The AM Forum

The Original W9BSP/W9UA Transmitter Returns To The Air

Saturday, December 8, beginning 7PM!

The transmitter had been used on 160 Meters but after WW-2 it was changed to 75 Meters AM plus MCW ( Modulated CW-now not allowed) which enabled listening students to copy CW with a built-in tone. A few members of MEMO [Marshall Ensor Memorial Organization] volunteered the effort to correct the ravages of years of being near windows passing direct sunlight.

The work began in 2009 inside the farm museum kitchen during off season months. Final tests were completed in recent days. Not only was most of the wiring in need of replacement, numerous other components were as well. ALSO, many unseen mods have made the rig safe to operate regarding both high voltage and RF.

This grand event will be Saturday, December 8, beginning 7PM [Central zone]. Frequency, near 3885 - 3886 khz. Power is 315 to 325 Watts AM un-modulated, and legal limit in use. We'd love to also hear AM from you fellas on our SX-16. The restore team members are Harry Krout W0YQG, son Joe Krout W0PWJ, Larry Rosine W0OG, and Larry Woodworth, W0HXS.

Ensor Museum web site

http://w9bsp-w9ua.org

Fantastic Steve.  Talk about a cool looking OT transmitter.  I will definitely try to work the op's on December 8th.
 
Very interesting website and I will go back and review it in greater detail tomorrow. 

Thanks for posting a piece of radio history.

Joe, W3GMS   

That's a serious piece of furniture.

Proud addition to any living room.

(http://www.ensorparkandmuseum.org/images/w9bsp_w9ua_xmtr_120ct27.jpg)

---

I wonder if that is an armoire that serves as a transmitter cabinet. Homes of that era had these free-standing closets (and people had fewer sets of clothing to hang up) instead of door closets that became popular later.

(http://www.ensorparkandmuseum.org/vradio/images/vradio22.jpg)

Very cool idea. Could help get a homebrew rig inside the house.

Love that farmhouse, the serious tower out back, marble topped dressers and "Bring back wallpaper!"

Can just see the great summertime confabs that took place on the porches.


Thanks for the heads-up.

Ensor was quite a craftsman and won prizes for making furniture and cabinets.

I read that armoires were used because in some locations the property tax of whatever sort involved counting the closets as rooms.

That's a sweet looking rig. Imagine standing in front of that while operating. Meters swinging, lights dimming....good shtuff!

W4BOH has a neat old HB transmitter with the same type of panels, that reddish brown Luaun or whatever it was called. His has the nice burgundy Atwater Kent knobs and dials which go well with it.

I was stationed at NAS Olathe in 60 and part of 61 and drove past that place several times but never stopped. There were 2 tall windmill towers there if I remember.

OTOH I do remember a couple of girls from Olathe HS that enjoyed a handsome sailor from the NYC area ;D  ::)

Carl

The tower that is there is 75 feet. The 100 footer blew down in a storm in the early 1970's.

Both towers are still there, although only the  north one, nearest the house, is in use. The mast that extended the south tower to what Mr. Ensor called 100' is bent seriously over at present, but it still stands as is in pretty good shape. I am unaware of any immediate plans to get it back in service.

The north tower supports the feed point for a 160m, ladder fed, inverted Vee at about 70ft, one corner of a 470' loop, and a vhf/uhf ground plane.

The enclosure for the transmitter is not big enough to be an armoire, and I'm pretty sure Mr. Ensor did build it, as mentioned, he was a master craftsman. I've not put a tape measure to it, but it's around 3'w and 5't.

One of the more amazing things to me, is that Mr. Ensor actually raised the towers circa WWII after they were installed. He lifted the north one about 8ft and the south one closer to 10ft and used fairly crooked Osage Orange posts as the "extenders". No one is sure how he actually did it. Raising installed windmill towers can't be easy.

I am local to the area and plan to be out to the museum for the early part of the evening, and them head home to work the station - best of both worlds. Pretty exciting times here.

Doug N3PDT

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the details concerning the station.  Could you pass along the tube line-up of the transmitter?  If by chance you have any inside pictures of the rig that would be great to see as well.

I hope to work you when your fire up the rig. 

73,
Joe, W3GMS

Hi Joe,

While I am a recent Marshall Ensor Memorial Organization  (MEMO) member, those are details I don't know yet. However, I know who to ask and will try to get that info, probably on Saturday when the team that did the restoration fires it up. I'll see what I can do about photos. The enclosure has glass sides and back, but difficult to get an angle on them, as the shack is very small, and the layout tight. I'll ask Larry Woodworth, curator of the museum,  if any they took during restorations are available.

