The AM Forum

Stumbled onto this list of tallest structures...lot's of radio towers on the list but no K1JJ :'(

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_masts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_masts)

and these pix of a 314 meter Blaw-Knox at Lakihegy Hungary used on 136 and 540 kHz. Interesting diplexer pix on pages 2, 3 and 4.   

http://www.waniewski.de/id414.htm (http://www.waniewski.de/id414.htm)

 

Two impressive photos.  The Blaw-Knox, and Mrs. Eva Balla, the very good German speaking engineer. 

Never knew Blaw Knox were in Europe until now.  That one is taller than the WSM if I'm not mistaken, which may make it the biggest diamond of them all.  Sure wish they had some photo of the base insulator.  The one at WSM is massive.  Two Lapps opposing each other with a pin (more like a big rod) to keep them from slipping so the tower can rotate with the wind torque on the lower insulator.  I'm always amazed at the guy cables they use.  They must be 2 to 3 inches diameter.  If I got the text right, the Blaw Knox is used on 137 KHz (I'd like to see that matching network) and the smaller tower nearby is used on the medium wave band.

Rob

It's on page 3.  http://www.waniewski.de/id416.htm

There are still 4 or 5 surviving Blaw Knoxes in Europe - about the same as the number in the US.  I think maybe the tallest one of them all was in western France near the coast, but was destroyed during WW2.

Now that's a nicely done setup for a hot tower!   You can sure see the $$$$ all over the place there.  Thanks for pointing me to the page with the insulator and tuning house Don.

Rob

The LF and MF signals are diplexed into the Blaw-Knox. A number of LF enthusiats use Lakihegy's LF signal (135.430kHz) as a propagation indicator. Tonight they're easily 30 dB out of the noise as measured in a 1 kHz BW...on the east coast.   

Okay.  I wonder what the small tower is for then?  I wonder if they have any kind of loading on the Blaw Knox.  As is, it is about 45 degrees vertical on 135 KHz.   It would make a pretty good vertical portion of an inverted L  :D

Rob

Here's a Blaw Know look-alike in wood!

Somebody could probably make one like that with pressure treated wood that might last 30 years or so but it would probably be less expensive to use pre mfg metal stuff. There was also a large free standing wooden radio tower built in Scranton, PA by  a Roman Catholic Priest but I cannot remember if it was for ham use or commercial to spread the gospel.   

The Blaw-Knox antenna and transmitter plant at Lakihegy, Hungary is most impressive, and beautifully maintained, as evidenced by the photos provided by W1VD.

73,

Bruce

Wow....   a 100' tower made from wood and only one set of guys.  Interesting it tapers to only 4" at the top.  Those dudes back in the 30's had real brass BA's to erect something like that. I can't imagine myself climbing up there and raising the wooden sections with a gin pole - nope.

Though, having been designed by a bridge engineer, it was probably a solid structure. Notice the many buildings around it... :o

T

I have an article in a 1935 R/9 magazine that describes a 180 ft. wooden Blaw-Knox look alike built by W6AM.  Instead of the usual single set of guys at the middle of the tower, he anchored it to the top of one of his 90' wooden utility poles.

It would be very difficult and expensive to build one to-day.  One of the requirements for the W6AM tower was knot-free wood, and the sections were 20' long.  The article says he personally inspected each piece. Try to find a 20' length of knot-free wood anywhere to-day, even #1 grade.