Recollections
of William Hope, W2EWT (SK)
![Three stack passenger steamer](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/City_of_Detroit_III_S.jpg) Above: SS City of Detroit III ( WNCN) docking at Detroit, MI (1933). This was a paddle boat that sailed
between Buffalo NY and Detroit MI. > |
![Young man with glassses in ship radio room](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/Wm_Hope_S.jpg) Bill Hope W8EWT at the key in the SS Greater Detroit (WSBI) Radio Room (1933). The
receiver is an RCA IP501-A
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In the mid-1930s Lake freighters all used spark transmitters but passenger boats were not allowed to do so and
used modulated transmitters.
![The pilot house portion of the radio direction finder on the SS Greater Detroit](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/DF_S.jpg) Direction Finder in the SS
Greater Detroit (WSBI) Pilot House |
![Big open rack with two large meters at the top and a number of knife switches and other gear below](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/Batt_Charging_Panel_S.jpg) Relay rack in the SS Greater Detroit showing battery charging panel for emergency power
batteries. Motor generator showing below - (1933)
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![The 3 ft. high spark transmitter at the rear has two large meters at the top and assorted controls below. The KDWA callsign is painted on the wall.](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/1935_Radio_Room_S.jpg) Str. Standard Portland Cement Radio Room. has a Wireless Specialty quenched-spark transmitter.
Note double row of quenched spark-gaps on front panel at lower end. Gaps could be cranked in or out to change power.
Was a very late model. A sleeping bunk for the operator was just to the left. (1935) |
![Only the operator is visible through the radio room doorway](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/SS_W_States_Radio_Room_S.jpg) SS Western States radio room was very small - just room to get inside to operate - Svend Gormsen - Senior Operator (1933)
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![Two radio operators on deck with the bottom of one of the ship's stacks in the background](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/Leonhardt_and_Hope_S.jpg) Old-timer Senior Ship Operator on City of Detroit III (WNCN), radio ham, Charles Leonhardt “8QD” is on the left.
Bill Hope, W8EWT, is on the right. (1933) |
![Three radio operators on deck with the bottom of one of the ship's stacks in the background.](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/3_Wireless_Ops_S.jpg) Three Wireless Operators on “D
& C line” Taken on the top deck in 1933. Upper left - Unknown, Upper right - Bill Hope, Lower right -
Svend Gormsen
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![A 4 ft. high black box with two meters and assorted controls showing.](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/WNCN_RCA_TX_Front_S.jpg) WNCN “City of Detroit III” – Front view of RCA
Transmitter (4 50 watt tubes in parallel)
For 410 Kc, 415 Kc & 425 Kc - (1933) |
![Side view on the transmitter. Hard to make out the details.](../images/Personal%20Images/Wm_Hope/WNCN_RCA_TX_Side_S.jpg) WNCN “City of Detroit III” – Side view of
RCA Transmitter (1933) |
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WSBI “Greater Detroit” – Chief Operator Peterson.
“Pete” was a midget at 4’-4” (1933) |
![Table showing dates of W2EWT's service as a radio operator on 11 Great lakes ships <p style=](images/W2EWT-Table.jpg)
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Here's Bill
Hope at his ham rig in early 2006. He is
in fair health (for 94), and is on the air almost everyday (mostly on 2
meters) from his home in Buffalo. However, see p.s. below.
William Hope, W2EWT
March 2006
E-Mail to William's son Bob - Reconstruct
the E-Mail address: bob-at-rbhope-dot-ca
p.s. Bob Hope recently reported (01/2007)
that William Hope passed away on 12/25/2006.
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