Page:April 1916 QST.djvu/2

 April Radio Relay Bulletin

WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY AMATEUR RELAY MESSAGE

By 9XE

Colonel P. Nicholson sends message from Rock Island Arsenal.

VERY one remembers the story of a famous little George, and his hatchet; had this little George been living in the 20th.Century and on the particular date of February 22nd, 1916, he would probably have told his Father he could not tell a lie and he had blown the fuses with his little key. Yes, we are quite sure little George would have reported thus, for every amateur tried his best on the memorable night. The. important amateurs of the United States lent their aid to this relay about which we have heard so much. A few months before, the same amateurs had relayed a less important message which was a success. The first message of December 31st, 1915 inspired 9XE and his assistants to order the work on February 22nd, 1916.

The purpose of this test was to show the United States Government that the amateurs of the United States were in a position to co-operate in radio work. The United States authorities at the Rocks Island Arsenal seemed rather skeptical about the results of such a relay. but promised to co-operate with 9XE. Never before had the amateurs been flattered by such co-operation. The Navy Department went so far as to have QRT and QRM signals sent out from Arlington on the night of the test. Many of the readers heard NAA give his warning.

Everything had been carefully arranged before the test. The desirable sending stations were listed according to wave lengths, power and other essential details. A large map of the United States was divided up into Districts and by means of circles showing the range of various high powered stations, it was readily determined that the Amateurs could cover every point in the United States except a few of the western desert Districts. Considerable diplomacy was necessary in handling the situation, as a certain amount of jealousy was found to exist between Special stations, First-class amateur stations, and the little fellow with the gas engine coil and a few dry batteries. Local jealousies came out, one certain amateur claimed that he was always jammed by another when a relay message came through. This was investigated and it was found that neither the interferer or the QRM’d man could receive a message well enough to read their own call letters. Their sending was beyond all expression and the only thing their neighbors could read, were their call letters.

Some stations wanted a different night&mdash;others a different time, and still others wanted certain stations, friends of theirs, or second cousins, appointed in Squedunk. Every one had something to suggest. Some wanted a copy of the msg. before it was transmitted so they might check up what they received, another crew wanted each station to call another and receive o. k. for a msg. This idea would have worked out well had the message not been an emergency call, all stations trying to pick it up on a QST.

After considering with great care the hundreds of suggestions, final instructions were printed as complete in detail as was possible. A certain time was assigned to each relay station together with the particular wave length which was to he used. Five minutes were given for sending the message and this allowed very little time for tuning. All this backed up the one main purpose, the conditions were exactly as 