Waunfawr,   Caernarfon

GB4MD

Background

Waunfawr in 1914

Marconi first sent signals across the Atlantic from Poldhu in December 1901, and he continued his experiments to a new station at Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, during 1902.

Marconi wanted a share of the profitable Cable traffic between Europe and New York and in 1903 decided to set up a commercial service from Clifden, Ireland. February 1908 saw a full public service in operation, the messages routed over telephone lines from London to Clifden experienced frequent interruptions and a site on the west coast of ‘England’ appeared to offer greater reliability. The site chosen for the new Long-wave Transatlantic Transmitting Station was near Waunfawr, on the slopes of Cefn Du, three miles east of Caernarfon.

“In the beginning ………..”

The first land was purchased in December 1912 and the contract to build given to Holland, Hannen, Cubitt & Co. Work started on the 21^st Feb. 1913, the main building measuring 100 feet by 50 feet and elevated 830 feet above sea level ( ASL.)

Electricity for the station was supplied by the hydroelectric station below Cwm Dyli. (Llyn Llydaw), east of Snowdon. The 10,000 volt, 3 phase supply powered one of the two 500 HP 3 phase motors, each directly coupled to a 300 kw single phase alternator with the ‘synchronous disc discharger’ attached to the alternator shaft to maintain synchronism. The disc discharger was found so noisy it was necessary to enclose it in a separate sound-proof room.

Waunfawr was completed in March 1914 and the first transmission was to Coltano in Italy on a wavelength of 5000 metres or 60 kHz with an aerial current of 130 Amps. Tests were conducted in April 1914 with Glace Bay on 11,140 metres or 26.93 kHz. In June tests with the new station at New Brunswick were started and in July New Brunswick sent test signals to the Towyn receiving station. By 2^nd August 1914 the station was running continuously and the call-sign used about this time was MUU. The outbreak of war temporarily halted transmissions which resumed in October when the station was also used for regular war-time transmissions to Russia & Egypt. Due to the war the commercial service from Waunfawr to New Brunswick was postponed until 1^st March 1920.

Full duplex and automatic working was eventually implemented on 22^nd March 1920. The transmitter being keyed from the receiving station at Towyn, Merionydd, 38 miles south of Waunfawr, where the land line from London was also terminated. On 26^th March 1923 the Towyn receiving station was closed. Henceforth, incoming signals were received at Rugby and sent by telephone line to London, where direct control of the transmitter from Radio House in London made the service faster and cheaper to operate.

In order to facilitate duplex working Towyn required two aerials, one to receive the desired signal from America and the other to obtain a signal to ‘phase out’ the local Waunfawr interfering signal also picked up on the first aerial. Five, 300 ft high masts supported the main receiving aerial, which was aligned with New Brunswick. A further set of poles 80 ft high supported the ‘phasing’ aerial directed at Waunfawr.

The Waunfawr horizontal and directional aerial was supported on ten 400 ft high masts. The masts were laid out in groups of 3+2+2+3 masts, each group being set 900ft apart and advancing up the slopes of Cefn Du. This ‘fan’ shape tapered from 460 ft to 600 ft wide at the remote end. The original aerial was 3600 ft long, 770 ft of this being feeder. The site was chosen to align the aerial on a great circle bearing of 284 degrees (T) thus ‘directing’ the signal at New Brunswick. In 1923 an “earth screen” was added, this screen consisted of insulated wires about 15 to 20 ft above the ground beneath the aerial and 800 ft wider, also extending beyond the end of the aerial. At the same time the aerial was extended by a further 900 ft on six new 400 ft towers, this new aerial would take 560 amps of aerial current. The equipment at this time consisted of two Alexanderson alternators and the newly installed water-cooled valve transmitter. To allow operation of two separate services the aerial was split, the valve transmitter being used with one part of the aerial on 9500 mtrs 31.6 kHz. A new feed line ran up the hill, allowing the Alexanderson alternator to transmit on the other aerial on 14,000 mtrs 21.4 kHz. In 1925 another aerial was constructed and a new valve transmitter producing 40 kW installed. This was tuned to operate on 4500 mtrs 66.6 kHz for use (as GLT) on a circuit to Spain, Egypt and Glace Bay.

Experiments continued at Waunfawr, a major role being played out there in the development of wireless with many changes taking place to improve the technology and new transmitters of every type being installed there in turn.

For many years Waunfawr was the most important long wave station in Britain. A great deal of knowledge was gained there from practical experience. With improved understanding of the short waves and the invention of the beam system, the station at Rugby took precedence. However, for some years it remained the main long wave transmitting station of Imperial and International Communications, helping out when short wave conditions became difficult and also for picture transmission.

The site on Cefn Du is extremely exposed to the elements. Consequently ice damage to the masts became a major problem during winter conditions. The station was closed in 1938 and unfortunately all the transmitting equipment has been removed. Nothing remains except the main building, which still has several large insulators attached, the power house and the barrack block and also the mast and guy bases up on the mountain.

The old Waunfawr Transatlantic Transmitting Station has Radio Frequency signals radiating from it on two occasions each year, when members of the Dragon Amateur Radio Club celebrate special events using their equipment from the site.

Waunfawr in 1994

On International Marconi Day. *

• GB4MD commemorates the birth of Guglielmo Marconi   (born  25-4-1874 – died. 20-7-1937 )

• GB2VK reminds the world, that the first direct wireless telegram to Australia was transmitted from the Waunfawr station, on the 22nd of September 1918. The telegram was received at Wahroonga New South Wales, Australia.

For further information on the history of the station, please contact -

The Dragon Amateur Radio Club

http://www.gw3prl.toucansurf.com/DARCHomePage.htm