[CW] Grimeton Radio SAQ Transmission on 24. October 2021

Sat Oct 23 14:24:54 EDT 2021

    The machine at Grimeton is the last surviving Alexanderson 
alternator. These alternators are considerable historical 
interest because control of them was one of the principle reasons 
for the creation of RCA. Two good sources of history are 
"Communication-Electronics in the United States Navy" Howeth, and 
Thorne Mays book on communications in the United States.  Mays 
presents a list of all the alternators. Twenty were built by 
General Electric and were installed at various stations in the 
U.S. and elsewhere. The one at Grimeton is the last of them. 
Originally, RCA intended to install ten machines with twelve 
antennas at Rocky Point N.Y. but by the time WW-1 was over and 
the project was started it was discovered that short waves worked 
better than long waves for long distance communication and were 
much cheaper and easier to use, so only two machines and two 
antennas were set up at "Radio Central", two more at Marion Mass 
and two more at Tuckerton N.J. The multiple tuned antennas, also 
invented by Alexanderson, were a key part of these installations. 
One exists at Grimton.
    According to Mays one machine was sent to the NBS, 
predecessor of NIST but it was dismantled and parts used for the 
very low frequency standard frequency transmitter in Colorado. 
Mays does not mention the ultimate fate of this machine. The 
others were scrapped.
    There were other kinds of alternators but the Alexanderson 
machines were particularly efficient and reliable and replaced 
the others.
    Vacuum tube transmitters soon replaced all other kinds both 
for VLF and HF so all the arc, spark, alternators, etc vanished.
    While the Alexanderson machines were certainly early CW 
transmitters they were not the first and came well after machines 
like the Federal arc converters, which were CW and were built in 
sizes up to one megawatt (in France).
    Tubes supplanted mechanical transmitters quickly once 
sufficiently large tubes were available but for some time they 
were not available and mechanical transmitters remained in service.

On 10/23/2021 9:18 AM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
>> One of the first CW stations, SAQ - born in the days of "Ye Spark".
>>
>> *NOTICE:
>> *
>>
>> For all CW enthusiasts who can receive 17.2 khz here I will 
>> forward the message from Grimeton Radio SAQ, the last remaining 
>> machine transmitter from 1924. The transmission can also be 
>> receive via web-sdr Twente, Netherlands.
>>
>> The sigs are strong, at least in Europe, but also readable 
>> overseas when the conds are good. Necessary is an antenna far 
>> away from any man made noise.
>>
>> More information at https://alexander.n.se/en/ 
>> <https://alexander.n.se/en/>
>>
>>
>>       On United Nations Day, Sunday October 24th, 2021, the
>>       unique and historical Alexanderson alternator in Grimeton
>>       Sweden, with call sign SAQ, is scheduled to send out a
>>       message to the whole world on 17.2 kHz CW.
>>
>> *Program and Transmission Schedule:*
>> 15:30 CET (13:30 UTC: Information about World Heritage Grimeton 
>> for visitors at the Visitor's Center
>> 16:00 CET (14:00 UTC): Transmitter Hall visit for visitors.
>>
>> _Transmission & YouTube Live stream:_
>> 16:25 CET (14:25 UTC): Live stream begins.
>> 16:30 CET (14:30 UTC): Startup and tuning of the Alexanderson 
>> Alternator SAQ.
>> 17:00 CET (15:00 UTC): Transmission of a message from SAQ.
>>
>> _YouTube Live Stream:_
>> 17:20 (15:20 UTC): Live music concert from the transmitter 
>> hall. More details to follow on our website.
>>
>> We are proud to announce that this year’s message has been 
>> composed by the Swedish human rights lawyer and sustainability 
>> expert Ms. Parul Sharma.
>>
>> *Test Transmissions*
>> We are planning to carry our some test transmission on October 
>> 22nd, approximatley between 13:00 CET (11:00 UTC) and 16:00 CET 
>> (14:00 UTC). SAQ will be on air shorter periods of time during 
>> this interval, when we will be carrying out some tests and 
>> measurements. Your comments are welcome to info at alexander.n.se 
>> <mailto:info at alexander.n.se>.
>>
>> *Live Video from World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station*
>> The event can be seen *live* on our YouTube Channel
>> <https://alexander.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=521e9c51318e4c7f70e1e6b56&id=95b0fc51c7&e=fd0d36ffba>
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6cEm9A71g8&feature=youtu.be 
>> <https://alexander.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=521e9c51318e4c7f70e1e6b56&id=95b0fc51c7&e=fd0d36ffba>
>>
>> QSL reports to *SAQ* are most welcome and appreciated!
>>
>> For guaranteed E-QSL from us, please report using our *ONLINE 
>> FORM 
>> <https://alexander.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=521e9c51318e4c7f70e1e6b56&id=04609b3269&e=fd0d36ffba>*.
>> We can not guarantee that reports by Email / mail / bureau will 
>> be confirmed.
>> The online form will be open from October 24th until November 14th.
>>
>>
>> *Amateur Radio Station SK6SAQ*
>> The Amateur Radio Station with the call “*SK6SAQ*” will be QRV 
>> on the following frequencies:
>> – 3.535 kHz CW
>> – 7.035 kHz CW
>> – 14.035 KHz CW
>> – 3.755 kHz SSB
>> – 7.140 kHz SSB
>>
>> QSL-reports to SK6SAQ*(NOT SAQ)* are kindly received via:
>> - Email to info at alexander.n.se <mailto:info at alexander.n.se>
>> - or via: SM bureau
>> - or direct by postal mail (link to address here 
>> <https://alexander.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=521e9c51318e4c7f70e1e6b56&id=2f604e4530&e=fd0d36ffba>)
>>
>> Two stations will be on the air most of the time.
>>
>>
>> 73
>>
>> DR
>>
> 
> 
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-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL