Museum Ships On The Air Weekend 2024
Museum Ships On The Air Weekend 2024
Every year, amateur radio operators from around the world participate in a unique event that brings together history enthusiasts and radio hobbyists: Museum Ships On The Air (MSOTA). This annual event, usually held during the first weekend in June, is a celebration of maritime heritage and the fascinating world of ham radio. It provides a platform for radio operators to broadcast from historic vessels, offering a blend of history, technology, and community spirit
What is Musuem Ships On The Air?
Museum Ships On The Air was conceived as a way to honor and preserve the history of naval, coast guard, and merchant marine ships that have been transformed into museum exhibits. These vessels, which once navigated the world’s oceans, now serve as static reminders of maritime history, anchored permanently at various ports and harbors. By activating these ships on the airwaves, ham radio operators help to keep their stories alive, sharing them with a global audience.
During the MSOTA weekend, participating ships are assigned special event call signs, and radio operators set up their equipment on board. They make contact with other hams worldwide, exchanging information about the ship’s history and significance. This event is organized by the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station (NJ2BB), and it typically features over 100 participating museum ships from various countries.
Awards
Plan on participating this weekend? If you work at least 15 different ships of those participating (listed below) will receive a certificate. You will need to send in your log with $5 to help cover the cost of postage for your certificate. Learn more about getting your certificate for Museum Ships On The Air.
Get on the air and have fun
Museum Ships On The Air weekend is a testament to the enduring appeal of both maritime history and amateur radio. It provides a unique opportunity for hams to connect with each other and the public, all while preserving and promoting the stories of historic ships. Whether you’re a seasoned radio operator or a history buff, MSOTA offers a chance to be part of a living history experience, bridging the past and present through the magic of radio waves.
Ships that will be on-air
NAME | TYPE OF SHIP | LOCATION | CALLSIGN |
K1USN | Watson Museum | Braintree, MA | K1USN |
USS Hornet | Aircraft Carrier | Alameda Point, CA | NB6GC |
USS Midway | Aircraft Carrier | San Diego, CA | NI6IW |
USS Lexington | Aircraft Carrier | Corpus Christi, TX | W5LEX |
USS Yorktown | Aircraft Carrier | Charleston, SC | WA4USN |
ST-695 Angels Gate | Army Tugboat | San Pedro, CA | K6AA |
USS Montrose Memorial | Attack Transport (Haskell Class) | Montrose, CO | N0P |
USS Alabama | Battleship | Mobile, AL | K4DSR |
USS Massachusetts | Battleship | Fall River, MA | NE1PL |
USS Missouri | Battleship | Pearl Harbor, H | KH6BB |
USS Wisconsin | Battleship | Norfolk, Virginia | N4WIS |
USS Iowa | Battleship | San Pedro, CA | NI6BB |
USS North Carolina | Battleship | Wilmington, NC | NI4BK |
USS Tennessee Museum | Battleship Museum | Oneida, TN | W4BSF |
SS Col. James M | Schoonmaker Bulk Carrier | Toledo, OH | K8E |
SS William A Irvin | Bulk Ore Carrier | Duluth, MN | W0GKP |
Claud W Somers | Chesapeake Bay Skipjack | Reedville, VA | W4NNK |
CSS Neuse(Jun 1 only) | Civil War – Ironclad Gunboat | Kinston, NC | KN4RAM |
MV Iris-Joerg | Cargo Ship | Wischhafen, Germany | DL0MFM |
MV Cap San Diego | Cargo Ship | Hamburg, Germany | DL0MFH |
USCG Ingham | CG Cutter | Key West, FL | NR4DL |
USS Potomac | CG Cutter/Pres. Yacht | Oakland, CA. | NE6JP |
USS Indianapolis CA-35 Memorial | Cruiser | Indianapolis, IN | WW2IND |
USS Littlerock | Cruiser | Buffalo, NY | W2PE |
USS Olympia | Cruiser | Philadelphia, PA | WA3BAT |
USS Salem | Cruiser | Quincy, MA | N1SLM |
HMAS Vampire | Destroyer | Sydney, Australia | VK2VMP |
