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Old August 24th 04, 01:28 PM
Walter Maxwell
 
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Default 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
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Old August 24th 04, 01:32 PM
Walter Maxwell
 
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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

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Old August 24th 04, 08:12 PM
Mike Coslo
 
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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 -

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Old August 25th 04, 01:58 AM
Walter Maxwell
 
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Default

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
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Old August 25th 04, 12:25 AM
Crazy George
 
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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





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Old August 25th 04, 01:55 AM
Walter Maxwell
 
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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

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Old August 25th 04, 02:54 AM
Yuri Blanarovich
 
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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
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Old August 25th 04, 03:41 AM
Walter Maxwell
 
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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



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Old August 25th 04, 02:12 PM
Yuri Blanarovich
 
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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
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Old August 30th 04, 06:23 AM
Richard Harrison
 
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Walter Maxwell, W2DU wrote:
"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."

2 wavelengths at 650 KHz is a little more than 1/2 mile and is likely
the point of diminishing returns in lengthening a Beverage according to
some reports.

I used a Beverage in Portugal to listen to the CBS Nightly News from
WCBS in New York or from WWL in New Orleans, whichever was better at the
time. Both carried the same program and were adjacent points on the
frequency dial. It worked like a charm using a SP-600.

RFE constantly monitored news and commentary broadcasts from behind the
"iron curtain" during the "cold war" from a receiving station in
Germany. A multitower directional array and various super loopsticks
were used to pick out the broadcasts monitored. These were more flexible
than Beverages and many possible sources were available for programs to
be monitored.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI



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