Photos of Coast Stations

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Transmitters, antennas.

WAG in Maine,  WCC, the big MF antenna and receiving cubicle, transmitter room.

WBF Boston Tropical Radio 

WSL

WSC

WMH

WOE

WAX

WLO

WNU

WPA 

KLC

any of the Mexican stations. 

KOK

KFS

KPH

KLB

any of the Alaskan stations. 

KUQ Guam

73

David Ring N1EA 

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

I am giving a talk at Northeast HamXposition, ARRL New England Division Convention,

Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center, 181 Boston Post Rd W, Marlborough, MA 01752, USA

A talk Saturday August 23, 2025 on

Commercial Radiotelegraphy, Roon Boxborough W5

Saturday, Aug 23

1:00 - 1:50 PM

I need 

Photos of Coast Stations 

[Ove Pettersen]

I remember most of these stations from my BARKALD/JXDI (ex SIGDAL/JXDI) years (1963-1966).

In your list I miss WSF (NY harbor radio) which I used instead of WSL when in the vicinity. They called me directly on 500 kHz once WSL sent them messages for us. A great service! Here is a little gem: https://www.radiomarine.org/incredible-radio-tales/wsf-1963-1968

I visited WSF at the time, and somewhere I have photos from inside the station. If I find them they will be posted.

73 DE Ove Pettersen

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[royh]

David, 

1. Please see radiomarine.org for photos of KPH and more.  This covers roughly early 1900's to present.  Please contact RD if appropriate.  

2.  For WLO info, is possible that Dean Sever on SS American Victory (Tampa) may have some material of interest.  Dean is a former operator and engineer at the station. 

You can email to:  w8...@tampabay.rr.com

3.  Re: KFS.  I have no photos, but have been at both transmit and receive sites.  

You can contact Paul Zell at: 

Paul...@comcast.net. Is possible he may have photos. 

KPH has a transmitter control unit from KFS. I remember seeing this at KFS maybe 1973/1974, at principal operating position.  

Later - it caught my eye when I first walked into operating area of current day KPH/KFS/K6KPH maybe 10 to 12 years ago.  Contains a rotary telephone dial, unforgettable.  

Could photograph that for you if it is of interest.  

Best Regards,

Roy Henrichs, WB6OVV

MRHS Operations and Maintenance, KPH/KFS/K6KPH

Point Reyes

--

[Richard Dillman]

Hi David.  I'm writing to add a little more to Roy's email.

The Historic Coast Stations section of our Website has photos and details of these stations:

KEK

KFS

KHK

KTK

KPE

KMI

WCC/WIM

WLO

KLB

WNU

WKR

MSC

NMQ

KUP

WSE

KLC

WPD

The Radio Archaeology section of our Website has photos and details of these stations:

KPH (early)

NLG

WSL

WVY

VY 73,

RD

On Fri, Aug 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM royh <ro...@aceweb.com> wrote:

David, 

1. Please see radiomarine.org for photos of KPH and more.  This covers roughly early 1900's to present.  Please contact RD if appropriate.  

2.  For WLO info, is possible that Dean Sever on SS American Victory (Tampa) may have some material of interest.  Dean is a former operator and engineer at the station. 

You can email to:  w8...@tampabay.rr.com

3.  Re: KFS.  I have no photos, but have been at both transmit and receive sites.  

You can contact Paul Zell at: 

Paul...@comcast.net. Is possible he may have photos. 

KPH has a transmitter control unit from KFS. I remember seeing this at KFS maybe 1973/1974, at principal operating position.  

Later - it caught my eye when I first walked into operating area of current day KPH/KFS/K6KPH maybe 10 to 12 years ago.  Contains a rotary telephone dial, unforgettable.  

Could photograph that for you if it is of interest.  

Best Regards,

Roy Henrichs, WB6OVV

MRHS Operations and Maintenance, KPH/KFS/K6KPH

Point Reyes

         

Richard Dillman

Maritime Radio Historical Society

https://www.radiomarine.org

[mike Gibbemeyer]

I hope someone records this seminar.

 I have a previous commitment that day and won’t

be attending.

73 de K1CW

On Aug 2, 2025, at 4:53 PM, Richard Dillman <richard...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Did you happen to meet Wendell Benson WW2G who worked there? 

I never got a chance to visit WSF, but I met "Wen Ben" and, I went to the http://vwoa.org meeting in New York City with him.  He was a fine operator and friend. 

73

David Ring N1EA 

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[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

WSF 1963-1968

by Wendell Benson WW2G

I was an operator at WSF from Oct 1963 to Sep 1968. It was known as NY harbor

radio although we did more than communicate with nearby vessels.

https://www.radiomarine.org/incredible-radio-tales/wsf-1963-1968

[Lawrence Cohen]

Was WSF formerly known as WNY?    I had been researching WNY.