USS Turner Joy | Destroyer | Bremerton, WA | NS7DD |
USS Cassin Young Sat only 9am-3pm EST | Destroyer | Boston, MA | WW2DD |
USS The Sullivans | Destroyer | Buffalo, NY | K2EAG |
USS Orleck | Destroyer | Jacksonville, FL | K4D |
USS Laffey | Destroyer | Charleston, SC | NT4HI |
USS Slater | Destroyer Escort | Albany, NY | WW2DEM |
USS Stewart | Destroyer Escort | Galveston, TX | N5FKP |
Evelina M Goulart | Fishing Schooner | Essex, MA | W1E |
HMCS Sackville | Flower Class Corvette | Halifax, Nova Scotia | VE0CNM |
SS Grandcamp Memorial | French Liberty Ship | Texas City, TX | K5BS |
SS Hope Memorial Station | Hospital Ship Memorial | Chatham, MA | W1HNJ |
Krasin | Icebreaker | St. Petersburg, Russia | R1LK |
SS Sankt Erik | Icebreaker | Stockholm, Sweden | 8SØHRA |
Ernest Lapointe | Icebreaker | L’islet, Qc, Canada | VB2MMQC |
USCGC Mackinaw WAGB-83 (Maritime Museum) | Icebreaker | Mackinaw City, M | W8AGB |
SS Jeremiah O’Brien | Liberty Ship | San Francisco, CA | K6JOB |
SS John W Brown | Liberty Ship | Baltimore, MD | K8JWB |
Amrumbank /Deutsche Bucht | Lightship | Emden, Germany | DF0MF |
LS Ambrose | Lightship | East River, NY City, NY | W2AQ |
LS Westhinder II | Lightship | Antwerp, Belgium | ON9BD |
Borkumriff | Lightship | Island Borkum, Germany | DL0BRF |
USS LST-325 | LST | Evansville, IN | WW2LST |
LST-393 | LST | Muskegon, MI | N8LST |
Chatham Radio/WCC Station | Maritime Radio Station | Chatham, MA | W1WCC |
SS Selma | Merchant ship WWI (Concrete Hull) | Galveston, TX | W5MSQ |
USS Lucid | Minesweeper | Stockton, CA | N6MSO |
HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen | Minesweeper | Den Helder, NL | PA38AC |
HNMS Mercuur | Minesweeper | Port of Vlissingen, NL | PA6PARE |
Farragut Nav Training Sta.Brig | Naval Training Station | Athol, ID | N7F |
NS Savannah | Nuclear Merchant Vessel | Baltimore, MD | K3SAV |
SS Hohentwiel | Paddle Steamer | Bodensee, Austria | OE6XMF/9 |
RMS Queen Mary | Passenger Ship | Long Beach, CA | W6RO |
SS Rotterdam | Passenger Ship | Port of Rotterdam | PI4HAL |
HMAS Gladstone ) | Patrol Boat (Fremantle Class) | Gladstone QLD, Australia | VK4GLA |
USS Pueblo Memorial | Research Ship | Pueblo, CO | N0K |
MK1 PBR #105 | River Patrol Boat | Charleston, SC | WD4PBR |
PB Niederoesterreich (Jun 2 only) | River Patrol Boat | Danube/Vienna, Austria | OE3XNO |
Tall Ship Elissa | Sailing Barque | Galveston Island, TX | N5E |
MS Seefalke | Salvage Tug | Bremerhaven, Germany | DK100DDSR |
USS Ticonderoga (1814) | Schooner | Whitehall, NY | W2WCR |
USS Cod | Submarine | Cleveland, OH | W8COD |
USS Cobia | Submarine | Manitowoc, Wisconsin | NB9QV |
USS Blueback | Submarine | Portland, OR | W7SUB |
USS Drum | Submarine | Mobile, Alabama | K5LDA |
USS Razorback | Submarine | N.Little Rock AR | N5R |
USS Nautilus | Submarine | Groton, CT | N1S |
U-995 | Submarine | Laboe Germany | DL0DMB |
USS Croaker | Submarine | Buffalo, NY | N3ARB |
USS Albacore | Submarine | Portsmouth, NH | NM1JY |
Flore | Submarine | Lorient, France | TM2FLO |
HMCS Onondaga | Submarine | Pointe-au-Père, Quebec | VA2GNQ |
Nazario Sauro | Submarine | Genoa, Italy | II1NS |
S-61 Delfin | Submarine | Torrevieja Spain | EH5TOR |
USS Pampanito | Submarine | San Francisco, CA | NJ6VT |
USS Cavalla | Submarine | Galveston, TX | N5FKP |
USS Silversides N8SUB | Submarine | Muskegon, MI | |
H. L. Hunley | Submarine – Civil War | Charleston, SC | N4HLH |
Novosibirskij Komsomolec (B-396) | Submarine 641-B | Moscow, Russia | RU3AWK |
USS Thresher Memorial | Submarine Memorial | Kittery, ME | W1WQM |
“The Fin Project” | Submarine Fin Memorial | Seattle, WA | NR7WL |
CSS Acadia | Survey Vessel | Halifax Nova Scotia | VE0MMA |
USS Hoga YT-146 | Tugboat | N. Little Rock, AR | N5H |
USAT LT-5 | Tugboat/Cargo Transport | Oswego, NY | W2LGA |
SS American Victory | Victory Ship | Tampa, FL | W4AVM |
Red Oak Victory | Victory Ship | Richmond, CA | K6YVM |