73,

Doug N3PDT

Thanks Doug....I appreciate whatever you can find out. 
73,
Joe, W3GMS

Glad that both towers are intact. In 1973 or 1974 in my early years as a ham. I did some relay work on 40m SSB during a tornado outbreak in the Kansas City area (I was in Alabama at the time). I remember someone referring to damage at W0BSP's place ( he had been SK for 3 or 4 years at the time).I was just reading Electric Radio #185 from 2004 and it mentions the horizontal Zepp at 75 to 100 feet. I think it would be a good idea to undo nature and put a straightened mast on the second tower.This next spring, I am planning to make the 650 mile trip out there to check it out.
                                                    Joe W4AAB (ex-WA4AUX)

Was able to get some good photos from Don, W0DEW, another MEMO member. These were taken within the last couple months, and near the completion of the restoration. I can not tell you anything about them. I am a fairly new, and technically challenged ham. I've had my General ticket since Dec. 2009 and am a brass pounder with a Ten Tec Jupiter and a Ten Tec Triton IV. I have built some QRP kits, but the kind of radio theory that most of you here had to know before being let loose on the airwaves, was not a requirement by the time I was licensed. I will enjoy learning from your discussions of the photos.

The last gallery entry is supposed to be a video, but I'm having problems getting it to play. It is very short and is simply a shot of a red neon tube in use to check modulation. If you look closely out the window next to the tube, you'll see one of the osage orange supports to the north tower.

Link to the gallery: http://www.mygoodpix.com/Other/1937-Ensor-Transmitter/26944131_gHmw5p

If you share the photos please give credit to Don, W0DEW and the Marshall Ensor Memorial Organization. 

The restore team members are Harry Krout W0YQG, son Joe Krout W0PWJ, Larry Rosine W0OG, and Larry Woodworth, W0HXS.

Check the website for hours of operation. It's worth getting there on a Saturday or Sunday in season for the full tour. I've seen a photo of the zepp. It was a cage, to boot!

You're not the only one that would like to see both towers in use again. It gets mentioned a lot. I imagine it's a money issue as  much as anything. But, these things do get done out there, and I really have to commend them for the job they do. Getting the old transmitter back on the air is a crowning achievement. It was rescued from the loft of the barn! They darn near lost the north tower to deterioration at the base, and through some almost heroic efforts, saved it. The place is really a gem, and a lot of good folks work to keep it that way.

Please come and visit!

Doug it's good that you're at least aware of this old technology, and you could be surprised at how much you pick up and come to understand just by hanging around.  When I was first licensed about 40 years ago the circuits were rather intimidating.  Eventually, from talking with the guys on AM, I got the confidence to get into my old transmitter to repair and modify as I wished. It became all the more enjoyable.  Best wishes if that's the path you eventually take as well.

Thanks for the photo link.  You can tell that some of our radio ancestors really had the knack.

Thanks Doug for posting the wonderful pictures!  What a great OT transmitter.  I wish I lived closer to pay a visit. 

Pass along to the technical team, if they ever need any parts to keep the old rig on the air just let me know.  I would be glad to donate whatever is required.  I don't have everything but have most of what I see in the photo from a parts perspective. 

If we every get down that way, I will arrange for a visit.

73,
Joe, W3GMS   

All this makes me wish I had stopped by to view that piece of history and met the owners.

With a big club station to use, (K0NAB, with a 75A3, 32V2, converted BC-610 amp, 6el Telrex 20 and 15M yagis at 90+ ')  at the base it never occured to me at that tender age ::)

Ive viewed Google maps of the Olathe area several times the past few years to sort of get nostalgic but its grown so much there is little that I remember.

Carl

Hearing Joe GMS on there with KØARA for a callup of the station.

Nothing heard out of them the first 15 mins ...

Hi Paul,
It appears that they are not on the air yet.  Hopefully they will fire up soon.  I took a break from the 1929 AWA QSO party to try to work them! 
Joe, W3GMS

The special event has been postponed.  Transmitter output network is having trouble matching into the open wire line.  A reschedule date will be announced.
Joe, W3GMS

Thats too bad... KØARA was doing quite nicely into C NY.

klc

  Too bad they couldn't get the old girl on the air.
If anything, we got a lot of local amateurs to push the AM button on their transceivers ;D


  Hope to work everyone on the KDØHG Memorial Heavy Metal Rally.

                                               Mike
                                              KØARA

Great chatting with you Mike.  Your signal on the East Coast was very good.  

If we had a chance to chat, I would have told you about my Millen 812H rig.  It was nice to hear yours on the air.  

73,
Joe, W3GMS

 
  Joe...  You had a nice smooth sounding signal here in KC.
    This is an E-mail  I copied about the tube lash up.
   
