Lightship Columbia - W7BU Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club

Columbia and bridge

The lightship is owned and controlled by the Maritime Museum, and is accessible only during some of the museum hours. The operators of the radio room are David KE7ZFP and Frank KF7NPC. If you are a licensed amateur radio operator and you are interested in operating the Columbia’s historic amateur radio station, contact us through w7bu@w7buhams.org and we will forward your contact information to Dave and Frank.

International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend – ILLW August 17-18, 2024

For ILLW this year, Kat KF7KAT, who travels from Newberg to Clatsop County on a regular basis to participate in ham events, spent the Saturday of ILLW this year on the Lightship Columbia. “I had a blast on the Lightship Columbia! I operated the radios quite a bit. Bands weren’t great but Frank had a bit of luck. It was an excellent experience, worth the effort. ” Also present were Bob Ky7LE and Ralph AG7FE.

Report from Frank KF7NPC to the Museum:

We had a good turnout/result from our 3 hours in the Lightship Columbia radio room Saturday, observing International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend. Under difficult atmospheric conditions, 14 contacts in 11 different states were made; New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Kentucky, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, Texas, Ohio, California, Pennsylvania,

One Lighthouse was contacted, K6AA, Pt. Fermin (built in 1874 – first keepers were 2 sisters) in San Pedro CA. at the entrance to Los Angeles Harbor.

Bob KY7LE and Frank KF7NPC were joined by Ralph AG7FE, Kevin KK7RUM and Tylor KG7UQB from the Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club (SEARC) and Kat KF7KAT visiting for the event from Newburg OR.

The steady stream of museum visitors enjoyed watching and listening to the event, some using the practice Morse code key to hear their names in Dits and Dahs.

Five of the museum visitors were Ham Radio operators and received “eyeball” QSL cards. These are to confirm radio contacts and are usually mailed to those that request them.

National maritime day May 19, 2024

The Lightship Columbia radio room was open from 1000 to 1400 today to celebrate National Maritime Day. CRMM had other activities available.

There was a steady flow of visitors from 1100 on. Nine tried their hand at Morse code, tapping out their names on David’s (KE7ZFP) donated practice key.

Five contacts were made between visitors; three Parks on the Air in AZ and TX (WB5WAJ/AA1SQ/NB5T), Noontime Net (in Idaho) and South Orange County 50th Ann. special event (K6SOA). All on the ICOM 746 Pro, 20 and 40 meters.

A highlight was Kim KA7OCC and Art KA7OCY staying in the shack for a while. This was Kim’s first QSL card (eyeball)!

73 Frank KF7NPC

National Maritime Day 2024-05-09 Kim KA7OCC and Art KA7OCY

World Radio Day February 13, 2024

World Radio Day 2024 was observed at the SEARC shack on the Lightship Columbia. W7BU was on the air from 1000 until 1430 PST. Bob KY7LE, David KE7ZFP and Frank KF7NPC enjoyed talking to visitors about the history of radio, it’s current roles and especially radio’s uses in marine navigation, past and present.

Contacts made included W7FBS, a School Round-up Ham Radio event from student run Forrest Bird Charter School Amateur Radio Club in Sand Point Idaho, AF0AF, a POTA (Parks on the Air) event station in Minnesota and N7JS, Jim, in Ogden Utah. Jim heard about our event from friends in Astoria and, through SEARC, found a frequency to connect with us on.

Thank you to the Columbia River Maritime Museum for the use of Lightship Columbia and advertising our World Radio Day event.

History of the Lightship Columbia (WLV-604)

In 1892 the first lightship station on the U.S. Pacific Coast was established to mark the approach to the hazardous Columbia River bar. WLV-604 is the last of four lightships to serve the station, 5.3 miles off the river’s mouth, and spent her entire active career there. She was the last operational U.S. lightship on the West Coast.WLV-604 was launched by Rice Brothers at East Boothbay, Maine in 1950. She displaces 617 tons, measuring 128 x 30 feet, with a draft of 11 feet. She had a crew of 17 when in service. Aids to navigation include a 600,000 candle-power light visible for up to 13 miles away, diaphone fog horns with a 5-mile range, and a radio beacon.The ship first took station in 1951 and last left it on November 2, 1979, after being replaced by an automated buoy fitted with radio and radar beacons, as well as a light. The Coast Guard decommissioned WLV-604 on December 12, 1979.

