From the ARRL Letter for December 22, 2022.
“On Christmas Eve, 1906, Canadian inventor, experimenter, and entrepreneur Reginald Fessenden claimed to have made his first voice — and music — broadcast from Brant Rock, Massachusetts, although his account of the event over the years has been disputed. Nonetheless, Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, of Forest, Virginia, will make his annual program recreation on 486 kHz to commemorate Fessenden’s accomplishments.
Justin will broadcast for 24 hours beginning at 1800 UTC on December 24, with a repeat transmission on New Year’s Eve, beginning at 1800 UTC, as Fessenden was reported to have done on both nights in 1906. Justin will transmit on 486 kHz, under authority of his FCC Part 5 Experimental License WI2XLQ, using equipment substantially more modern than Fessenden’s gear. Justin will use a home-brew setup to achieve Heising modulation similar to what was used in amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions during World War I. Justin explained that Fessenden’s transmitter was a high-speed alternator, a predecessor to the Alexanderson Alternator still in use today at the historic Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden. Modulation then was achieved using a carbon microphone, but Justin will use a laptop computer for his audio broadcast. Justin said there is a cult-like following of amateur radio and shortwave listeners who tune in for the annual broadcast. Justin has been licensed since 1976 and is an ARRL Life Member.”
In 2021 I created an eQSL for Brian to use when comfirming reception of the special transmissions on 486 kHz. An example of the eQSL is at https://www.kg4lac.com. I am unsure if Brain will continue using the eQSL I created for him for this year’s reception reports.
Kraig to WOR iog (2022-12-23)