According to Richard Dillman, the transmitters will be shifted back to their originally licensed KPH frequencies. When it's all done, a Night of Nights level activity will welcome them back to the Pacific airwaves.
The KSM call, which is a valid FCC commercial telegraphy license held by MRHS, will be retained in case the KPH authorization goes away in the future.
From MRHS:
Marine station KPH began life in 1905 in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco (thus the original PH call sign). The station was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire and was rebuilt at Green Street in The City. It soon moved to Hillcrest above Daly City (south of San Francisco), then to the existing Marconi site in Marshall, Marin County, north of San Francisco in 1920. Closed for the duration of WWII, KPH re-opened in 1946 at the point-to-point receive site at Point Reyes, CA with transmitters at the original 1914 Bolinas site.
We felt ourselves very lucky indeed to be able to fly the banner of maritime communications high with coast station KSM. But we mourned the loss of the romance, resonance and rhythm of KPH. Several efforts were made over the years to recover the famous call sign but none bore fruit... until now.
KPH
provided continuous service from the Bolinas/Point Reyes sites until 30
June 1997 when operations ceased. The license had been sold to Globe
Wireless and with it went one of the most famous of all coast station
call signs - KPH.
The MRHS began its restoration program in 1999. It was soon decided that to do justice to the facilities now under our stewardship we would need our own commercial coast station license. We applied for such a license which was granted with the call sign KSM, ironically the call once assigned to a historic Globe Wireless station in Southern California.
We felt ourselves very lucky indeed to be able to fly the banner of maritime communications high with coast station KSM. But we mourned the loss of the romance, resonance and rhythm of KPH. Several efforts were made over the years to recover the famous call sign but none bore fruit... until now.
Several months ago the current KPH license holder made high level diplomatic contact with MRHS president Richard Dillman. The proposal placed on the table was that the KPH and KFS licenses would be modified to show an additional transmit location at Bolinas, CA with an additional control point at Point Reyes. In other words... KPH would return home just as Little Davey Sarnoff and Frank Geisel intended!
After a liberal application of smelling salts Dillman quickly recovered from his deep swoon and replied that yes, the MRHS would be very interested in such a proposal. The details were placed before the MRHS Board of Directors and authorization was given for Dillman to open official negotiations. A Memorandum of Understanding was drawn up and signed. An application for the modification of the KPH and KFS licenses was submitted to the FCC.
MRHS members watched the progress of the applications through the halls fo the FCC like vultures watching a ripening dead skunk. Earlier this week both applications were approved to great huzzahs all around.
> When Will The Change Occur?
The MRHS began its restoration program in 1999. It was soon decided that to do justice to the facilities now under our stewardship we would need our own commercial coast station license. We applied for such a license which was granted with the call sign KSM, ironically the call once assigned to a historic Globe Wireless station in Southern California.
We felt ourselves very lucky indeed to be able to fly the banner of maritime communications high with coast station KSM. But we mourned the loss of the romance, resonance and rhythm of KPH. Several efforts were made over the years to recover the famous call sign but none bore fruit... until now.
Several months ago the current KPH license holder made high level diplomatic contact with MRHS president Richard Dillman. The proposal placed on the table was that the KPH and KFS licenses would be modified to show an additional transmit location at Bolinas, CA with an additional control point at Point Reyes. In other words... KPH would return home just as Little Davey Sarnoff and Frank Geisel intended!
After a liberal application of smelling salts Dillman quickly recovered from his deep swoon and replied that yes, the MRHS would be very interested in such a proposal. The details were placed before the MRHS Board of Directors and authorization was given for Dillman to open official negotiations. A Memorandum of Understanding was drawn up and signed. An application for the modification of the KPH and KFS licenses was submitted to the FCC.
MRHS members watched the progress of the applications through the halls fo the FCC like vultures watching a ripening dead skunk. Earlier this week both applications were approved to great huzzahs all around.
> What Does This Mean?
The
approval of the license modifications by the FCC means that the
transmitters at Bolinas can be shifted back to their original KPH
frequencies. Future MRHS commercial operations will be carried out on
these frequencies under the KPH call sign.> When Will The Change Occur?
The
crack MRHS Transmitter Department under the baton of Transmitter
Supervisor Steve Hawes will begin the process of shifting the
transmitters to the KPH frequencies. The transmitters now on KSM
frequencies still retain their original KPH frequencies so the process
may involve "just" throwing a switch on the exciters back to the KPH
position, re-tuning the transmitters and re-tuning the antennas. As
simple as this may sound we have found by experience that no operation
of this size is as easy as it seems. So we expect the unexpected as we
progress with the frequency shift. However the Transmitter Department
has proven more than once that its personnel are up to any task so it is
with full confidence that we anticipate ultimate success.
Plenty of notice will be given of the frequency shift along with a list of the new frequencies. Be sure to watch for following issues of the Newsletter with full details.
> Celebratory Event Planned
We plan to hold a celebratory public event on the scale of Night of Nights on the day that we officially cut over to the KPH frequencies and begin using the KPH call sign. We hope to have as many KPH veterans on hand as possible to participate in this historic event. Keep a close watch on following issues of the Newsletter for full details of the date and time of this event.
> What's This About KFS?
Along with the KPH license, the license for KFS was modified to show an additional transmit location at Bolinas and a control point at Point Reyes. Selected KFS frequencies will be activated as the availability of transmitters and antennas permit. Full details will be given in following issues of the Newsletter.
> What about KSM?
The MRHS will continue as the licensee of KSM. In the event that we are no longer able to use the KPH frequencies (see below) will revert back to the KSM frequencies and continue commercial operations under that call.
Plenty of notice will be given of the frequency shift along with a list of the new frequencies. Be sure to watch for following issues of the Newsletter with full details.
> Celebratory Event Planned
We plan to hold a celebratory public event on the scale of Night of Nights on the day that we officially cut over to the KPH frequencies and begin using the KPH call sign. We hope to have as many KPH veterans on hand as possible to participate in this historic event. Keep a close watch on following issues of the Newsletter for full details of the date and time of this event.
> What's This About KFS?
Along with the KPH license, the license for KFS was modified to show an additional transmit location at Bolinas and a control point at Point Reyes. Selected KFS frequencies will be activated as the availability of transmitters and antennas permit. Full details will be given in following issues of the Newsletter.
> What about KSM?
The MRHS will continue as the licensee of KSM. In the event that we are no longer able to use the KPH frequencies (see below) will revert back to the KSM frequencies and continue commercial operations under that call.