I recall visiting WNY as a child while my father, MREO Irv Cohen  worked there in the 50s.  Top of an

old RCA building around Varick St if I recall correctly.   Located in what might have

once been a penthouse.  One flight of stairs above the last elevator stop.   Let me know if you think it is same place, different call sign.

Larry

WA2TRJ

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[Richard Ostrowski]

WSF was known as New York Radio a Mackay station.

442 and 500  QTC LISTS at 1405 and 2205 Sundays only on 2205.

Area Weather affected Ambrose Lt or Sandy Hook. Time 1405 2205 not on Sundays.

Station Mantger in 1958 was Mr. Bosson quoting Paul MacCarthy.

WSF closed May 11, 1988. I have worked both station in the past as my memory permits.

 

Charlie Zaug worked for the NY Times and an operator on the SS United States/KJEH.

He also sent press on Sunday from the NY Times Radio Station which could have been WNY.

Also my notes also show Charlie Zaug WHD – 13020 NY Times 1618 GMT. WHD call sign of Ambrose Light Ship.

 

Richard

N2NA/KJEH

 

=

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[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

WNY was RCA New York City 

WSF was ITT/Mackay New York City.

WSF had beautiful modulated continuous wave on 500 and 442 kHz. 

73

David Ring N1EA 

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[Joe Breyer]

Larry.

WSF was the New York harbor station for the Makay Co. WNY was operated by Radiomarine Corp. Of Americaa subsidiary of RCA.

 Your description fits WNY which was located on the first floor of a three story penthouse of the Holland Plaza building on Canal and Sixth Ave at the Manhattan entrance to the Holland tunnel. WNY handled traffic for ships within a two day sail of the harbor. WNY also relayed traffic for ships further out: to WCC/WIM for ships on route to Europe & Asia, to WSC for coastwise, and to WOE for ships in the Gulf of Mexico.

I was an 18 year old op when I was hired by WNY in 1952. I studied for my 2nd class radio telegraph license at the Manhattan YMCA technical school during my junior and senior year high school summer vacations.

A penthouse implies luxury, but this was not the case here. The rooms were old, dirty and hot in the summer

 The ceilings were 20 feet high, the walls were whitewashed with thick layers of soot. No EPA then. The typewriters were so worn out that they typed in wavy lines. The typefaces were so badly chipped from key clashes that the characters were hard to read.

One redeeming factor was a small window, high up. If you stood on tiptoes, you had a million-dollar view of the harbor with the Statue of Liberty center stage. What a sight when the Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth arrived.

I left WNY in 1952 to enlist in the navy. I could have gotten a deferment but I thought that was cowardly. How naive.

Joe N2LL

 

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[Rob Chamblee]

Joe,

Your story is similar to Barney Norris', who worked at WNU with us for several years at least 13, probably more. He had retired from the U.S. Government as a GS 15, I don't know what he did for them. He was a WWII Navy Vet, and  after the war studied for his 2nd Class Telegraph ticket at the YMCA in NYC. He lived in Florida for years and had two kids. He was a pilot and owned his own plane, which he took me up once and I got a great tour of South Louisiana from the sky. He was an excellent CW man and he created an automatic keyer paddle that had the two paddles articulating up and down rather than side to side. This was so his bug fist would not be affected by his automatic keying. 

Anyway, I have a great admiration for you guys of the Greatest Generation, of whom I was blessed to have had the opportunity to work with many of at WNU.

73

RC

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[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

RC,

I remember that key that Barney Norris had!

He had two J-38 straight keys side by side on a piece of wood.

Barney is in the front right of this photo. 

There's something on his right in back of the Olympia MILL, it must be his side-by-side key. 

FE is reaching for traffic from the WNU carousel. 

You can see my Slidell Radio archive here:

https://archive.org/details/slidelllaradiownu

Slidell, LA Radio, WNU was a ship to shore radio sta- tion originally founded on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The receiver site was in Pearl River, on Radio Road, later the transmit- ting facilities were moved to Pearl River.

It was originally part of the United Fruit Company's (UFC) network of radiotelegraph stations. Later UFC changed the communications facilities, to Tropical Radio Telegraph, and currently to TRT.

In the photo of the WNU Pearl River Carousel https://ia803100.us.archive.org/28/items/slidelllaradiownu/a_wnu_tfc_carousel.jpg

where the messages for ships were kept in alphabetical order, the operators are:

WNU - Clockwise from lower right.

Tony De Silva

Jan Edwards, W5EV (SK) - reaching for traffic from carousel.

Charles Shepard

Glen (Last name unknown)

Betty Crawford (ordinarily not a WT operator, although she was qualified with a T3!)

(To the right of "WNU"sign).

Mike Campbell

Jerry Leak

Frank Estrada (FE) - at carousel.

