Grimeton Radio Station - My Alexanderson Day visit on July 3 2011

My visit to the unique Grimeton SAQ transatlantic radio station in Grimeton, Varberg, Sweden.

This World Heritage radio station was built in 1924, in the pre-electronics era. Instead, it generates its 17.2 kHz carrier wave by purely mechanical means, using a huge high-speed alternating current generator (an Alexanderson Alternator).

It is the only such device left in the world, and it is fully operable.
It is started a few times a year, and it is a wonderful experience to see it
come to life. I visit the station at least once a year for this.
This video was shot on July 3, 2011, and features startup, transmission and
shutdown of the machine by the local enthusiasts, many of them former employees of the station, who still care for the unique machinery.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• radio
• grimeton
• saq
• alexanderson
• alternator

[P55CxE9]

Häftigt! Vad behöver man för utrusting för att höra test-medelandet de skickar ut? 127 Meter låter svårt att få in.

[nablaman]

@P55CxE9 Det ska tydligen gå att plocka upp signalen med ett vanligt ljudkort. Kolla på föreningen Alexanders hemsida för mer info! 127 meter är förresten höjden på tornen, inte våglängden.

[sk7ca]

I listened to grimeton today! :D

[nablaman]

@sk7ca Cool! :)

[rapidrory]

transmission range?

[nablaman]

@rapidrory It is a 200 kW machine designed for telegraphy communication with New York. This type of ulta-low-frequency transmitter has very long range due to reflexions in the ionosphere and in salt water.

[nablaman]

@radiolok Actually this is only a transmitting station, there is no way of receiving a response here. The receiving station was at a different location in Sweden. This station was mostly used to send telegrams to the US. It is located at the place on the Swedish west coast where there is an almost uninterrupted line across the Atlantic to New York (below Norway and above Britain). Yes, it's extremely noisy but that's part of the beauty! :)

[radiolok]

It's realy Great!

But how operator hear respond signal in headphones? :) There is very loud inside.