[Boatanchors] AWA Museum - East Bloomfield, N.Y.

[William L Howard]

 Back then, there was only one spark gap transmitter, and if Bruce was in 
the mood he would fire that sparking monster up. The air would fill with the 
odor of hot oil, hot electrics, and ozone. The FM radio that we played 
downstairs would be completely wiped out by the ac note that the transmitter 
gave off. I guess that spark gap transmitters really defined the word 
"wideband".

Craig Smith, who once lived in St. Pete, Florida managed to put together a 
spark gap transmitter and duplicated the radio room on the SS Eagle, a 1918? 
Coast Guard Cutter. I did a write up of the station with pictures for the 
AWA Journal. I think it was in one of the 1996 issues.

I have a spark gap transmitter made from a Model T ignition coil. I fired it 
up once with a 1 foot antenna and it knocked out all radios in the room.

Bill Howard