Each November, the Livonia Amateur Radio Club operates Special Event Station W8F to commemorate the sinking of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. Club members communicate with amateur radio operators around the country and around the world, sharing the story of the “Mighty Fitz” and marking the anniversary of the 1975 disaster.
Visitors are welcome to observe the radio operation and learn more about amateur radio and how operators connect with others around the world. Operators who make contact with W8F receive a special confirmation certificate.
On November 10, 1975, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a storm while en route from Superior, Wisconsin, to Detroit, Michigan. All 29 crew members were lost when the vessel went down in 530 feet of water approximately 17 miles northwest of Whitefish Bay.