Amateurs Among the Missing in World Trade Center Attack
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 13, 2001--At least four Amateur Radio operators are among the many still missing in the aftermath of Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack also destroyed the major TV and radio transmitting site atop one of the twin towers.
The hams reported missing include:
- Steven A. "Steve" Jacobson, N2SJ, 53, of New York City, a transmitter engineer for WPIX TV, and an ARRL member.
- William V. "Bill" Steckman, WA2ACW, of W Hempstead, New York, a transmitter engineer for WNBC TV.
- Robert D. "Bob" Cirri Sr, KA2OTD, 39, an ARRL member from Nutley, New Jersey. A Port Authority police officer, Cirri was helping to evacuate workers from the building when it collapsed.
- Michael G. Jacobs, AA1GO, 54, an ARRL member from Danbury, Connecticut. Jacobs worked at Fiduciary Trust Company International, which had offices in the World Trade Center.
 The smoke plume from the World Trade Center attack is visible in this photograph, taken from the International Space Station by Expedition 3 Crew Commander Frank Culbertson, KD5OPQ, on Tuesday. [NASA Photo] |
The collapse of the World Trade Center brought down the master TV transmitting antenna that served all but one television station in New York City, as well as several radio stations and amateur repeaters. "The broadcast community is in absolute shock," said Hudson Division Vice Director Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, who works for ABC News. "We all knew transmitter engineers, we all knew people who worked up in those towers near those big television transmitters, and they're gone."
Mendelsohn said many viewers in the Greater New York City Area who are not on cable can only see WCBS, channel 2, which has maintained its transmitter site on the Empire State Building. WCBS has offered assistance and space to help the other stations get back on the air from its site, he said.
"None of the other transmitters exist anymore. They're in the rubble along with the master antenna system, hundreds and hundreds of two-way radio system antennas, and boxes and, of course, untold thousands of people who perished."
There was cause for rejoicing in the case of another amateur who worked in the World Trade Center. Rob Nall, WV0S, reports that his friend. Herman Belderok, Jr KB0EEB--originally from Kansas but more recently living in New Jersey--managed to get out of the building just minutes before the structure collapsed.
Page last modified: 08:25 AM, 14 Sep 2001 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2001, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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