Mastodawn

24 December 2025: The Very Low Frequency (VLF) transmitter from Grimeton (Sweden) with the call sign SAQ goes on air. Is it possible to receive this transmitter with simple means in the city of Bern? Yes, it is possible.
Antenna: (DIY) three ferrite rods wound with HF litz wire.
DIY up-converter.
Degen DE1103 receiver.
The signal was weak, but it was still possible to copy it.

#SAQ #Grimeton #VLF #SWLing #CW #Morse

SmithChart Dec 24

Yay! After several years of bad timing I finally managed to build myself an antenna to receive the #Grimeton mechanical radio transmitter #SAQ at only 17.2 kHz!
My Antenna was basically DL1DBC's E-Filed probe (https://dl1dbc.net/SAQ/homebrew_e-field.html ) but build with parts I had on the bench anyway.
So I went to our garden on this frosty morning.
And wow! did not expect such good reception on what is basically audio frequency with such small antenna!

DL2UL Dec 24

Gleich geht’s los. Wer noch nie vor Ort war, sollte das demnächst nachholen. https://newsroom.notified.com/skrivsand/posts/pressreleases/world-heritage-grimetons-longwave-saq-sends-c #Grimeton #SAW

World Heritage Grimeton's longwave SAQ sends Christmas message on Dec 24th 2025

On December 1st 1924, the 200kW Alexanderson alternator with the call sign "SAQ" was put into commercial operation with telegram traffic from Sweden to the United States. 101 years later, the transmitter is the only remaining electro-mechanical transmitter from this era and is still in running condition. On Christmas Eve morning, Wednesday December 24th 2025, the transmitter is scheduled* to spread the traditional Christmas message to the whole World, on 17.2 kHz CW.