FOG HORN (Big Mike's pre 1930's Gamewell Diaphone Type B w/14oz. bronze piston)

This is a Type B Gamewell Diaphone. A diaphone is different than a conventional air/steam pressure horn. A typical air horn has the air flow throughout the horn produces an action known as oscillation. Oscillation in a locomotive/marine horn is accomplished via a diaphragm assembly enclosed within the power chamber. When air is applied to the horn, the diaphragm vibrates against a nozzle. The oscillation of the diaphragm against the nozzle produces sound. A diaphone has an added secondary compressed air supply to the piston to power it on both forward and reverse strokes and create an even more powerful sound. The diaphone I have originally came with an 4.5oz. aluminum piston giving it a higher note. this setup was used back in the day to alert volunteer firemen from miles around. This has been fitted with a custom made 14oz bronze piston made by Adam Smith (known as AIRRAIDSIREN on YouTube). This gives the diaphone a lower tone giving it a ballsier sound. With the Bronze piston, it allowed me to use higher pressure (50psi). The workmanship on the bronze piston was so good that this diaphone can still be operated as low as 10psi!. This was filmed at Angeles Crest Hwy in Southern Califonia. In an area called "Echo Point".

This recording was done about 400 feet away from the horn using a Panasonic AJ SDC915 with a Canon zoom lense, 2 Behringer B-5 condenser type microphones that require phantom power. Omnidirectional heads were also used on these microphones. One mic facing the horn with the volume at level 5(still getting some distortion), and the other facing away from the horn with the volume at level 8(to pick up the echo's). I still need to play around with the gain controls to get even better audio and longer echo's

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• diaphone
• foghorn
• fog
• horn
• loudest
• loud
• fire
• gamewell
• lighthouse
• ship
• boat
• locomotive
• station
• honk
• whistle
• california
• spring
• break
• celebrity
• angeles
• crest

[KnittingPasta]

what is the difference between a horn and a diaphone?

[BIGMIKESOCAL]

@KnittingPasta They are both powered by air pressure/volume (some horns also use steam), a horn has a diaphragm/disc that vibrates creating the sound (being pushed and released by air), a Diaphone has a piston (usually made of aluminum) that goes back and forth creating its sound, because of this, the Diaphone is much more efficient.

[kreegan25]

@BIGMIKESOCAL are diphones more louder than train horns?

please reply=)

[BIGMIKESOCAL]

@kreegan25 , Yes it is

[cdamauser1963]

Cool horn Mike. Is that out near riverside county? I noticed that it looks a little like the backside going down to Palm Desert.

[BIGMIKESOCAL]

@cdamauser1963 , This was filmed at Angeles Crest Hwy...

[dieselpower4ever]

My god, that echo is amazing

[Jerseybob]

Thats very impressive!! Love the echos!!

[AFVNut]

Awesome echoes!

[OperationAnime262]

The guy looks like Taz from TNA.

[MrJacon000]

No dislike... WOW!!

[BillC518]

Mechanicville, NY had one of these for years on the town hall as a fire alarm. When I was 13, I was riding my bike across a bridge over the Hudson in that town, not far from the town hall, when the thing went off to signal noon. Scared the livin' $%#^@ out of me!! Just about jumped off my bike & into the river!! Didn't think such a relatively small horn could be so freakin' loud!

[Skullz1595]

wow,little car,huge horn

[blackbirdphotography]

best one I've seen yet!  makes me want one!