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SS Hope/WHNJ was a Hospital ship operated by Project HOPE. This vessel was originally the U.S. Navy hospital ship, USS Consolation (AH-15). Consolation was donated to Project Hope in 1958, and under its new name served from 1960 until 1974, when she was retired.

W1HNJ is the Amateur Radio callsign of the Mackay Marine MRU-19/20A console that sailed aboard the famous ship on her mid-20th-century humanitarian voyages.

  

The console is a featured exhibit in the museum at ChathamRadio/WCC, Chatham, Massachusetts.  The museum is housed in the former WCC operating building, under the auspices of the Marconi/RCA Wireless Museum. At its peak, WCC was the largest ship-to-shore coastal station in the United States, a legend among mariners plying the seven seas.

 

The WHNJ Amateur Radio Association commemorates  20th-century maritime radio, activating the WHNJ console on the amateur bands during special events and for museum demonstrations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Aboard Ship:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                  At The Museum

In use on HF:

*2013D1F Transmitter (1972) (retrofit)

*3007A Receiver (1957)

*MR-560-D Power Supply (1959)

*1706 HF/MF Selector

*515-4B Control Panel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adaptations for frequency agility and simplex amateur operation -

  • DDS VFO substituting for optional MR-513-7 Master Oscillator

  • Receiver muting (switching at cathode of 2nd IF stage)

  

Ship's Radio Console onboard the SS Hope/WHNJ
SS Hope/WHNJ Radio Console Display
SS Hope Radio Console

W1HNJ can be heard on the 80, 40 and 20 meter ham bands.

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