BALTIMORE — On Aug. 4, the United States Coast Guard celebrated the 226th anniversary of its founding. On Aug. 4, 1790 the U.S. Treasury Department created the Revenue Cutter Service to enforce newly-created tariffs on the high seas. Until the U.S. Navy was created in 1794, it was the only U.S. military maritime presence. It’s name was changed to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915 and it is the oldest continuous United States military sea service. The Coast Guard has seen action in every major U.S. military action since the War of 1812. Today the mission of the U.S. Coast Guard includes search and rescue, coastal security, drug and migrant interdiction, marine environmental protection, maritime safety, enforcement of U.S. maritime regulations, and military action when necessary. The Easton Amateur Radio Society commemorated this occasion by operating a Special Event Station aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Taney, located at Pier 5 at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. The station operated under the call sign W3T from the radio room of the Taney and communicated with other Amateur Radio Stations all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. Operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 231 Amateur stations were contacted. Launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1936, the Taney is 327 feet in length. It was de-commissioned in 1986 in Baltimore, where it is now a floating museum. The Taney has the distinction of being the only ship still afloat that saw action during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec.7, 1941. If requested, a special QSL card will be available to every amateur operator who made a radio contact with W3T. The cards are an old tradition that dates back to the early days of radio. Many listeners would send cards to radio stations confirming that they had actually heard their broadcasts. Many amateurs still carry on this tradition. To learn more about the Easton Amateur Radio Society and amateur radio in the area, please visit the club website, k3emd.com.