[time-nuts] WWVB and Free Democracies Survival

[Magnus Danielson]

On 07/16/2012 03:28 AM, Tom Miller wrote:
> I believe they called that system a "bell ringer". It let the sub know
> that it had to come close to the surface to receive new information.
> I'll need to google around to find more about it.
>
> We had a ELF transmitter (NSS) in Annapolis that transmitted about 1 MW
> at about 24 kHz. Anyone ever seen 3 inch diameter litz wire?

We had the ELF transmitter at Grimeton (SAQ) transmitting about 200 kHz 
at 17.2 kHz using the Alexanderson alternator. I think the litz wire was 
4 inch in diameter as I recall it. It was cutting edge in 1924.
It was initially used for telegraph traffic to the US, and the Long 
Island main station. It was really never keyed by hand, it was keyed 
remote with optical keyer and messages taped back-to-back. After its 
main service for telegraph messages was no longer motivate it, it got 
used as the "bell ringer" for our subs and kept operational and 
maintained up till about 1996 and it has since been taken care off so it 
can be used for museeum. It's now on UNESCOs world-heritage list.

Links:
http://www.grimetonradio.se/
http://www.radiostationengrimeton.se/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimeton_VLF_transmitter
http://www.grimeton.org/
http://www.alexander.n.se/

Do visit Grimeton if you are in south of Sweden. You can also tune in to 
it's transmissions and report back.

The remaining submarine radiostation in Ruda could actually be turn into 
a time-code transmitter. It's a matter of financing it and giving the order.

Cheers,
Magnus