    ====================================

 Dear Larry's List Subscribers:

Ken Shubert, K0KS, asked about the tube line up of the Ensor transmitter.  Joe
Krout, W0PWJ, one of the restorers, responded to Ken.  I though this might be of
interest to others.

Larry, W0AIB

====================================

Ken,

The tube line up is as follows: 6L6, Oscillator; 801, amplifier; 845, Buffer;
Pair of 822's in push pull Class C Final.  Plate modulated by a 35 watt
Thordarson audio amplifier driving a second pair of 822's.

We have built new power supplies that now reside in the cabinet below the
transmitter, with safety interlocks on the doors. Moving the antenna feed to a
Dow Key T/R relay was one of our safety modifications. We also moved the high
voltages off the front panel open knife switches and plate metering jacks to 12
volt relays activated by the original switches.
    
Hope to work you this evening.

Joe Krout, W0PWJ

Mike,
Thanks for letting us know what the tube line up is on the old rig.  Hopefully the issues will get resolved and please post when "take two" will occur! 

Thanks for the audio report on my transmitter. 

I trust your a Millen Society Member.  You can look at the list and see the Millen pieces I have acquired over the years. 

Joe, W3GMS 

(http://www.mygoodpix.com/Other/1937-Ensor-Transmitter/i-nkLCBgn/0/XL/W9BSP-for-Don-sm-XL.jpg)

Well, as already noted the best laid plans of mice and men...

They had it tested and loaded fine in to the antenna yesterday, but by showtime tonight, we had heavy mist in the area. Transmitter loaded fine in to the dummy load, but once switched over to the wet, ladder fed antenna, it didn't like the match and they had an arc in a capacitor in the final. After some checking, and some adjustment, they tried again with a similar result. By that time it would arc even while attached to the dummy load. Time to take her apart, clean it up and try again. Disappointing, but not the end of the world.

I took the photo above before everyone showed up for the event. Tough space to shoot in, and didn't have much time to fiddle with the lighting. Wish I would have got the Wouff Hong better positioned. Spot it?

Yep, spot it on the receiver. 

That is a shame about the matching issue.  I am sure you guys will get it all figured out for round 2!  I wonder with the feed line length you have on the antenna if it looks voltage or current fed as the transmitter see's it? 

Not that this would have helped your particular problem, the brown "crappy brown stuff" OWL is not the best.  The stuff from w7FG old company is a good compromise if you don't want to build the line yourself. 

Good luck to the technical team and I will be waiting for the next opportunity to work you guys.

73,
Joe, W3GMS   

Joe... At this time I'm not a Society Member, but that will change.
This is an updated E-mail  I copied about last night.

====================================

Good evening, or morning to everyone,
 
Saturday evening, 12/8/12 we attempted to return the 1937 W9BSP-W9UA AM
Transmitter to the air after a 40 year hiatus. We had spent this last week
chasing down some final quirks, neutralizing, tuning and generally tweaking.  We
completed testing Friday and felt that everything was in order.
 
This evening about 6 PM CDT, a light misting rain developed at the museum. At 7
PM, when we threw power to the wire, we found our SWR had gone off the scale.  
We then rechecked the antenna system using the station's Icom 751 at 40 watts
AM. All Okay. Switching back to the transmitter the situation had not improved.
 
Loading the transmitter into a oil cooled dummy load showed that the problem did
not reside in the transmitter.  A scramble then inssued to check each component
of the antenna system, bypassing and swapping out cables and the external tuner.
 
We determined that the 160 meter fullwave loop antenna was not handling the 350
watts PEP of AM carrier. We had checked this antenna previously and had a 1 to 1
match before the rain. At this point we tried our inverted V dipole without
success.The dipole had previously shown an issue with the high power of the 1937
transmitter, it had not been improved by the rain.
 
We then attempted to rematch the loop antenna system to the 1937 W9BSP
transmitter at power, so we could proceed with our Return to Air Event.
 
A sudden frying egg sound and the snap of an arc in the final tank circuit told
us that trying to load the wet antenna directly had failed. Switching back to
the dummy load showed us that we now had developed problems in the transmitter.
 
The air in the kitchen of the farmhouse that our radio room adjoins now had a
distinct ozone tinge. It was decided that we would have to cancel the event for
the evening.
 
We have great confidence that the current problems are correctable and we will
be rescheduling our event when we have resolved them. Our primary problem at
this time appears to keeping the antenna dry, or locating the weak spots in the
antenna system.
 
I would like to thank all those who came out to the Ensor Museum for the
evening, and everyone who participated in the impromptu standby net to hold 3885
for the event.
 
The W9BSP Ensor AM Transmitter will be heard!
 
73 to all
 
Joe Krout, W0PWJ
President,
Marshall Ensor Memorial Organization
www.w9bsp-w9ua.org

 This is an updated E-mail  I copied.

====================================

Thanks again for everyone's support and understanding.

Sunday afternoon, Harry W0YQG,  Don W0DEW, and myself delved into the mismatch
issue. We found the source of the arcing in the transmitter was from the antenna
tuning coil to the link coupling loop for the 2 foot neon modulation tube. Since
the RF energy couldn't go out the antenna, it decided to go elsewhere.

Keep in mind 1937 technology did not incorporate fold back circuitry to reduce
power!

Removing the failed link, we stepped through the circuit to the antenna.  
Everything is in order up to the antenna feed.  We are confident that the
problem is in our antenna system.

This Saturday, weather permitting, we will address the antennas and work to
correct the problem.

Once we are confident of the antenna, we will reschedule the event.

Joe Krout W0PWJ
<jkrout@gmail.com>
 

Thanks Joe for the update.  Good luck getting the antenna issues resolved this Saturday.  Hopefully you will have good weather.  Although the myth goes, fix or put up an antenna in poor weather and it will work well!
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS
 

Quick update on the W9BSP/W9UA Ensor Museum transmitter.

Small team worked on antennas this past weekend. Transmitter was tested yesterday evening and again this evening, Monday the 17th.  The results from both the 160m ladder-fed inverted Vee, and the 160m full wave loop were more than satisfactory. They're now looking at dates for rescheduled return to the air event.  

Doug N3PDT

Thanks Doug for the update.  Just let us know when the rescheduled date is and I get back on in an attempt to work them. 

Joe, W3GMS

New W9BSP/W9UA special event date announced. The time works out to 01:00 UTC, January 6th

Here is the announcement circulating locally as of today:

Announcing
"Back to the FUTURE" -W9BSP KW-AM Transmitter
3.885 mHz AM - 7 PM Central - Saturday, January 5, 2013

Larry Woodworth WØHXS
Ensor Park and Museum Mgr.
http://www.W9BSP-W9UA.org/ [URL]
12/25/2012

When we stumble, we get up and go again!

Here's what has happened so far;

The 75 year old kilowatt rig was built in 1937 by Marshall H. Ensor for continued 1930's 160 Meter lessons in Morse code and operating theory to thousands of radio fans tuning in his AM and Modulated CW lessons.

The Marshall Ensor Memorial Organization Restore Team worked often over more than 2 years at the Olathe, KS. Ensor Park and Museum during off season hours and succeeded in installing newly built high voltage power supply and new modulation amplifier below the operating desk of the 75 meter W9BSP-W9UA KW transmitter.
Many aged and unsafe wires were replaced along with other components as needed. Much testing took place along the way. Head technician, Harry Krout WØYQG assisted by son Joe, WØPWJ managed the arduous task aided by original hand drawn layouts and schematics by Ensor. Larry Woodworth WØHXS helped devise methods to insert or remove the heavy supplies safely below the desk as well as some transmitter safety features.
Numerous power tests took place into oil can dummy load as well as into the antenna system using a more power rated tuner and feed line elements. Everything seemed to be OK. Information of a December 8 th Special Event was published.
Many hams were on frequency awaiting a chance for contacting the famous W9BSP station, and our crew came in from a light rain to ready for the event. During a last minute check of full power into the antenna the rig did not like any part of the attempt and had an SWR off the scale. They checked for why the problem existed, and only the antenna could be blamed. The failure was a disappointment for all.
Over the next days all questionable details of antenna design pointed to faulty insulator installation that never showed up during low power use of the club transceiver, but the high power and the wet dipole ended our quest.
Some on air tests prove that we are now ready for the post holidays renewed Special Event.

Our special 6-panel QSL w/ historic photos is available for a SASE to Joe Krout WØPWJ Trustee or we will reply to e-QSL. Thank you, and 73.

Appreciate all the efforts!! Looking forward to January 4th!!

Tonight, 01:00z, 3.885.

They did a Go-No Go test this morning and all is working well.

Doug N3PDT

I worked W9BSP Saturday night. Great signals!!

I listened, but signals were not good in S.E. PA.  In addition, some of the Ham's up in the N.E. were using the frequency. 
Regards,
Joe, W3GMS

Probably would have worked out better on another frequency not in the ghetto.  Lots of adjacent QRM to 3885 here.

That is for sure!  Not only was 85 busy but the splatter from QSO's 10 KHz away was very bad.     
Joe, GMS