From

Had a query recently regarding OMIK... Many of todays roots go back to the undiscovered country, that place not made with terra firma, eternal in the ICE...

In a message dated 6/26/2005 8:14:31 AM Central Standard Time, Billy Ace Baker writes:

Before I first went to Antarctic the first time I was a Cryptologic Technician and basically we monitored the communications of foreign countries such as Russia. The keyboards on our typewriters and teletypewriters had the Cyrillic alphabet on them and I knew several thousands Russian words and a lot of Russian communications terms and operating signals. When I got to the ice one of the first things I saw was that on the weather circuit with Mirny that there was a lot of confusion because of the extra letters in the Russian alphabet that were just garbles to our operators, so I told them what to substitute for the extra letters and I introduced some of the Russian words and operating signals. During DF-63 the circuit was manual Morse code, but when I went back to the ice in DF-67 teletype equipment had been installed on the weather circuit and our circuit was terminated with Molodezhnaya instead of Mirny. I was pleased that the operating signals I had introduced were still in use, but I noticed that the signal OMIK was being used. I later figured this out as being a corruption for "Fine Business Old Man Over". (K being the CW equivalent of OVER, meaning end of transmission and an answer is expected) Originally the transmission had been "FB OM K", but at some point in time a "hit" had corrupted the space between the OM and the K and substituted an I, so the resulting: OMIK had became a form of salutation. Also all the Russian circuit operators were known as Omik.

I didn't tell him about ZAN Guhor. ZAN was a signal that the OMIKs at UFE used on the circuit and it meant "Z Absolutely Nothing" Sort of like QSA/QRK Zero. GUHOR meant all is dark and has about the same meaning. I remember seeing GUHOR a lot in intercept traffic when I was stationed in Germany. All the high speed CW operators who manned the AA2 Weather circuit at McMurdo were nicknamed Guhor.

Dive:

ZAN = ринимаете ли Вы меня?Я абсолютно ничего не принимаю

GUHOR = I don't hear you Я Вас не слышу

OMIK = Amateur Radio Club of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky.

How strange.

This is a message from my first Guhor ckt opr. Howard Wick when he worked for TRANSCOM:

Ali-Ben-ski. I took a colour copy up to the JMOC and gave it to the guys up there. A Lcdr I talked to was a helo pilot w/VX-6 and he "Summer'd" a couple times, I also talked to a female AF Maj. who had gone to the Ice as a Summer support puke. Small world. I see where Art Ellison joined as a Life mbr.
Guhor

This is a photo of Guhor on the AA2 ckt circa 1962. ZUI his beard? Guhor had a wristwatch that had no band. He kept in his pocket and it you thought he was scratching his gonads he would tell you that he was just "winding his watch". You can just barely see his speed key. ZAN GUHOR. Also note the roll of tty paper he has rigged to his mill.

Ali-Ben

THE COMMUNICATOR....from Billy-Ace...

I just got here to relieve the watch,
nothing is happening, at least not much.
The man at the desk passed me the word,
so listen my friends, here's what I heard:
"The broadcast is good, all circuits are up,
the coffee is fresh, pour yourself a cup.
All traffic is out, there's nothing to send,
we've got the beach fivers; got a cigarette to lend?
Your freqs are all solid, no gear has gone sour,
we haven't changed anything for over an hour.
The Bridge has been quiet, and COMBAT's asleep,
the phones have been silent, nary a peep.
The log's up to date, the filing is done,
so I'll see you later, and hope you have fun"

And with those fine words he did depart,
leaving the watch with a very good start.
A few minutes have passed, or so it seems,
When in walks the OPS boss with my first two routines.
"They have to go quick, I drafted them late,
so treat them as Oboe's, they just can't wait.
Yes sir, I replied, we'll get right on them,
I don't believe we'll have any problem.

I logged them in and said to the tape man,
do a good job; go as fast as you can.
He said that he would and as I flicked an ash,
the broadcast operator yelled "here comes a FLASH!"
Route it COMBAT, the Bridge and to OPS,
and hurry back, make no other stops.

He grabbed it and ran, wasting no time,
and then the phone rang, was the XO on the line.
"Got another down here, can you come get it?"
Yes sir I replied, be there in a minute.
To the wardroom I went for an Oboe no doubt,
and when I returned the broadcast was out.

Proofed all the outgoings, and got them released,
XO had another, it was really a beast.
Twenty addee's; can't find half the routers,
then in walks the SUPPO with four more outers.
"When they'll go out I can't really tell,
cause right now sir, we're busy as hell.

Send those four out and please make it quick,
I said to the Ship/Shore Op, who was getting sea sick.
But he replied that there'd be a delay,
for the beach had just gone down for New Day.
I wondered what else could possibly go wrong,
but lucky for me we didn't wait long.
For the next event in this strange episode,
came when those glorious "Snipes" dropped the load.

We lost a 32, a seven and a nine,
oh, why does this happen to me all the time?
I called the ET's and let out a yelp,
"My gear's burning up; I'm gonna need help!"
The Bridge called in, said their circuits were down,
"We're doing our best" I replied with a frown.
Them COMBAT called to tell me the same,
MY GOD! I think I'm going insane.

We brought all circuits up, with maximum power,
OH! Just remembered. Ain't checked my basket in over an hour.
Phones ringing again, the XO no doubt,
he wants to know if the traffic's gone out.
OPS boss called, he's got two more,
and some fool is banging on the door.

Broadcast is back, but getting tough,
we just hit a storm, the seas are getting rough.
Chief came in, wants to see the Pub Check-off List,
I told him that during the outage twenty numbers were missed.
Things are falling all over the floor,
and that fool is still banging on the door.
I pleaded and begged, "Please cut me some slack,"
oooh boy! I wish I was still in my rack.

My outgoing backlog now tallies eleven,
but the tape cutter has only done seven.
My incomings now number thirty-two,
boy! This place is just like a zoo.
Got six more Oboes to run around,
and the seas are really beginning to pound.
The storm outside must really be mean,
Cause my Ship/Shore operator is turning green.

Then all of a sudden the storm had passed,
And we got the beach on Ship/Shore at last.
The broadcast is not holding in tight,
everything's beginning to look al right.
Cleaned all the traffic and cleaned up the floor,
even got around to answering the door.
Service came in with all the numbers we missed,
and I finally signed off the ol' Pub Check List.
Slotted all traffic and routed the boards too,
and hey! Believe it or not we're QRU.

My relief just come in to relieve the watch,
now nothing is happening, at least not much.
Sitting at the desk I passed him the word,
so listen now friend, here's what he heard:
"The broadcast is good, all circuits are up,
the coffee is fresh, pour yourself a cup.
All traffic is out, there's nothing to send,
we've got the beach fivers, got a cigarette to lend?
Your freqs are all solid, no gear has gone sour,
we haven't changed anything for over an hour.
The Bridge has been quiet and COMBAT's asleep,
the phones have been silent, nary a peep.
The log's up to date, all filing is done,
so I'll see you later, and I hope you have fun.

Look at the kid who is about to bust Billy's scam, see Billy getting wise to
the kids discovery and trying to think of something fast.
Good poker player this Billy