[Thursday] How often do you leave a trail to New England Wireless & Steam Museum?

Mon Feb 19 15:38:59 MST 2024

 Bob, 

Spark was officially prohibited in 1934, but essentially it was prohibited on land stations at the end of WWI as oscillator circuits for transmitters had been developed during the war. Some spark transmitters remained on ships at sea for awhile for communicating with other ships but not for too long. Some shipboard spark transmitters remained after this, but were seldom used. There is one such spark transmitter in the Wireless building up on a shelf in the corner in the marine radio shack just inside the entrance. It came from a Danish ship. Funny how much technology advances during war time.
In the Wireless building there are some telegraph sounders. If one of these is keyed while a nearby radio is on, the "spark" signal will be heard. I have heard it in the nearby HRO receiver and in the Atwater Kent across the hall that we have on to show visitors.

Dave

    On Monday, February 19, 2024 at 12:16:01 PM EST, Robert Vincent <robvi3 at gmail.com> wrote:  

 Remember, in the days of "Spark"  the receivers were not the type we have today with a BFO for demodulation.  The receivers picked up the modulated swish swish signal  using their detectors.  The closest you can come to a received spark station signal is MCW or code modulated carrier, The spark signal sounded like a A carrier amplitude modulated by noise...  swish swish swish  and long swish for a dah and short swish for a dot.The receivers were not very selective and a powerful spark station a hundred KHZ away )and even more in some cases) could be easily heard but as high in amplitude as the one tuned in.    Powerful spark stations , operating on say 500Khz. could be heard on frequencies below 500 Khz. and at harmonics and subharmonics all the way up through the HF spectrum,  That is why they are frowned upon today.  They wiped everyone else out.They were prohibited in 1934.  see below
When were spark gap transmitters banned?1934
The radio signals produced by spark-gap transmitters are electrically "noisy"; they have a wide bandwidth, creating radio frequency interference (RFI) that can disrupt other radio transmissions. This type of radio emission has been prohibited by international law since 1934.
On Sun, Feb 18, 2024 at 4:25 PM David Crowell via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org> wrote:

 Growing up, I lived across the river from WHIM and WRIB. They came in great on my crystal set using my bed spring for an antenna. I remember watching them erect the WHIM FM antenna and the first Henderson bridge.
I should have mentioned my favorite "social networking" is chatting with guests in the Wireless building on open Saturdays! 
I'm patiently waiting for June 1st.
DaveKA1EDP

    On Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 02:44:33 PM EST, Vbob <vbob at whipplestreet.net> wrote:  

 Dave - I had a toaster that I could swear would recognizably receive WHIM for a few seconds at some critical point as the nichrome grid warmed up.
I never mastered Morse - I was too busy learning to read upside down and backwards as I taught myself handsetting type for letterpress printing…..

On Feb 18, 2024, at 2:17 PM, David Crowell <ka1edp at yahoo.com> wrote:
 Actually Bob, Any (all) radio will pickup "Spark-gap" Morse code - maybe even a mouth full of silver fillings will ! As we found out in the Wireless building, a pacemaker will also pick it up.

Continuous Wave Morse code transmission (CW) does need a special (SW) radio to be picked up and decoded. Plenty of those around.
I don't do any "social networking" other than Ham radio and some email. Not even Facebook.

Dave

    On Sunday, February 18, 2024 at 09:43:12 AM EST, Vbob <vbob at whipplestreet.net> wrote:  

 Cookies are another whole kettle of fish - but you are generally correct. A particular user logged in on a particular computer and using a particular browser will often find it automagically easy to revisit sites they have seen before.This is generally benign, but makes some folks nervous - all browsers have a mechanism for refusing or deleting cookies, though it is often hidden.
But I come back again to a notion that got implanted during my years working at RISD - there are wonders in the world that one doesn’t think to look for because one has had no exposure, and the Museum is an ideal place to foster that exposure by the show-off exhibits, and then encourage a deep dive in the basement and attic archives for those who end up wanting to know MORE.
OUT-reach is critical to keeping the Museum alive and thriving, and no one path is going to suffice.
I took to heart Ken’s triggering message about leaving tempting breadcrumb trails to the museum, but where?
Facebook works for me, despite being flawed like all tools.I’ve got no use for X/Twitter but many do.Instagram never clicked for me but apparently has a lot of reach.TikTok is likely to crash and burn, and good riddance.I haven’t held a paper newspaper in a dog’s age.I don’t tend to listen to over the air radio, although I do stream from some chosen stations.I don’t currently have the means to receive Morse code via spark-gap transmission.Skywriting and flying banners are expensive, but have we ever asked? Might tempt a whole new cohort of visitors.And there are certainly more channels of varying bandwidth and coverage that I know nothing about, and some that are still being invented.
Vbob

On Feb 18, 2024, at 8:14 AM, David Crowell <ka1edp at yahoo.com> wrote:
 Most computers have "Cookies" set to on. The way I understand it, if you search for something on your PC and you do the same search in the future, it will list it first. If you use another PC to do the same search, it might not be first. Correct me if I am wrong. I'm more of a hardware guy than a software guy!
Bob, sorry to hear about your ankle. Let it heal well before doing any cartwheels!
DaveKA1EDP

    On Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 08:57:10 PM EST, Robert Vincent via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org> wrote:  

 I called up a google window and typed "New England Wireless and Steam Museum and had no problem getting to the website.  That said, I understand the necessity of using Facebook to get the word out and connect to those who just do not use Email and web surfing to find things and interest.  
We (at my home) had a neighbor a few years back who made his living writing web pages,  and social media connections.  He had many clever ways which he kept to himself which he would use to tie Facebook, twitter and all the world of social media as well as the  World Wide Web  to make particular websites easy to access.  This is a world which I am not all that familiar with.  I could not create a web page or interface Facebook if my life depended on it. It is just not my strong point.  The point I am trying to make here is perhaps we should consult such a person and see what can be done about all this. Don't ask me to consult my former neighbor, He died a last year.
On Sat, Feb 17, 2024 at 10:32 AM Vbob <vbob at whipplestreet.net> wrote:

