Marconi Conference Center

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Maritime Radio Historical Society returns to Marconi for Shore to Ship transmissions!


On Sunday, 26 February, 2006 KPH returned to Marshall, CA for the first time since 1942.

KPH arrived in West Marin county from Daly City in the early 1920s and took up residence at the Marconi point-to-point receive site in Marshall. There it remained until 1942 when it was closed for the duration of WWII. After the war, KPH moved to the receive site on the Pt. Reyes peninsula where it remained until the station closed in 1997.

Marconi Conference Center recently restored one of the two Marconi cottages on the property and invited the Maritime Radio Historical Society to participate in the dedication of the cottage by returning KPH to the air from its old home. This we were glad to do, using equipment appropriate to 1942.

(Photos courtesy of Richard Dillman)  
 
HRO-5 receiver		  A HRO-5 receiver was used for high frequency reception on 6Mc and 7Mc. Signals from SS Lane Victory in San Pedro, CA were copied on this  receiver. Note the green eyeshade, standard radiotelegrapher equipment, atop the speaker. To the left of the receiver may be seen a land line telegraph sounder in a resonator. The sounder itself is an original KPH artifact. Period photos show very similar sounders and resonators in use at Marshall. The vintage pencil sharpener is available to perk up any dull pencils in the area.
 
Transmitter control console		 The transmitter control console, built by MRHS member Steve Hawes, allows control of the transmitters in Bolinas via a telephone connection. The four panels in the lower area are tone sets, one for each transmitter and one to change the frequency of the MF transmitter. The switches above allow control of each transmitter.
 
RCA AR-88LF receiver		 A RCA AR-88LF receiver was used for medium frequency reception. Signals  from SS Red Oak Victory were copied on this receiver. Both SS Red Oak Victory and SS Lane Victory were using their original WWII vintage radio equipment. Messages of greeting were exchanged with both ships. Behind the AR-88LF may be seen the Boehme keying head that sent out a continuous message when ships were not being worked, using a punched paper tape.
 
Chief Operator Richard Dillman copying an incoming message		 Chief Operator Richard Dillman prepares to copy an incoming message on a 
vintage Underwood "mill" (radio typewriter). Note the green eyeshade, pencil at the ready and Western Electric head telephones (period photos show operators at Marshall using this model).
 
Denice Stoops copying an incoming message		 Denice Stoops copies an incoming message on the "mill". Note the radio room clock atop the AR-88LF with markings for the silent period on 500kc,  the international distress frequency for Morse code.
 
Tom Horsfall with an RCA "K" transmitter set		 Mr. Tom Horsfall, president, Maritime Radio Historical Society.  Tom worked with Carola DeRooy, archivist at the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, to select historic photos which were incorporated into two professionally done interpretive panels that were a major part of the dedication. In this photo Tom is doing what he likes best - tuning up a classic transmitter, in this case an RCA "K" set at Bolinas, which he and Steve Hawes restored to operation.