At this link is a more complete history of lightships at the mouth of the Columbia River:
seatosummitnet.wordpress.com/2015/09/09/1899-the-old-columbia-lightship-sails-over-dry-land/

Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club and the Columbia

Through an agreement with the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club activated the Lightship Columbia radio shack on May 11, 1982. The club call sign W7BU, was on the air at this time with Ed Aho, (NR7F) W7LY, as Trustee. The first antenna tuner used on the lightship was “Homebrew” designed by Phil Veek, WA7RXW. The first antenna used was a “cage antenna” and is still on the ship. The primary operators of the radio station for 28 years were Gene Brown, W7YCK, and Ed Aho, W7LY . Sadly, Gene passed away in 2010 and Ed followed in 2022. We miss our Silent Keys.

The Lightship Columbia radio station has been quite active in various special events such as the annual ILLW (International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend).

The art of radio communication is closely associated with the history of radio navigational aids provided over the years for ships at sea. The club has activated the radio room of the old lightship, using amateur radio frequencies and licensed amateur radio operators. The radio club trusts that one of the results of the project will be the retention of the nostalgic memories and experiences of those communicators who have served at sea.

Below are photos showing the SEARC antenna at the top of the Columbia. Click on the photos to see a larger image. There are more photos here from the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

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The Lightship Columbia was in Portland during the winter of 2021-22 for refurbishing. See photos below. And click here for more photos from the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

video of Columbia on the way back — The Lightship on the way back from Portland after her refurbishing in early 2022. Click on the image to see the video.

See below for ILLW report and photos!

At this link is a youtube video of the Columbia being maneuvered out of the dock at the Maritime Museum on the beginning of her trip upriver to be refurbished.

Here is a photo of her upriver waiting her turn.

And this one is in January of the Columbia in drydock:

The Lightship in drydock in Vancouver. Left to right are CRMM staff members Aaron and Patrick, and Bruce Jones, Deputy Director of CRMM.

The LNB (large navigation buoy) and the Lightship Columbia were returned to the 17th Street pier in spring 2022.

Lighthouse/Lightship weekend 2021

International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend 2021 (August 21/22) saw Neal KI7MCB, David KE7ZFP, Joe N7BF, and Frank KF7NPC spend 8 hours in the SEARC (Sunset Empire Amateur Radio Club) shack on board the Lightship Columbia making 24 contacts on 8/21 and 19 contacts on 8/22.

Two Lighthouses were contacted, Cape Canaveral, Florida (US0099) and Cape Mendocino, CA (US0095). Using the “spotter page” on the ILLW web site helped. We kept our operating frequencies up to date there also.

12 States (AZ, N.Mex, OK, TX, CO, UT, CA, AK, ID, NY, LA, FL). 2 Canadian contacts were in Manitoba and Northwest Territories. Joe contacted Roger (DL5RBW) in Munich Germany. David worked CW (Morse code), contacting Mike (WA7RV) in Payson AZ.

A highlight was KJ7WVZ, Lucas in Tucson AZ, making his first contact with his new General ticket!

A steady stream of visitors enjoyed our event, asking many questions about Ham Radio and sharing stories of family members/friends/neighbors who are/were Hams. Several ex-military radio personnel were glad to see the radio room in use.

A fun event. Thank you, CRMM, for the continued use of Lightship Columbia as our Ham shack.

Frank KF7NPC

Click on the photo to see a larger image.

Lighthouse/Lightship weekend 2020

Neal, KI7MCB, and Frank KF7NPC were on the Columbia from 1600 8/21 until 1030 8/22. David, KE7ZFP joined us for an hour Saturday am. We made 56 contacts in 17 states and 3 countries (Japan, Australia, and Canada).

We operated from 1600 8/21 until 0200 8/22 and from 0600 8/22 until 1030 8/22. We were off the ship before it opened Saturday.

We were unable to contact any other Lighthouses or Lightships.

Click on the photo to see a larger image.