A special event remembers the Monitor

J.O. Davidson's 1886 portrayal of the Civil War battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia on March 9, 1862. The battle occurred in the Hampton Roads harbor area near the location of the special event station. [From the collection of The Mariners' Museum, used with permission.]

The USS Monitor is famous for the Civil War battle between it and the CSS Virginia (which was the USS Merrimack before being re-outfitted and renamed). The advent of the "ironclad" ships marked a turning point in naval architecture. The battle of the two ships on March 9, 1862, was the first battle between "ironclads." After nearly four hours of battle, neither inflicted serious damage to the other. The encounter ended in a draw, although both sides claimed victory. The USS Monitor sank in a fierce storm 16 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on New Year's Eve, 1862.

On August 5, 2002, almost 140 years after the Monitor sank, The Mariners' Museum, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and US Navy successfully recovered the Monitor's 235‑ton gun turret, along with its two 11‑inch Dahlgren guns. The derrick barge Wotan, with its 500‑ton crane, was used in the recovery. The turret was delivered to The Mariners' Museum five days later and placed in its conservation tank on full public display. The museum has been designated as the Principal Museum for the USS Monitor.

The US Navy successfully recovers the revolving turret from its watery grave, 240 feet off the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. [From the collection of The Mariners' Museum, used with permission.]

Remembering the Monitor

The Peninsula Amateur Radio Club of Newport News, Virginia conducted a one-day special event operation October 19, 2002, to commemorate the recovery of the turret of the USS Monitor.

Operated under the club call sign W4MT, the operation was not only an enjoyable occasion, with plenty of food for all, but was quite successful. Contacts numbered 383, which included 158 on 40 meters and the balance on 20, 15 and 10 meters. Special event operations give a special treat for those operators who have not gained HF privileges to operate under the supervision of licensed control operators. To prepare for the operation, the museum's educational director, Anna Holloway, KC4ANN, gave the club a colorful and factual PowerPoint presentation to ensure that everyone operating the station could accurately answer questions on the air. Holloway remained present during much of the operation to field the especially tough questions.

The members of the Peninsula Amateur Radio Club setup for the all-day operation. Family members also pitched in for the project. [Sam Kennedy, KT4QW]

Due to the national and international media coverage of the recovery of the USS Monitor's turret, there was a lot of on-the-air interest. Mariners' Museum Public Relations Director Justin Lyons was very helpful in making this event a success. He provided tents, suitable power, certificates and prime accommodations for towers, antennas and operating positions. We have already been invited for a return engagement next year. With the operation completed and all the club's field equipment back in the barn, we were happy to sit back, fill in and mail out all the full color QSL certificates.

One of the operating positions at the event, staffed by (left to right) Bill Harper, N4JPH; Rick Thomasson, WB4GQA, and Anna Holloway, KC4ANN. Anna is the Education Director of The Mariners' Museum. [Sam Kennedy, KT4QW]

If you plan a visit to Virginia, include The Mariners' Museum on your list of places to visit. If you are interested in things nautical or historical, don't miss this experience. To learn more about the USS Monitor, visit The Mariners' Museum Web site.

Sam Kennedy, KT4QW, discovered the magic of ham radio in the late 1930s, prowling around the 80-meter band as a 7-year-old farm boy in Mississippi. After serving as an electronic technician in the US Navy, he was employed by RCA to work on military radio, radar and navigational systems. Originally licensed in the mid-1950s as K4DEP, Kennedy later explored other hobbies and interests, but after his retirement, he jumped back into the ham pen and upgraded to his current license in 1996. A member of the Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, he enjoys operating Morse and phone on HF and particularly enjoys the technical and experimental sides of the hobby. He can be reached via e-mail at xsamo@widomaker.com.

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