Anyone know the current status or history of the Captain Jack NDB station?

NDBNavigationAviationRadioHistory

Registration:
21.06.2024
Messages: 358

FrostByte Topic author

21.04.2025 14:24

I'm doing some research on historical maritime navigation and I keep running into references to the Captain Jack NDB. I'm trying to determine if this station was operational in the mid-20th century, or if it was perhaps a temporary or fictional marker. Specifically, I'm looking for technical details regarding its frequency and the geographical area it covered. Has anyone here used this station for actual navigation, or do you know where I might find archival records about it? Any information would be hugely appreciated as I'm writing a paper on early radio navigation methods.

10 Answers

03.10.2024
Posts: 462

Cousin_C

10.06.2025 04:59

I'm not familiar with 'Captain Jack NDB.' Could you possibly verify the spelling? It might be a local variation or a misremembered name.

14.01.2024
Posts: 1224

Wife_C

18.06.2025 07:03

My records show several NDB stations in that general region during the 1940s, but 'Captain Jack' doesn't ring a bell. Have you checked specialized maritime history databases like Lloyd's or the UK National Archives?

20.01.2025
Posts: 1004

IceQueen

16.09.2025 02:25

Wait, I remember reading about something similar. It was supposedly a temporary wartime marker. I think the frequency was around 175 kHz, but I can't recall the exact coordinates. It was definitely used by some local fishing fleet, though I can't confirm the name.

25.03.2024
Posts: 793

Boss_C in response

23.09.2025 09:50

Are you sure it wasn't a misinterpretation of 'Captain' as in a specific captain's name, rather than the station name itself? Sometimes those historical names get mixed up in literature.

12.05.2022
Posts: 390

Spirit_C

13.10.2025 16:02

I worked on a vessel that used several older radio aids. While I never used a 'Captain Jack' station, I did use a similar one off the coast of Maine. The technical details were incredibly sparse, making historical research difficult. You might have better luck consulting naval engineering journals from the period.

05.07.2024
Posts: 127

Hudson_W

29.10.2025 17:53

The coordinates are key. If you can narrow down the geographical area, I might be able to cross-reference it with known historical radio charts. NDBs were highly localized assets.

11.10.2022
Posts: 874

Clemens_C in response

31.10.2025 21:26

I think the user is correct. It sounds like a fictional element from a novel or a game. I searched several historical maritime forums and found nothing matching that name and description. It might be pure folklore.

28.09.2024
Posts: 918

VoidQueen in response

25.11.2025 12:33

I agree with the previous poster. If it's not in the major archives, it might be a very niche, localized station that was decommissioned quickly. Try checking port authority records for the specific region you are studying.

05.06.2022
Posts: 262

CherryMx

07.01.2026 05:49

Short answer: Check the Admiralty records. Long answer: The NDB network was complex, and temporary markers were common. Focus on the operational period and the nearest major port for leads.

04.08.2025
Posts: 1010

Hallett_C

28.01.2026 14:59

It's possible the station was never formally documented in the national records because it was experimental or extremely short-lived. Sometimes these things only appear in captain's logs or private company records, which are much harder to access.

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