Friday, March 27, 2009

1964 Earthquake Ham Radio Operators

Original image at NOAA website

My sister Alberta got me a copy of this audio file, that was given to my grandmother from the UAF archive. Since today is the anniversary of the 1964 earthquake and tidal wave I thought I should figure out how to post this file. My grandfather, Nick Laktonen, had the call letters KL7APH. After WW2 he was mostly blind, but he was very good with radios and was a ham radio operator for many years. If you listen to the recording you can hear him speak, beginning at about 5:07. I can hear him say "KL7 Alpha Papa Hotel...I am on top of a mountain..a tidal wave is reported headed to Kodiak..20 miles away..I am mobile, I am mobile. I am on top of Pillar Mountain." It kinda brings tears to my eyes to hear him from so long ago, and to hear the stress in his voice.

1 comment:

Ishmael said...

Wow, that's powerful. Thanks for sharing!