Page:April 1916 QST.djvu/3

 planned; no one had any advantage over the fellow; it was an emergency message; and a case of receive it or not.

On Friday, February 18th at eleven p. m. a test was tried and on this particular occasion QRN was worse in 9XE’s district than ever before during the winter. The results from the test were very poor and showed how extremely helpless the amateurs were in the face of such great difficulties.

Last Minute Changes.

The Harvard Wireless Club notified 9XE that 1ZD’s station could not work, but Harvard University would take 1ZD’s place, and use his wave length. Harvard certainly did its share.

University of Michigan, 8XN, at Ann Arbor, got in touch with the writer and asked for an assignment. Every one has heard of the striking efficiency of this station, and a special assignment was made for 8XN on the same time as 5BJ, and another assignment was granted at twelve o’clock to permit the stations over the eastern part of the United States to hear the message on the wavelength of Miami and Key West stations. Those who claimed they were jammed by stations sending press, only had to adjust their variable condensers a little and 8XN could have been heard.

On the very night of the relay, Prof. Ford of 9YA called the writer and requested Permission to send the message. twice. This station of the State University of Iowa is well known throughout its District, so permission was granted for another sending time along with the regular assignment. The second sending occurred at 11:35 p. m. central time.

The Fatal Moment Arrives.

Eleven p. m. The first time in the history of wireless telegraphy, the air was clear with only an occasional QRN. Every amateur in the country was quiet&mdash;truly a remarkable thing. It is still eleven p. m. and out the message came. QST, QST, QST, de 9XE &#x2015;.&#x2015;.&#x2015;

QST relay MSG.

A Democracy requires that a people who govern and educate themselves should be so armed and disciplined that they can protect themselves.

&emsp;(Signed) Colonel Nicholson, U. S. A.

The readers need no further description as to just how each station received and relayed the message. Needless to say, the test was a complete success. Certain parts of the message became balled up in the transmission, and before it had gone far it had been signed by Colonel Nicholson, Colonel Nichalson, Colonel Michalson, Colonel Micholson, Colonel Nichols, Colonel Nick, Colonel Richards, Colonel Richardson, and several other Colonels amplified to the nth power. It was a common cause, rich men, poor men, young men, old men, two ladies, a host of boys, and several ministers. All the talk about preparedness shows that young America is on the job when aroused.

How the Message Travelled.

The Pacific Coast heard the news fifty-five minutes after it had left 9XE. The Atlantic Coast was just five minutes later than the Pacific, New 0rleans boasts of receiving the message within twenty minutes of its first transmission, and the Canadian border reports having heard the message at 11:20 P. M. Central time. All along the coast of Texas, the message was received within thirty minutes after the original transmission. Every amateur may feel with pride that he is one of the efficient system which bounded the United States in one hour.

Incidents of the Relay.

Kuna, Idaho. On his large ranch, H. E. Rawson received the message, and galloped across the prairies eighteen miles with his



one-lung Ford, and having made the distance in record time, delivered the message to the Governor, who was so surprised at this strange manouever that he was unable to express, himself for several days, Mr. Rawson certainly showed the old time American spirit. 