Ham’s Pirate Parlay
Even though the living history business is a little slow at the moment due to the pandemic, Blackbeard's Crew of Hampton continues to come up with innovative ways of promoting Hampton and the rich history we share. We are capitalizing on one of Hampton’s claims to fame, Hampton’s 400-year legacy as the city “First from the Sea, First to the Stars”. Blackbeard's Crew, Inc. is a 501c3 living history group dedicated to the accurate representation of seafaring life in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, specifically 1690-1720.
Even with a vaccine for COVIT 19 it will take time for life to get back to normal during the 2021 event season. So, we were looking at something to keep Hampton, the Docks of Hampton and Blackbeard’s Crew in the limelight internationally. The Ham’s Pirate Parlay July 24, 2021 may just fit the bill! Pirates have been socially distancing for well over 300 years aboard their sailing ships on the high seas. Amateur radio operators have been socially distancing for well over 100 years with the ability to communicate with each other worldwide including for a half-century with manned space flights.
In fact, much of the technology that we take for granted today was developed by the licensed amateur radio operators throughout the world and especially here in the United States. Amateur radio operators “Hams” also provide invaluable worldwide emergency communications services. When all other communication systems fail due to natural or man-made disasters amateur radio, which is anything but amateur, continues to operate thanks to very knowledgeable and dedicated individuals. It is estimated that there are around 3 million licensed amateur radio operators around the globe. There are also millions of other individuals that routinely monitor amateur radio broadcasts on scanners and shortwave radio receivers.
With the Ham’s Pirate Parlay, the members of Blackbeard’s Crew utilizing our 18th-century sailing vessel the “Adventure”, teaming up with ham radio operators from Central Virginia known worldwide for their KG4HOT 220mhz Allstar repeater system will truly be the “First from the Sea, First to the Stars”, from the Hampton River and Chesapeake Bay. During the Ham’s Pirate Parlay the mission will be to establish as many amateur radio operator contacts as possible from around the globe from Blackbeard’s sailing vessel Adventure while underway in the Hampton River and the Chesapeake Bay during the voyage.
Many have heard about PIRATE RADIO, but this will be pirate radio with a twist as it will be accomplished by licensed radio operators in full compliance with FCC regulations and all international treaties. And of course everyone aboard the Adventure will be dressed in full 18th-century pirate attire on the vessel and the Pirates will be firing off pirate cannons. And who knows, if NASA chooses to do so since the international space station is equipped with amateur radio and if the orbit aligns, from the stars the astronauts could join in on the fun if they choose to do so.
It will be held on July 24, 2021 broadcasting from the ship will commence as early as 9:00 AM Eastern standard Time. The ship will set sail for all parts of the Chesapeake Bay at approximately 10 AM after a brief shoreside ceremony complete with cannon fire. Pirates left on shore will monitor the progress of the ship utilizing both Marine VHF radio as well as 2 meter amateur radio communications equipment. A special event amateur radio call sign of W4R (W4Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr) has been issued specifically for this history making event. The Pirates of Blackbeard’s Crew will also “HAM” it up dockside in our usual manner prior to and after the Adventure’s voyage. As with anything pirate, cannon fire is always a necessity.
Call Sign
W4R
Frequency 1
7.198mhz
Frequency 2
7.177mhz
Frequency 3
14.255mhz
Frequency 4
14.260mhz
So in a nutshell, with a Ham’s Pirate Parlay from aboard our pirate ship Adventure we are looking at giving Blackbeard’s Crew, the Hampton Blackbeard Pirate Festival, the city of Hampton and our homeport dockage national and international notoriety in addition to promote of licensed amateur radio.
Also for those who are interested I have uploaded a video on YouTube of our Blackbeard’s Crew activities for 2020.
Please follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/blackbeardspiratecrew
https://www.facebook.com/blackbeardfestival
https://www.facebook.com/BlackbeardsShipAdventure
For those interested in living history and/or membership in Blackbeard’s Crew and the sailing vessel Adventure additional information and membership applications can be found on our website www.blackbeardscrew.org
Randy Gnatowsky “aka”Constable Heartless,
Captain Blackbeard’s Crew, Inc. and Blackbeard’s
Sailing Vessel Adventure (KO4BMA)