[nrv-hams] FYI - K1T and K6L will be operating from 14 to 16 October 2016 from Bear’s Den Mountain, VA to commemorate the 150th anniversary ....

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Gene  :)
N3EV


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Subject: K1T and K6L will be operating from 14 to 16 October 2016 from Bear’s Den Mountain, VA to commemorate the 150th anniversary ....


FYI   - - - -
VWS special events station this weekend to recognize possibly first wireless spark-gap - near-by 
10/14/2016 | 			Mahlon Loomis Commemoration 150 years of Wireless Communication 			Oct 14-Oct 16, 1600Z-2100Z, K6L and K1T, Bluemont, VA. Vienna Wireless Society and Vic Clark Chapter 91 QCWA. 7.025 14.025 14.240 7.145. Certificate & QSL. Vienna Wireless Society, PO Box 418, Vienna, VA 22183. Commemorating what is likely the first demonstration of radio communications on October 1866 from Bear's Den Mountain to Furnace Mountain (as distance of 21 miles) by Dr. Mahlon Loomis. Dr Loomis flew kites from the two mountains with 600 feet of cooper wire attached to each, when he keyed the wire on Bear's Den mountain to ground, the induced static electricity generated a spark (arc) that was detected by a crude galvanometer connected to the kite wire flown from Furnace Mountain. Loomis did not understand the physics of what he demonstrated, thinking that he tapped into a conductive layer in the atmosphere, In reality he created the first spark gap transmitter and demonstrated reception of RF energy 20 years before Hertz did his famous experiment. Dr Loomis applied in 1869 and received a patent on 30 July 1872 for improvements to Telegraphy, Wherein he claims "of utilizing natural electricity and establishing an electrical current or circuit for telegraphic and other purposes without the aid of wires, artificial batteries, or cables to form such electrical circuit, and yet communicate from one continent of the globe to another." www.viennawireless.net= = = = = = =http://viennawireless.net/wp/special-event-station/Vienna Wireless Society and Quarter Century Wireless Association Chapter 91 to Operate Special Event Stations K1T and K6L on October 14-16, 2016Directions to the event site -> DirectionsQuestions about this event?  Email k1t at viennawireless.netK1T and K6L will be operating from 14 to 16 October 2016 from Bear’s Den Mountain, VA to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first demonstration of wireless telegraphy by Dr. Mahlon Loomis.  Dr. Loomis attended some lectures during the late 1850s at the Lowell Institute in Boston MA and became interested in electricity. He initially experimented with observing the growth of plants where electric currents were generated in the soil.  But his passion became the concept of wireless communications.  On February 20, 1864, Georgetown DC dentist Mahlon Loomis wrote in his journal: “I have been for years trying to study out a process by which telegraphic communications may be made across the ocean without any wires, and also from point to point on the earth, dispensing with wires.”In October 1866 Loomis demonstrated “Aerial Telegraph” over a 21 mile path using 600 feet of copper wire attached to  kites  flown from Bear’s Den Mountain on the Loudoun-Clark Counties (VA) border  and “Coshocton” (Furnace) Mountain in Loudoun Co. in the presence of witnesses that reportedly included a US Senator and Congressman.   Loomis did not understand that the spark from the induced static electricity when he keyed the kite wire to ground was the source of the RF radiation from the kite wire that was detected by a crude Galvanometer connected to the other kite aerial; but he did appreciate the fact that the transmit and receive antennas needed to be the same length (resonant).  Loomis believed rather that he had tapped into an electrically conductive layer in the atmosphere.  But what he actually did was to demonstrate a crude “Spark Gap” transmitter and the reception of RF energySubsequent experiments  (reportedly including communications between two ships 2 miles apart on the Chesapeake Bay) were also successful and lead to a patent application being filed in 1869 and granted  on 30 July 1872 (US Patent #129,971) for Improvements to Telegraphing.  Wherein he claims “of utilizing natural electricity and establishing an electrical current or circuit for telegraphic and other purposes without the aid of wires, artificial batteries, or cables to form such electrical circuit, and yet communicate from one continent of the globe to another”Loomis also tried to commercialize his invention.  Senator Charles Sumner introduced a bill into the US Senate on January 13, 1869 for an act of incorporation the Loomis Aerial Telegraph Company, and for the appropriation of $50,000. Congress did not approve the requested funding request but did pass the incorporation.   On 11 January 1873 President Grant signed a bill incorporating the Loomis Aerial Telegraph Company to operate within the District of Columbia.   Loomis attempts to commercialize his invention failed due to a number if financial disasters, including the ‘Black Friday” of 1869 when many investors interested in Aerial Telegraphy lost their fortunes in a scheme to corner the gold market, another attempt which was financed by a group of Chicago bankers abruptly ended in October 1871 when the great Chicago fire destroyed the city and then again in the great financial panic of 1873.While the precise locations of Loomis 1866 experiment have been lost to history, a sketch prepared by Loomis indicates that he transmitted from the second peak to the north on Bears Den Mountain.   The most southern peak of the ridge is Mount Weather.  K1T and K6L will be transmitting from the same summit and very near, if not on, the location from which Loomis made his transmissions 150 years ago based on his sketch now in the US National Archives shown below: