K7YD
I have visited Pt Reyes receiver site twice and enjoyed looking inside. I am a long time Amateur Radio operator.
Great video! Thanks for the tour of KPH. I got my ham license in 1978 when Morse code was still required. So, I have a love for that mode. And welcome to Amateur Radio. Hope to catch you on the air some day. 73, de ka4ezy. Mike
I’m nerding out a little! Still haven’t gotten my ham license but I have a private mailbox if I do get one so people can’t creep my address either.
Yeah, because it's a real problem for all of us hams whose postal addresses are public.
Go for it FCC technical licence not too hard study for a tech savvy person today on diet of UA-cam and Google, Hams are helpful bunch happy for newbies joining the ranks it's more cost effect than ever than when l started almost 30 years ago. Find a Ham club and go to Hamfest to pick up a cheap station.
I used that type of paper punch machine in 9th grade in computer class. We typed in simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems to a central remote computer via feeding that paper punch and waiting for a response. Was fascinated by that.
I shared with my USN veteran radio group. I would not be surprised if some of them pitch in to keep this sta. running.
Nice Find !
73
de NB8Z
Great videos. Keep them up. I am also a radio ham in the UK. My callsign M3DOV. I like HF SW VHF UHF AM and also SDR radio aswell. I am 31 and got my licence when i was 14.