{"id":8372,"date":"2013-12-22T08:44:54","date_gmt":"2013-12-22T12:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=8372"},"modified":"2013-12-22T08:44:54","modified_gmt":"2013-12-22T12:44:54","slug":"wg2xfq-brian-justins-holiday-longwave-broadcasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/12\/wg2xfq-brian-justins-holiday-longwave-broadcasts\/","title":{"rendered":"WG2XFQ: Brian Justin’s holiday longwave broadcasts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Reginald<\/a>

Reginald Fessenden: “The Father of Radio Broadcasting” (Source: Wikipedia)<\/p><\/div>\n

SWLing Post reader, Tom, recently shared a link to an article on the ARRL news page<\/a>\u00a0which describes this annual longwave broadcast:<\/p>\n

“As he has over the past several years, Brian Justin, WA1ZMS\/4 \u2014 an active participant in the ARRL\u2019s WD2XSH 600 meter experimental project \u2014 will transmit voice and music on 486 kHz as WG2XFQ on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and again on New Year\u2019s Eve and New Year\u2019s Day. Transmissions will begin at 0001 UTC and end at 2359 UTC.<\/p>\n

Justin, who may be better known for his microwave exploits on ham radio, will use an AM audio loop modulating his vintage-style,\u00a0homebrew transmitter<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to honor Reginald Fessenden\u2019s Christmas Even 1906 AM voice transmission.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since I’m a sucker for radio history, I contacted Brian Justin and he kindly answered a few questions:<\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/a>

Brian Justin with his homebrew transmitter (Source: w4dex.com)<\/p><\/div>\n

SWLing:<\/strong> How did you first become interested in longwave (LW)?
\nJustin:<\/strong> Always had an interest in history of radio since becoming a ham at age 11. Early wireless had emphasis on LW and so it was a good trail to follow in my years as a ham.<\/em><\/p>\n

SWLing:<\/strong>\u00a0Is the process of getting a license to broadcast complicated?
\nJustin:\u00a0<\/strong>Yes and No. What I hold is not a broadcast license as a TV or FM or AM station would have. I hold an FCC Part 5 license which is for The Experimental Radio Service. The LW and MF spectrum is formally US Govt spectrum that is managed by the NTIA (the US Govt Agency version of the FCC). So before the FCC can issue any license that is in non-FCC regulated bands the NTIA must first approve any license Grant. A good number of people who are involved in radio today don’t always understand the difference between FCC and NTIA spectrum. But licenses can be granted if you have the willingness to wait and know how the application process works. It’s not all that difficult once you know the context of what one is asking for.<\/em><\/p>\n

SWLing:<\/strong>\u00a0What is the best time to listen for WG2XFQ\u00a0<\/em>and how can listeners improve their chances of hearing you?
\nJustin:\u00a0<\/strong>The transmissions are only a few times each year to mark historical dates in radio history. I try to make at least two each year, one for Fessenden and one for the Berlin Radio Treaty. I also ran one on the 100th Aniv of the sinking\u00a0<\/em>of the Titanic since wireless played a big role in the tragic event.<\/em><\/p>\n

A loop antenna is a good antenna to try as one can at least null any loud noise source. But simple E-field probe antennas have worked for many in years past.<\/em><\/p>\n

Anyone who copies WG2XFQ is encouraged to submit a logging of it at 500kc.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thank you and good DX to all\u00a0<\/em>this Holiday Season. I hope I can deliver a tiny DX gift to all if the band is in good condition this year.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Many thanks, Brian!<\/strong><\/p>\n

I will be listening for WG2XFQ on 486 kHz<\/strong> on December 24th and 25th<\/strong>, then again on December 31st and January 1st<\/strong>. With any luck, and if conditions are favorable, perhaps I’ll hear a little longwave DX commemorating\u00a0Reginald Fessenden\u2019s Christmas Even 1906 AM voice transmission.<\/p>\n

