[ARC5] Seeking Extinct Wire

[Mike Feher]

Dave – I do not know if most on here are interested, so, I’ll reply direct after I get some breakfast. 73 – Mike 

 

Mike B. Feher, N4FS

89 Arnold Blvd.

Howell NJ 07731

908-902-3831

 

From: arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of David Stinson
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2025 10:16 AM
To: Mike Feher <n4fs at eozinc.com>; 'ARC-5 List' <arc5 at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [ARC5] Seeking Extinct Wire

 

Thanks for this valuable info, Mike. 
I note from the photo that the iron wires of the band 
appear to be twisted together into a cable configuration? 
I had read that the wires were not wrapped around 
each other, as the twist would caused the EM field in
individual wires to phase-cancel (like a twisted pair)<
but rather layered to act like transformer laminations 
(thus the insulation)  Have you tried yours for function?  

The one I have is a home-brew which came with 
steel wires that were twisted together
into a cable and painted with some kind of 
gray paint.  The coils and magnets are good, 
as are the lo-Z headphones, but the unit 
has no output, unless one stuffs volts of RF
into it, so that what one hears is just 
non-linear high-level leakage.
The only thing I can see which looks "off"
is the wires.  This one is a "demonstrator"
which has a hand crank on the side. 
I mean to install a proper
clockwork, but not until it is functional.

I had this crazy idea of trying to extrapolate 
the real, practical sensitivity of the "Maggie" 
used on the RMS Titanic, because I had 
some doubts about some of the claims
made for receiving the ship's distress 
calls far inland, or even at modest 
coastal stations.

But then I found the ship antenna technical 
specifications: a center-fed 
Marconi "T" 160 feet tall, with four "top hat" 
capacitive-loading horizontal wires 400 feet
long, the other capacitor plate  
(ground plane) a zillion tons of steel 
floating in thousands of miles of salt-water. 

So... OK.  You probably could have heard 
them had McBride sparked a 12-volt battery 
across the antenna.
But I still want to get this "Maggie" to work.

TNX OM ES 73 DE Dave AB5S

On 5/30/2025 7:31 AM, Mike Feher wrote:

Dave – I believe the originals were spot welded.



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