Hopefully the annual Christmas message from this rather extreme method of generating RF will take place this year. From ARRL Letter:
The Alexander Association plans to have Alexanderson alternator
transmitter SAQ on the air for its traditional Christmas Eve transmission. The 200
kW Alexanderson alternator will transmit on 17.2 kHz on the morning of
Christmas Eve, December 24, with tune-up at around 0730 UTC, and the message
transmission following at 0800 UTC.
"Since the plant
is old, there is always the risk that the transmission will be cancelled on
short notice," the Association said in an announcement. Repairs following
an early October fire in the long-wave antenna (attributed to arcing) had
put this year's Christmas Eve transmission in jeopardy. Dating from the
1900s, the Alexanderson alternator -- essentially an ac generator run at
extremely high speed -- can put out 200 kW but typically is operated at much lower
power. Once providing reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a
museum piece and only put on the air on special occasions. It was built in
the 1920s.
Christmas Eve activity will also take place on
Amateur Radio frequencies from SK6SAQ on or about 7.035 and 14.035 MHz
(CW). Send
reception reports of SAQ or SK6SAQ. -- Thanks to Lars Kalland, SM6NM