ARLA/CLUSTER: Aniversário da Santo Patrono dos operadores radioamadores

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe (SP3RN) Anniversary

8 January is the birthday of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe (SP3RN),
Patron Saint of amateur radio operators. To mark that date, as well as
the 75th Anniversary of the Radio Niepo-kalanów founded by St.
Maximilian, several special-event stations plan to operate from Poland
and Italy.

Twin stations: 3Z120SMK and II2SMK will be active from Kraków and
Varese, respectively, on 8-28 January 2014. Other memorial stations:
HF120MK SN120MK SN0MMK SN120MMK and HF0RN SN0RN SN75RN will be on the
air from 8 January to 14 August 2014. A Polish and an Italian Award
will be available for working the special-event and other associated
stations.

Father Maximilian was fascinated by mass media in the 1920’s and
1930’s. He established large printing plants in Poland and Japan for
his Franciscan Order publications. When he was on a mission to Japan
(as well as China and India), he got acquainted with broadcasting and
amateur-radio stations. That medium could reach those who were unable
to read in those years.

Upon arrival back in Poland, he applied for a broadcasting license.
The radio was a strategic medium in the 1930’s and only the Polish
Radio (1925) and a military radio station were permitted to broadcast.
Besides, amateur radio movement was thriving in Poland: clubs were
already established in Lvov, Warsaw, Poznan, Kraków, Lodz and other
cities.

Father Maximilian was permitted to broadcast test transmissions close
to the 40 m amateur radio band in 1938. His interest in amateur radio
has been confirmed by quotations from his writings. He chose the SP3RN
callsign for his test transmissions (spelt in Polish: Stacja Polska 3
Radio Niepokalanów).

Father Maximilian was murdered in the German Nazi Auschwitz
Concentration Camp after he had volunteered his life for the life of
another inmate, randomly selected for execution.

Beatified by Pope Paul VI on 17.10.1971. Canonized as St. Maximilian
Apostle of Consecration to Mary and declared Martyr of Charity by Pope
John Paul II on 10.10.1982. Considered a Patron of journalists,
families, prisoners, the pro-life movement and the chemically
addicted. Patron Saint of amateur radio operators.



73, Henry SP9JPA



Websites:
http://stmaximiliansp3rn.blogspot.com
http://sp9jpa.blogspot.com