Facebook is indeed problematic, as all social media can be. 
For my own part, using it to reconnect with folks had a significant part in pulling me out of a deep depression following an unplanned retirement at the beginning of Covid lockdown. 
Not to mention that Ken’s response to one of my posts on the Vintage Electronic Test Equipment  page led me to getting involved with the Museum again, making and renewing treasured friendships in the real world. 
There are many ways of reaching out to the wide world, never mind the WideWorld - those who WANT to find the Museum will manage, even with some false starts.
One of the most rewarding bits of being a gate-tender during 2023 Steam-Up was welcoming the folks who followed the little road signs and had NO idea what wonders awaited them - so being easy to find for folks who are NOT looking is a vital part of our outreach.
Vbob
PS: I find I’m going on about my own challenges these days - but it points up how much the Museum has helped ME, even as I wish I could help the Museum more. I suspect I’m not alone in that.
V

On Feb 17, 2024, at 9:31 AM, Robert Vincent <robvi3 at gmail.com> wrote:
I do not subscribe to Facebook, I never have and never will. I keep away from social media sites.  The best way to do it is have a link such that if someone goe into Google and types any combination of the "Wireless&Steam museum it will direct you to several sites.  Also when you sign into the Facebook NEWS  it will aks for a log in or become a member,  Just click the X in the upper right hand corner and you go right in as a guest,  TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE OR PEOPLE WILL NOT PUT IN ANY EFFORT.
On Sat, Feb 17, 2024 at 7:13 AM Vbob via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org> wrote:

Ken, et al - I just commented on a post by Michael in the Vintage Electronic Test Equipment Facebook group - a bit of gentle snark about finding stuff… - and used Facebook’s ‘automagic match’ to include a link to the Museum Facebook page in my comment - except that it offered three very similar groups - one spelt with an Ampersand, and another with the word AND, and a third I didn’t explore… try as I might I can’t get it to choose the official page - and now I can’t get it to offer all three choices again, but only the two similar unofficial pages…… need more coffee.
A workaround is to paste the URL into a post - but I do like the cleaner feel of the name being a link in the text of a post or comment.

The ‘Ampersand’ Facebook page splashes in with a invitation to the 2023 Car Show, while one of the ‘And’ pages goes to an unofficial but interesting presentation of the Museum. 
https://www.facebook.com/NEWirelessSteamMuseum seems to be the ‘official’ page and opens with a nice shot of the big engines…
https://www.facebook.com/pages/New%20England%20Wireless%20and%20Steam%20Museum/144134172264489 - unofficial page but fairly currenthttps://www.facebook.com/pages/New%20England%20Wireless%20&%20Steam%20Museum/1095731340460661/ - unofficial page but last post from 2016
How did we end up with multiple variously updated pages, and who manages it/them/us?
Can/should we figure out how to have one official page? 
Does any of this make sense? I’m getting lost just thinking about it - and we really REALLY want folks to be able to find the place and be convinced it’s worth a visit.
Vbob

On Feb 14, 2024, at 5:36 AM, Ken Carr via Thursday <thursday at newsm.org> wrote:
Do you frequent speciality groups on Facebook or other social media sitesthat you have an interest in?
Do yo search out topics such as:steam engines.           electricity.       DIY.               STEMtrains.                          mechanics.    Machining.     Physicsengineering.                physics.         ham radio.      Antique RadiosMakers.                       History.          wireless.         Restoration 
How often do you drop a plug for the museum?It’s easy to do and if we all make it a habit, even more peoplewill discover us. A  suggested sample is below:If you type just the text within the parentheses (omit the parentheses) you willget the nice photo link you may see below:“https://newsm.org” 
New England Wireless & Steam Museum – A Non-Profit • Public • Educational • Engineering Museum

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New England Wireless & Steam Museum – A Non-Profit • Public • Educational • Engineering Museum

The New England Wireless and Steam Museum is an electrical and mechanical engineering museum emphasizing the beginnings of radio and steam power.
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-- 
Robert Vincent
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-- 
Robert Vincent
DLM Antenna Technology
401-487-3933
Dear GOD, things here are very bad, We need help, don't send Jesus, Come yourself!
 When IGNORANCE SCREAMS, intelligence moves on!

Old Italian proverb... 
After the game, the King and the pawn go into the same box 

This E-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, 
confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended 
recipient(s),  or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this 
message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any 
dissemination, distribution or copying of this E-mail message is strictly 
prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately 
notify the sender and delete this E-mail message from your computer.
The world will not be destroyed by those that do evil but by those who watch and do nothing. Albert Einstein.

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  _______________________________________________
Thursday mailing list
Thursday at newsm.org
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-- 
Robert Vincent
DLM Antenna Technology
401-487-3933
Dear GOD, things here are very bad, We need help, don't send Jesus, Come yourself!
 When IGNORANCE SCREAMS, intelligence moves on!

Old Italian proverb... 
After the game, the King and the pawn go into the same box 

This E-mail message and any attachments may contain legally privileged, 
confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended 
recipient(s),  or the employee or agent responsible for delivery of this 
message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any 
dissemination, distribution or copying of this E-mail message is strictly 
prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately 
notify the sender and delete this E-mail message from your computer.
The world will not be destroyed by those that do evil but by those who watch and do nothing. Albert Einstein.

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