Marshall D. Moran
Encyclopedia
Marshall D. Moran, SJ was born in Chicago on May 29, 1906 and died April 14, 1992 in Delhi, India. He was a missionary
in Nepal
and founded multiple schools there, amongst them the St. Xavier's High School, Patna
.
He also was an active radio amateur and used the call sign 9N1MM, pioneering amateur radio in Nepal. This location made him one of the most well-known Radio Amateurs of his time, described and visited many times by American and European Ham Radio magazines.
in 1940.
In 1949, he was the first Jesuit to enter Nepal since 1721 and the first Roman Catholic Priest since 1810.
He was awarded the ARRL International Humanitarian Award
by the American Radio Relay League
in 1986.
In about 1950, Moran set up an amateur ham radio station in his St. Xavier school, south of Kathmandu. He is reputed to have conducted several emergency communications events, including involving saving climbers on Everest and the life of a young boy in a separate incident. Due to the remoteness of his location and that he was the only radio ham in Nepal for decades, many hams worldwide sought a two-way radio communication with him. His call sign, 9N1MM, his rare location, and his pleasant demeanor on the air made him one of the most famous radio hams of all time. When he traveled in the West, he was avidly sought as a guest speaker at meetings of ham operators. After communicating with Moran, hams eagerly sought to receive the QSL post card of 9N1MM as a souvenir.
Likely, Moran operated his radio in the absence of government permission for a time, but he was given oral and then later written permission to conduct radio transmissions by the Nepali King in recognition of his Everest safety work. It is probable that he died before the Nepali government had a legal mechanism to grant formal ham radio licenses. Nevertheless, Father Moran was widely loved in the worldwide ham radio community and, even now (2010) is cited as exemplary of the best of amateur ham radio operators and the ham communications code of behavior.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and founded multiple schools there, amongst them the St. Xavier's High School, Patna
St. Xavier's High School, Patna
St. Xavier's High School is the oldest Jesuit school in the city of Patna, India, established by missionaries from the American Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.-History:...
.
He also was an active radio amateur and used the call sign 9N1MM, pioneering amateur radio in Nepal. This location made him one of the most well-known Radio Amateurs of his time, described and visited many times by American and European Ham Radio magazines.
Biography
He founded St. Xavier's High School, PatnaSt. Xavier's High School, Patna
St. Xavier's High School is the oldest Jesuit school in the city of Patna, India, established by missionaries from the American Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus.-History:...
in 1940.
In 1949, he was the first Jesuit to enter Nepal since 1721 and the first Roman Catholic Priest since 1810.
He was awarded the ARRL International Humanitarian Award
ARRL International Humanitarian Award
The ARRL International Humanitarian Award is an award by the American Radio Relay League given toIts criteria state that- Nobable Radio Amateurs who received the ARRL International Humanitarian Award :* Father Moran 9N1MM, 1986- External links :*...
by the American Radio Relay League
American Radio Relay League
The American Radio Relay League is the largest membership association of amateur radio enthusiasts in the USA. ARRL is a non-profit organization, and was founded in May 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim of Hartford, Connecticut...
in 1986.
In about 1950, Moran set up an amateur ham radio station in his St. Xavier school, south of Kathmandu. He is reputed to have conducted several emergency communications events, including involving saving climbers on Everest and the life of a young boy in a separate incident. Due to the remoteness of his location and that he was the only radio ham in Nepal for decades, many hams worldwide sought a two-way radio communication with him. His call sign, 9N1MM, his rare location, and his pleasant demeanor on the air made him one of the most famous radio hams of all time. When he traveled in the West, he was avidly sought as a guest speaker at meetings of ham operators. After communicating with Moran, hams eagerly sought to receive the QSL post card of 9N1MM as a souvenir.
Likely, Moran operated his radio in the absence of government permission for a time, but he was given oral and then later written permission to conduct radio transmissions by the Nepali King in recognition of his Everest safety work. It is probable that he died before the Nepali government had a legal mechanism to grant formal ham radio licenses. Nevertheless, Father Moran was widely loved in the worldwide ham radio community and, even now (2010) is cited as exemplary of the best of amateur ham radio operators and the ham communications code of behavior.
External links
- Biography from the Nepal Jesuit Society
- Biography stressing his radio amateur activity
- Father Moran's QSL card
- ARRL International Humanitarian Award criteria
