Officially, on July 28 1999, the Canadian Coast Guard stopped the watch on 500 KHz. Here is a transcript of the last broadcast message:CQ CQ VAS de VCO VCO

ON DECEMBER 15, 1902, GUGLIELMO MARCONI MADE COMMUNICATION HISTORY BY TRANSMITTING THE FIRST WIRELESS RADIOTELEGRAPHY SIGNAL FROM THESE SHORES. FOR 97 YEARS WIRELESS OPERATORS HAVE PROVIDED COMMUNICATIONS DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA.

FROM SITES AT GLACE BAY, LOUISBOURG, NORTH SYDNEY, SYDNEY AIRPORT AND NOW THE COAST GUARD COLLEGE OPERATORS OF VAS AND LATER VCO HAVE ALSO DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THIS CONTINUOUS VIGIL. IT IS WITH BOTH PRIDE AND REGRET THAT WE REMEMBER THOSE WHOSE LIVES WE HAVE HELPED SAVE AND THOSE WE COULD NOT.

WITH ADVANCES IN TERRESTRIAL AND SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS WE NOW SIGN OFF THE MORSE CODE AS A PRIMARY SAFETY SERVICE TO MARINERS. TODAY AFTER ALMOST 100 YEARS CAPE BRETON ISLAND WILL FALL SILENT ON 500 KHZ. IT IS THUS FITTING THAT ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING CW STATIONS ON THE ATLANTIC COMPLETES THE CYCLE BEGUN SO MANY YEARS AGO.

AS MARINE COMMUNICATIONS AND TRAFFIC SERVICES OFFICERS, WE DEDICATE OURSELVES TO THE SAFETY OF THOSE WHO SAIL THESE WATERS. USING THESE NEW METHODS OF COMMUNICATION, WE PLEDGE TO MAINTAIN THE WATCH. GOOD BYE AND 73 AR DE VCO CL VA

[Station "VAS" which corresponded with Sydney, NS Radio/VCO on 28 July 1999 was NOT a marine station located at the Coast Guard College, but a special callsign given to the Cape Breton ham club for one day, and further permission was granted for them to drop the PREFIX of VE1 for the communications with Sydney Radio/VCO.

(VE1)VAS used a frequency in the 3.5 MHz Amateur band and not 500 kHz or any maritime service frequency. They identified on this frequency as VAS].

Copy supplied by Jillian Carson-Jackson Instructor and Program Coordinator Marine Communications and Traffic Services Training Department, Canadian Coast Guard College, Sydney, N.S., Canada

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An interesting note to the above is that Canada will still guard 500 kHz in the Arctic waters at two coast stations Inuvik Radio/VFA and Iqualuit Radio/VFF which work HF Morse on 4, 6, and 12 MHz bands and also Resolute Radio/ex-VFR which is now remotely controled by the Inqualuit/VFF. Additionally there at 4 and 6 MHz Morse operations to be kept in operation at Resolute also remotely controlled by VFF. So Morse isn't dead, and the Canadian Government should be saluted for recognizing its value.

Additionally, the two Canadian ships Quest will have a full time Radio Officer and the icebreaker Des Groseillers/CGDX will carry a Radio Officer in the summer of 1999 during the Arctic cruise.

The problem remains that the Coast Guard school in North Sydney, Nova Scotia hasn't trained anyone in Morse radio for the last three or four years. And the possibility exists that the station might get a call on 500 kHz Morse and not have a qualified operator. During periods of peak electron storm bombardment of the Earth, satellites have been known to not work. The radio frequencies that are least affected are the lower frequencies, like 500 kHz and the best mode, of course, is Morse.

Regards and 73,

David J. Ring, Jr.
Former Radio Electronics Officer
US Merchant Marine
 

This was the final QSO from Sydney Radio/VCO.At 010133Z Aug 99 VCO and COJA (a Cuban fishing vessel) on 484/480 (this is the Halifax/VCS transmitter at Sambro Head, NS) After giving the Cuban a QSL for the telegrams he sent VCO said:

COJA DE VOC. OM CLOSING AT 0300Z FOR GOOD. NO
MORE 500 KHZ AFTER 0300Z K

To which COJA replied:

QSL WHAT DATE K

VCO replied:

TONIGHT ADVISED YOUR AGENT (pause) DID NOT RECEIVE
ANY RESPONSE. THIS WAS PLANNED A LONG TIME AGO
BUT PERHAPS NO ONE TOLD YOU K

The Cuban finally replied:

R QSL QSL REGARDS 73 73

To which VCO sent:

73 SEE U

COJA sent:

TU dit dit

and VCO sent

dit dit

And that was it. The end of Canadian Morse on the Atlantic. Transcript provided by David J. Ring.