Barney Norris (FN)

Can't you hear the sweet 478 kHz tone of WNU? https://ia803100.us.archive.org/28/items/slidelllaradiownu/Slidell%20LA%20Radio%20WNU.mp3

73

DR 

On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, 9:23 AM Rob Chamblee <chamb...@gmail.com> wrote

[Eric]

Sadly WNU is the only coast station I visited, great tour including the transmitter site with Joe Penot’s brother….  sadly don’t remember his first name.   Joe was and ROU union official

Eric Weber

On Aug 6, 2025 at 8:56 AM -0500, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1...@arrl.net>, wrote:

RC,

I remember that key that Barney Norris had!

He had two J-38 straight keys side by side on a piece of wood.

Barney is in the front right of this photo. 

There's something on his right in back of the Olympia MILL, it must be his side-by-side key. 

FE is reaching for traffic from the WNU carousel. 

You can see my Slidell Radio archive here:

https://archive.org/details/slidelllaradiownu

Slidell, LA Radio, WNU was a ship to shore radio sta- tion originally founded on the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The receiver site was in Pearl River, on Radio Road, later the transmit- ting facilities were moved to Pearl River.

It was originally part of the United Fruit Company's (UFC) network of radiotelegraph stations. Later UFC changed the communications facilities, to Tropical Radio Telegraph, and currently to TRT.

In the photo of the WNU Pearl River Carousel https://ia803100.us.archive.org/28/items/slidelllaradiownu/a_wnu_tfc_carousel.jpg

where the messages for ships were kept in alphabetical order, the operators are:

WNU - Clockwise from lower right.

Tony De Silva

Jan Edwards, W5EV (SK) - reaching for traffic from carousel.

Charles Shepard

Glen (Last name unknown)

Betty Crawford (ordinarily not a WT operator, although she was qualified with a T3!)

(To the right of "WNU"sign).

Mike Campbell

Jerry Leak

Frank Estrada (FE) - at carousel.

Barney Norris (FN)

<1000004746.jpg>

Can't you hear the sweet 478 kHz tone of WNU? https://ia803100.us.archive.org/28/items/slidelllaradiownu/Slidell%20LA%20Radio%20WNU.mp3

73

DR 

On Wed, Aug 6, 2025, 9:23 AM Rob Chamblee <chamb...@gmail.com> wrote

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[Rob Chamblee]

Eric,

Art Penot was a Transmitter Site Tech. He trained me to work on the old Westinghouse Transmitters. I have fond memories of Art fabricating coils out of copper tubing, and applying his technical savvy to solving problems such as dis-similar metals causing heat issues. He succumbed  to esophagus cancer in the early 90's. 

73

RC

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[Lawrence Cohen]

Thanks Joe-

I think you have identified it.  I do recall Varick and Canal Streets names and

I do recall WNY fairly vividly but please keep in mind, I was perhaps only five years old when I visited.  I

didn't know the name of the building but think your description matches.

I recall the building as an old industrial office building- rather creepy place on the night shift.  Did RCA have

a school there?

  

The stairs above the last elevator floor had a strange niche in the wall seemingly for a statue or display.  Rather creepy.  

As I recall, there was an old fashioned

woven fire hose with a brass nozzle hanging in pleated form at the top of a narrow, plastered wall  stair case.

The place seemed very forlorn and dirty as you described.  

As you entered, there was a waiting room with old chairs and  an antique water cooler.  It might have been "new" when you were there.

I recall a small cooler compartment below the water jug, where you could  store a sandwich.  That thing might have been there in your time.

 The floor was black and white vinyl asbestos tile.  Rather dreary indeed.

 Beyond the waiting room was the radio station proper on the left side with a rather high desk with receivers.  The walls above had a clock.  Ahead was the "Marine Bureau", a single desk with a telephone and perhaps a morse key.  To the right were rows

of storage shelves with spare parts and rolls of wire. All but the operating bench was rather dim.  

 The station walls, were as you described- "white washed with thick layers of soot", I think mostly nicotine over

an ancient and sloppy coat of paint.  The op bench might have been two position with RCA (I think) receivers and keys. (My father, Irv Cohen, always

brought his own light weight, Telex headset which he preferred to the "cans" provided.  He also used his own Vibroplex "Bug")

.I do think there was a window   Past the op bench  as you described and I think a short set of stairs leading to the roof where there were some wire antennas and a nice view. 

 I am providing the above description because I think  there are

few still alive who might recall this and our recollections would otherwise evaporate with us unless recorded. 

 I hope my description is accurate. Feel free to compare and let me know if it was different or similar.  

I am thinking my visit would have been around 1956-57 era. You were there earlier.  

Larry

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[Dan Drath]

please record and distribute. thanks, Dan Drath, n6au aka DG

Sent from my iPad

On Aug 1, 2025, at 11:05 PM, royh <ro...@aceweb.com> wrote:

David, 

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[Dr.Hess]

I remember when Barney started working at WNU . The keyer he used then wasn't 2 J38's, but a box with 2 momentary switch buttons on it, side by side. One for dots, one for dashes. He must have gone with the 2 J38's after I left. Quite a character. He told us once of talking to his wife and her being upset or something regarding his living in the French Quarter with another woman. Then he smiled and sort of shrugged his shoulders.