[SFDXA] ARLX021 Christmas Eve SAQ Alexanderson Alternator Transmission Set

[William Marx]

> SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX021
> ARLX021 Christmas Eve SAQ Alexanderson Alternator Transmission Set
> 
> ZCZC AX21
> QST de W1AW  
> Special Bulletin 21  ARLX021
> From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  December 22, 2016
> To all radio amateurs 
> 
> SB SPCL ARL ARLX021
> ARLX021 Christmas Eve SAQ Alexanderson Alternator Transmission Set
> 
> The Alexander Association has announced that it plans to have
> Alexanderson alternator transmitter SAQ on the air for its
> traditional Christmas Eve transmission. The 200 kW Alexanderson
> alternator will transmit on 17.2 kHz on the morning of Christmas
> Eve, December 24, starting with transmitter tune-up at around 0730
> UTC. The message transmission will take place at 0800 UTC.
> 
> "Since the plant is old, there is always the risk that the
> transmission will be cancelled on short notice," the Association
> said in an announcement. Repairs following an early October fire in
> the longwave antenna, attributed to arcing, had put the Christmas
> Eve transmission in jeopardy this year.
> 
> Dating from the 1900s, the Alexanderson alternator - essentially an
> AC generator run at extremely high speed - can put out 200 kW but
> typically is operated at less than one-half that power level. Once
> providing reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a museum
> piece and only put on the air on special occasions. It was built in
> the 1920s.
> 
> Christmas Eve activity will also take place on Amateur Radio
> frequencies from SK6SAQ on or about 7.035 and 14.035 MHz (CW). Send
> reception reports of SAQ or SK6SAQ via email at, info at alexander.n.se
> .
> NNNN
> /EX