the line and checking for call quality) for the next telephone call that he wanted to complete. In all, there were about 5 people on one High Seas Telephone call, which made it a very public exchange. Amateur radio operators also provided free phone patch links for ships at sea from licensed hams operating ship radio equipment, but only if the message was of a non-commercial nature. For many military and maritime servicepersons, who waited in line for their chance to talk, it was the only affordable way to "call home". AT&T shut down all three stations on November 9, 1999. Ocean Gate Radio, the home of WOO at Good Luck Point, was made into a Wildlife refuge in 2003. In 2012, it was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In 2016–17, most of the abandoned antenna poles were removed, with the remainder kept as platforms for osprey nests. References Further reading External links High Seas Service Defunct radio stations in the United States Historic American Engineering Record in California