Special Events Station -- Update

As previously mentioned, I'll be participating in a special-event amateur radio station operation from the vicinity of the USS Nautilus and the Navy Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut, in August. The special-events station will be on the air, operating in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Pacific-to-Atlantic transit--through the North Pole--by Nautilus in 1958. That amazing accomplishment was front-page news all over the world, and as recently as 2001, it was named by Time Books as one of mankind's greatest adventures.

Good news is we have been given the names and contact info for the proper folks in charge, thanks to Al Charette, who not only is a volunteer docent at the submarine, but was the navigator aboard on Nautilus when she made that historic journey to the Pole. If you have had the pleasure of visiting the ship, there is a good chance Al showed you around. We have every reason to think those in charge will allow us to set up and operate the stations in a place where visitors will be able to observe what is going on. Not only will such an operation help to raise awareness of the significant anniversary, but it will also be an opportunity to give hundreds--maybe thousands--a glimpse of ham radio.

I am also delighted that Chuck Motes, K1DFS/NNN0HAL, and the Navy Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) group from the area have agreed to help me pull this thing off the right way. We anticipate having two well-equipped stations with capabilities for operating on several bands with good antennas and some power. Thanks to Chuck and his crew, we should make many hams around the world aware of the magnificent accomplishment of the men aboard that wondrous nuclear submarine. We will also be offering stations to whom we talk the chance to get a QSL card (confirmation of contact).

In writing THE ICE DIARIES, I have come to know several of the crewmembers, and that only gives me more determination to do this event the best we can. If you are a "ham," be sure to look for N9N (for "Nautilus 90 north") on August 2 and 3, 2008.

UPDATE OF ANOTHER KIND: If you read my previous post on the recent rapid changes in the music industry and in how people get their music nowadays, you might also be interested in the comments of a marketing guru named Seth Godin. He published these thoughts in his blog and also made them available in a PDF that can be read HERE. I could not agree more with his points. Though they are a bit long, I think you will find them fascinating...and right on target!

Don Keith N4KC