Beverage Antenna Used in WW2
 

Hi All,

I have some info on a Beverage antenna that I believe you'll find interesting.

During 1942-43 I was with the Radio Intelligence Division of the FCC in Hawaii,
monitoring enemy transmissions. One assignment by the State Department was to
determine whether the Japanese in Japan were getting the same information from
their local broadcasts as the propaganda broadcast on HF, or different
information concerning the progress of the War.

On searching the AM broadcast band for Japanese stations we found JOAK, Tokyo,
on 650 kHz, with an exceptionally strong nighttime signal. However, KNX, Los
Angeles, also on 650, was equally strong, making copy of JOAK impossible.
Consequently, two of my colleagues, Prose Walker, W4BW, and Edwin Rudisuhle,
K6SAC, installed a Beverage antenna on the northern shore of Oahu to reduce the
interference from KNX. The Beverage was more than one-half mile long at a height
of 10 feet, aimed directly at Tokyo, and terminated with a variable resistor.
The signal from KNX was totally nulled out with the adjustment of the
terminating resistor.

The State Department was pleased with the results, because we were then able to
record the JOAK broadcasts daily, with the records sent to Washington daily by
US Army planes from Hickam Field, Honolulu.

Walt, W2DU

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 12:28:32 GMT, Walter Maxwell wrote:
snip

The State Department was pleased with the results, because we were then able to
record the JOAK broadcasts daily, with the records sent to Washington daily by
US Army planes from Hickam Field, Honolulu.

Walt, W2DU

Sorry, Guys, I had trouble learning how to get a file into the rraa. Please
excuse the mess I made. I got an error msg that said the first post above was
not posted.

Walt

Walter Maxwell wrote:
On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 12:28:32 GMT, Walter Maxwell wrote:

snip


The State Department was pleased with the results, because we were then able to
record the JOAK broadcasts daily, with the records sent to Washington daily by
US Army planes from Hickam Field, Honolulu.

Walt, W2DU


Sorry, Guys, I had trouble learning how to get a file into the rraa. Please
excuse the mess I made. I got an error msg that said the first post above was
not posted.


Didn't get a file, but I enjoyed the story!

- Mike KB3EIA -

I was doing some work in central Oahu a few years back, and stayed out at
the Turtle Bay hotel on the North Shore. One day we were out nosing around
the area and ran across the site of that old Beverage. Some of the old
timers who live out there still remember it. Also, there is a road named
Radio or something in that vein which is what first attracted our attention.

--
Crazy George
Remove N O and S P A M imbedded in return address
"Walter Maxwell" wrote in message
...

Hi All,

I have some info on a Beverage antenna that I believe you'll find
interesting.

During 1942-43 I was with the Radio Intelligence Division of the FCC in
Hawaii,
monitoring enemy transmissions. One assignment by the State Department was
to
determine whether the Japanese in Japan were getting the same information
from
their local broadcasts as the propaganda broadcast on HF, or different
information concerning the progress of the War.

On searching the AM broadcast band for Japanese stations we found JOAK,
Tokyo,
on 650 kHz, with an exceptionally strong nighttime signal. However, KNX,
Los
Angeles, also on 650, was equally strong, making copy of JOAK impossible.
Consequently, two of my colleagues, Prose Walker, W4BW, and Edwin
Rudisuhle,
K6SAC, installed a Beverage antenna on the northern shore of Oahu to
reduce the
interference from KNX. The Beverage was more than one-half mile long at a
height
of 10 feet, aimed directly at Tokyo, and terminated with a variable
resistor.
The signal from KNX was totally nulled out with the adjustment of the
terminating resistor.

The State Department was pleased with the results, because we were then
able to
record the JOAK broadcasts daily, with the records sent to Washington
daily by
US Army planes from Hickam Field, Honolulu.

Walt, W2DU

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 18:25:44 -0500, "Crazy George"
wrote:

I was doing some work in central Oahu a few years back, and stayed out at
the Turtle Bay hotel on the North Shore. One day we were out nosing around
the area and ran across the site of that old Beverage. Some of the old
timers who live out there still remember it. Also, there is a road named
Radio or something in that vein which is what first attracted our attention.

Veery Interrrresting! I'd like to add that during my piddling around with
antennas at RCA Princeton from 1949 to 1980 I had the prviledge of knowing Dr.
Harold Beverage. What a great man he was in furthering the art and science of
communication.

Walt, W2DU

snip

Sorry, Guys, I had trouble learning how to get a file into the rraa. Please
excuse the mess I made. I got an error msg that said the first post above was
not posted.


Didn't get a file, but I enjoyed the story!

- Mike KB3EIA -

Glad you enjoyed the story, Mike, but you lost me saying 'didn't get a file'.

Walt, W2DU

Veery Interrrresting! I'd like to add that during my piddling around with
antennas at RCA Princeton from 1949 to 1980 I had the prviledge of knowing
Dr.
Harold Beverage. What a great man he was in furthering the art and science
of
communication.

Walt, W2DU





Hi Walt,

did you have anything to do with AT&T Rhombic site at Ocean Gate, NJ?
I recently went to look at it, what a FARM!

73 Yuri, K3BU

Hi Walt,

did you have anything to do with AT&T Rhombic site at Ocean Gate, NJ?
I recently went to look at it, what a FARM!

73 Yuri, K3BU

No Yuri, I was with RCA, the chief competitor of AT&T Communications. The RCA
Communications system was on Long Island. The 100 kw transmitters were at Rocky
Point and the receivers were at Riverhead. Each of these locations were huge
antenna farms also, acres and acres. After satellites took over from hi-speed CW
the Long Island operations ended and the acreage was given to the State of New
York to be used as a State Park. However, the State wouldn't accept the property
until all the antennas were removed at RCA's expense. This occurred in the late
1970's. A group of my colleagues went out there to pick up souvenirs. I have
some 8" insulators used as separators for the long open wire transmission lines,
and some of the 1/4" diameter copper wire used in the lines.

I should add that Dr. Beverage was the chief engineer for many years, and was
also the one who designed the original system. Lot's of V beams and rhombics
directed to many points on the globe.

Walt, W2DU

After satellites took over from hi-speed CW
the Long Island operations ended and the acreage was given to the State of
New
York to be used as a State Park. However, the State wouldn't accept the
property
until all the antennas were removed at RCA's expense. This occurred in the
late
1970's. A group of my colleagues went out there to pick up souvenirs.

Walt, W2DU

Thanks, very interesting. Looks like the Ocean Gate site is probably the last
one with chance to be preserved. Rhombics farm is on the marshes, dept. of
wildlife and fisheries took over that, but antennas are still there. We are
trying to turn it into historical landmark and get the museum going at the
building. Hopefully also home for Tesla RC and do some operating from there.
Still a chance.

Yuri, K3BU

Yuri Blanarovich wrote:
After satellites took over from hi-speed CW
the Long Island operations ended and the acreage was given to the State of
New
York to be used as a State Park. However, the State wouldn't accept the
property
until all the antennas were removed at RCA's expense. This occurred in the
late
1970's. A group of my colleagues went out there to pick up souvenirs.

Walt, W2DU


Thanks, very interesting. Looks like the Ocean Gate site is probably the last
one with chance to be preserved. Rhombics farm is on the marshes, dept. of
wildlife and fisheries took over that, but antennas are still there. We are
trying to turn it into historical landmark and get the museum going at the
building. Hopefully also home for Tesla RC and do some operating from there.
Still a chance.


Anything on the web about Ocean Gate, Yuri?

- mike KB3EIA -