The Vision

It was over the Labor Day weekend of 2002 while watching yet another preview on the television announcing an upcoming 9-11 memorial program, I turned to my husband Art, K5DID, and said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if…” After 11 years of marriage, he has learned that when I get that passionate look in my eye, he has no choice but to hang on tight for whatever ride I’m about to embark upon! The rest of that day was spent planning a special event from the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club (PARC) station to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon, their survivors, and the Amateur Radio operators who responded after the attack to provide emergency communications.

Wanting to do something like this has always been in my blood I suppose, having been exposed to Amateur Radio ‘from the womb’ as my father, Ron Gorzynski, K8DID, and my uncle, Ben Wright, K9DID have been heavily involved in the hobby since well before I was born. I started out coloring in logbooks before advancing to holding up aluminum in the backyard while my father tried to work rare DX during a contest. Emergency response was a key element instilled in me at an early age and the hams who responded to the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, put into motion everything that Amateur Radio operators train to do.

On a Wing and a Prayer

I was determined to activate a special event station on September 11, 2002, even though that was a mere week away. Discussing the operation with fellow Alexandria (Virginia) Radio Club members Rick Bunn, N4AXY, Rich Adamy, KA4GFY, Ian Keith, N8IK, and Harry Jones, N4CWP, I received enthusiastic support. However, I was concerned about our ability to obtain the necessary clearances to access and operate from inside the Pentagon building at the PARC station K4AF so a plan was developed that this special event station would be comprised of operators covering all modes and all bands from where ever they wished to operate and thus, K4P, or K4Pentagon, was born.

The remainder of the week was a whirlwind! Through the help of other area clubs, the call for volunteers went out over the evening two-meter repeater nets. Plans were quickly going forward but it was still very uncertain if we would be able to operate from within the Pentagon. The PARC station wasn’t used much at that time and no one seemed to know if the station was still in working order. It was on Sept 9th that we connected with the President of the PARC who graciously supported our effort by allowing the use of the K4AF station. I was beyond excited that on September 11, 2002, the Pentagon would be on the air participating in the special event!

Due to the short turnaround time and increased security at the Pentagon for the other 9-11 memorial events, we were unable to gain security clearances for the other operators. Thankfully, Art works at the Pentagon so he was able to serve as my escort. Between the two of us, and the 28 other hams who volunteered to operate from their home stations, I was confident that we would provide considerable coverage on the HF bands for the 24 hour special event period.

Our first access to the PARC station, K4AF was just eight hours prior to the go time for K4P. While excited for what we were about to do, I was scared to death that something would go wrong, and it nearly did. While it was suggested we use the station’s Kenwood it just wouldn’t tune to the antenna. After about an hour of checking cables, reading the manual, etc., we headed home to rest, planning to return to the Pentagon later in the evening to get the station ready for the K4P activation.

Once home, resting turned out to be the farthest thing from my mind. This event had grown beyond just an idea of something important to me to something that was also very important to so many other people and a fitting thing to do for the Amateur Radio community. So many of the volunteers that came forward explained that they were part of the crew that responded to the attack and, “would be honored if I would allow them to participate” in this special event. Many friends, hams and non-hams alike, said that the special event would mean just as much to them as the memorials would to the survivors of the Pentagon victims. We had to get the PARC station on the air as a symbol to the world that Pentagon and its people were alive and well.

Arriving back at the Pentagon later that evening, we went back over checking cables again and working rigs. We didn’t have access to the Pentagon roof to check if things were good on that end so you can imagine our relief when a club’s Yaesu FT-1000 matched up wonderfully with a Cushcraft R-7 vertical. After a few QSOs with my father in Michigan and my uncle in Wisconsin as K4AF, with great signal reports, I breathed a huge sigh of relief as the clock neared our midnight local kick-off time.

Memorable Moments

Even now there are so many memorable moments of the event. We were aware of the memorial ceremony scheduled outside the Pentagon for the morning of 9-11, but we were not aware there was going to be a fly-by. I was in the midst of a QSO when I heard the roar of the planes approaching. Memories of the attack crossed my mind. Could it be happening again? The ham with whom I was in contact explained to me that he was watching the ceremony on television at that moment and that my keyed mic was transmitting the live sound over the air and, together, the fly-by was beautiful!

At 9:37 a.m., the moment American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon a year earlier, all K4P operating stations observed a moment of silence. The pile-up respectfully went dead as I sat there holding my husband’s hand with tears in my eyes. After a moment, an unknown voice came over the air proud and clear, “God Bless America!” Choking back tears, I resumed calling QRZ…

The wall of sound that comes out of the speaker when hundreds of hams want to work you at the same time is truly unbelievable and what a thrill! All of the K4P operators were moved by the size of the pile-ups, and by the outpouring of support extended to us. Rich Adamy, KA4GFY, and Harry Jones, N4CWP both expressed they had never expected or experienced anything like it. Jim Talens, N3JT noted, “At one time I had hundreds of stations seeking an exchange with K4P, and many of those worked offered short, comforting comments honoring the day and our radio effort in a common demonstration of support.” “We are with you on this occasion” was sent to CW operator Brad Farrell, N3BF from KP4P, and Bruce Plantin, W3BP copied “God Bless America” from a ZC4 station. Operator Steve Hawley, K4EU relates, “Patriotic comments such as “We are with you in solidarity” and “God Bless America” really made my day. PJ7/W1AB down in the Caribbean said that American flags were flying at half-mast there. “It is good to know that we are not alone in the world, notwithstanding the impressions we get sometimes from the media,” says Jim.

CW operator Hugh Maddocks, K3SS, echoes the feelings of many of the K4P operators, “When I was making QSOs with other U.S. hams, I felt that I was representing both the government and the military and that my operating should be of the highest quality possible. When I was making international QSOs, I felt that I was definitely representing the United States to the world.”

In all, Special Event Station K4P had over 4,000 QSOs in the 24 hour operating period. Most of the QSL cards received repeat the sentiments expressed personally to the operators on air. I am grateful to those who offered advice, suggestions and experience to help get this crazy idea off the ground. K4P would not have been a success if it were not for the operators that signed up on such short notice to give of themselves and their time. Lastly, thank you to the PARC station who granted us the ability to operation from within the Pentagon.

At midnight EST on 9-11, I officially signed off concluding the use of the special event call sign K4P and released the PARC station back to normal use. Calls of “73, Dee”, “Good night, Dee” and “Well done, Dee” from hams still on frequency again brought tears to my eyes. As I had replied so many times on air in the previous 24 hours when hams thanked K4P for being there, it was our sincere pleasure.

The Operators

Adamy, Rich – KA4GFY; Bedore, Cliff – W3CB; Bennington, Keith – KM4AA; Bunn, Rick – N4ASX; Callaham, Mike – NW3V; Cochran, Brian – N8FK; DeYoung, Jim – KG4QWC; Farrell, Brad – N3BF; Feinberg, Craig – N4WUV; Ferdinand, Gary – W2CS; Gorden, Howard – W3CQH; Hawley, Steve – K4EU; Hider, Bill – N3RR; Hoge, Jim – W3JJH; Hoge, William – KB3GHE; Jones, Harry – N4CWP; Lutz, Art – K5DID; Lutz, Deanna – K7DID; Maddocks, Hugh – K3SS; Nitzberg, Jim – WX3B; Perkins, Bill – KC4D; Plantin, Bruce – W3BP; Schneider, Steve – K3IZ; Scholtz, Bill – W3HXF; Smar, Gene – AD3F; Talens, Jim – N3JT; Transue, John – AF4PD; and Wiesen, David – K2VX