Readers, be sure to check out Brian Justin’s web page<\/a> and the ARRL 600 meter experimental group’s website<\/a>. Please log your WG2XFQ listener reports at: 500KC.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you would like to learn more about\u00a0Reginald Fessenden, check out Fessenden.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SWLing Post reader, Tom, recently shared a link to an article on the ARRL news page\u00a0which describes this annual longwave broadcast: “As he has over the past several years, Brian Justin, WA1ZMS\/4 \u2014 an active participant in the ARRL\u2019s WD2XSH 600 meter experimental project \u2014 will transmit voice and music on 486 kHz as WG2XFQ […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[373,8,56,2436,3,305,288],"tags":[2438,4123,4094,4091,2437,1281,2441,2439,2440],"class_list":["post-8372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-am","category-articles","category-broadcasters","category-longwave","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-radio-history","tag-brian-justin-wa1zms4","tag-longwave","tag-nostalgia","tag-radio-history","tag-reginald-fessenden","tag-special-broadcasts","tag-special-event-broadcasts","tag-wa1zms4","tag-wg2xfq"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-2b2","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11811,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/12\/wg2xfq-brian-justins-annual-longwave-broadcast-dec-24-25\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":0},"title":"WG2XFQ: Brian Justin\u2019s annual longwave broadcast Dec 24-25","author":"Thomas","date":"December 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Now an\u00a0annual Christmas tradition, Brian Justin (WA1ZMS) will put his longwave\u00a0experimental station WG2XFQ on the air to commemorate the\u00a0108th anniversary of Reginald Fessenden\u2019s first audio transmission. WG2XFQ\u00a0will broadcast on 486 kHz from Forest, Virginia,\u00a0beginning on December 24 at 0001 UTC. WG2XFQ\u00a0will remain on the air for 48 hours. Listener reports\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (October 6, 1866 \u2013 July 22, 1932)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Fessenden-202x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":55119,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/wi2xlq-brian-justins-annual-longwave-broadcast-on-christmas-eve-and-new-years-eve\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":1},"title":"WI2XLQ: Brian Justin\u2019s annual longwave broadcast on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve","author":"Thomas","date":"December 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Now an\u00a0annual Christmas tradition, Brian Justin (WA1ZMS) will put his longwave\u00a0experimental station WI2XLQ on the air to commemorate the anniversary of Reginald Fessenden\u2019s first audio transmission. As in years past, he will be conducting the Fessenden transmission on Christmas Eve, as well as New Year\u2019s Eve. The plan is to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22998,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/wi2xlq-formerly-wg2xfq-brian-justins-annual-longwave-broadcast-dec-24-25\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":2},"title":"WI2XLQ (formerly WG2XFQ): Brian Justin\u2019s annual longwave broadcast Dec 24-25","author":"Thomas","date":"December 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Now an\u00a0annual Christmas tradition, Brian Justin (WA1ZMS) will put his longwave\u00a0experimental station WI2XLQ on the air to commemorate the\u00a0110th anniversary of Reginald Fessenden\u2019s first audio transmission. WI2XLQ will broadcast under its new callsign (formerly WG2XFQ) on 486 kHz from Forest, Virginia,\u00a0beginning on December 24 at 0001 UTC. WI2XLQ will remain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (October 6, 1866 \u2013 July 22, 1932)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/Fessenden-202x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":61456,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/wi2xlq-brian-justins-annual-longwave-broadcast-starting-christmas-eve-and-new-years-eve\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":3},"title":"WI2XLQ: Brian Justin\u2019s annual longwave broadcast starting Christmas Eve and New Year\u2019s Eve","author":"Thomas","date":"December 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Brian (WA1ZMS), who writes: What has now become an annual LF listening event, WI2XLQ (an FCC Experimental Callsign) will once again be QRV for a recreation of the alleged first voice transmission made by Reginald Fessenden in 1909. Transmission on 486kHz in full carrier\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":29639,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/12\/wi2xlq-brian-justins-annual-longwave-broadcast-dec-24-26\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":4},"title":"WI2XLQ: Brian Justin\u2019s annual longwave broadcast Dec 24-26","author":"Thomas","date":"December 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Now an\u00a0annual Christmas tradition, Brian Justin (WA1ZMS) will put his longwave\u00a0experimental station WI2XLQ on the air to commemorate the\u00a0110th anniversary of Reginald Fessenden\u2019s first audio transmission. WI2XLQ will be on the air from 17:00 UTC Dec 24th on 486 kHz and run for 48 hours until 16:59 UTC on Dec\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/reginald-fessenden-1906_sn635.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16310,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/fessenden-christmas-eve-commemorative-transmissions\/","url_meta":{"origin":8372,"position":5},"title":"Fessenden Christmas Eve Commemorative Transmissions","author":"Robert Gulley","date":"December 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This\u00a0 was reported in the ARRL Newsletter: Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, will again put his 600 meter Experimental Station WG2XFQ on the air on for a Christmas Eve commemorative transmission. WG2XFQ will transmit on 486 kHz from Forest, Virginia, to mark the 109th anniversary of Reginald Fessenden's first audio transmission. Historic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8372\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}