SAQ Reports “an Incredible Number” of Listeners for July 4 Transmissions

The Alexander Grimeton Friendship Association reports “an incredible number” of listener reports — 524 in all — for its July 4 Alexanderson Day transmissions from SAQ, the Alexanderson alternator very-low-frequency (VLF) station in Sweden. SAQ transmits on 17.2 kHz.

“We are overwhelmed by all the fantastic feedback we have received, from all of you around the world, in listener’s reports and on our YouTube channel,” the association said.

“The weather on Alexanderson Day was sunny, with temperatures around 25 °C. Some approaching thunderstorms could be seen on the horizon,” the report said. “For the first time since the pandemic started, we were able to have a limited, seated audience in the transmitter hall — fantastic! The Alexander Grimeton Friendship Association managed to carry out two successful transmissions to the world from the old Alexanderson alternator SAQ.”

The first transmission was initiated at 0830 UTC, with the startup and tuning of the Alexanderson alternator. The message was sent out a half-hour later, and the transmission event was livestreamed via YouTube.

Amateur station SK6SAQ, which operates from the SAQ site, was on the air for Alexanderson Day. “On Alexanderson Day, HF conditions were not optimal, but the radio amateurs reached 169 QSOs with 21 countries, mostly in Europe and a few from the US,” the report continued. “Two stations were in operation, with both SSB and CW.”

SK6SAQ operators included Mats, SM7BUA; Staffan, SM6DOI; Carl, SM6CPY; Kjell, SM6CQU; Sten-Eric, SM6DQO, and Hans, SM6LWH.

Jay Rusgrove, W1VD, in Burlington, Connecticut, was among the US listeners who submitted a report. “The first transmission was a washout due to high QRN,” he recounted. “The second transmission had somewhat lower QRN levels. Reception was not as good as some years’ summer transmissions, which turn out to be unexpectedly good.”

Rusgrove posted a brief audio file from the second transmission tune-up and message transmission. (Listen closely for the clean CW signal beneath the noise.)

SOURCE:ARRL