American Marconi Station, Marion, MA By Henry Brown, KlWCC "Establishing a powerful and close bond which will foster commerce and work toward the End of universal peace among all nations". Thus in 1914 did the American Marconi Co. dedicate their Marion, MA transatlantic radio communications station. Given the year, the dedication statement could be read two ways-the "end" of universal peace was about to commence as World War I began. The American Marconi Co. began life in 1899, founded as part of British Marconi. The fIrst Marconi station in America was at South Wellfleet, MA where the fIrst transatlantic radio circuit, via Poldue in Wales, was established in 1903. As the years passed, they began to establish a number of powerful stations in the U.S.A. dedicated to transoceanic communications. Marion, MA was one of these. These stations were huge affairs, the antenna farms and transmitter buildings covering 144 acres in the case of Marion. The stations transmitted only-the receiving sites being co-located but at least 20 miles apart to minimize interference. Marion's receiving site was in Chatham, MA, about 40 miles away in an easterly direction. A "working duplex" system was used for simultaneous receiving/transmitting. The transmitter was keyed from Chatham via a private telegraph/phone line. The writer believes that remnants of this line are still visible from U.S. RTE. 195 in the Marion/Wareham area. Strangely enough, a 1919 New Bedford Standard Times article claims that, although the station was built in 1914, it was not used commercially until after the war, when the Naval guard was removed and "Marconi men" returned to the site. The article describes the timed spark transmitter. Test transmissions to Stavanger were about to be made, according to the story. Marion was designed for one circuit only, the other station being at Stavanger, Norway. When established in 1914, a 300 kw. timed spark transmitter of the type being installed at other Marconi stations, was also installed at Marion. This was high technology for the day. Also installed were 14 large tubular steel towers, 6 on each side, with one each centered at each end. Towers were 406 ft. high. The tower bases, as measured by the writer on-site, were concrete with 8 ea. 2" bolts within a 72" dia. circle footprint. Measured distance between tower lines was about 555 ft, with the towers being 900 ft. apart. The tower field was roughly 800 ft. x 7000 ft. At the time of initial erection, it took 8 days to raise and stay a tower. Guys were 7/8" dia. plow steel wires. Copper coil houses were between the towers, with zinc plates buried in the ground vertically. The antenna field was oriented in the direction ofStavanger, the lone end towers apparently lining up on the Great Circle bearing to the Norwegian city. Frequency of operation was 25.82 kHz. and 22.35 kHz., now known as VLF (Very Low Frequency). Early photos of the antenna field show an amazing number of guy wires. There were a number of buildings on the site, including a powerhouse containing the generator and condenser. There was a soundproof room containing the Marconi "disk discharger". A 13 room barracks were provided for operators, and six additional rooms for servants. One can imagine the size and scope of the operation, especially thrust upon a heretofore-quiet small New England town. Soon after establishment of the station, World War I started in Europe. When the U.S. entered the war. At this time, the Navy took control of Marion station as they did others around the country. Chatham was discontinued as a receiving station and replaced by the Naval station at Otter Cliffs, Maine, near Bar Harbor. The writer could not fmd any indication of Marion and Otter Cliffs being used in duplex. When the war ended, Marion was one of the three American Marconi stations not sold to the Navy (the others being Bolinas, CA and New Brunswick, NJ). The Navy, however, had begun to recognize the importance of radio communications for military operations, and had lobbied for U.S. control of radio operations. Since the American Marconi Co. was a British Corporation, they came under tremendous pressure to sell their interests to a newly formed American corporation, called RCA. That is a story unto itself, but by 1920 RCA had control of Marion station. Changes in the physical plant were underway, with 200 kW highly efficient Alexanderson alternators being installed in place of the higher power timed sparks in 1921. These units operated as follows: Function Callsign Wavelength Date installed: Transoceanic WQR 13,423 meters 1920 Transoceanic WSO 11,628 meters 1922 It took about 8 minutes to start the alternators before transmission could begin. Those who worked with these units at times waxed eloquent as to the sound and odor of the massive alternators when in operation. Alexanderson alternators were built by GE and were used in other installations around the world. As far as the writer can determine, the VLF portion of the station was used regularly until about 1927, when four steel shortwave towers, each 300 ft. tall (one is still there) were installed. These were intended for marine service. The transmitters were tube type, crystal controlled. It was at this time that the callsign WIM was used for shortwave operations, with WCC being used at the Chatham station. Details regarding operations during this period do not seem to be readily available. When World War II started, the Navy (some accounts say it was the Army Air Force) again took control of Marion station. At this time, one of the alternators was removed and taken to Hawaii, where it was installed at the new VLF station the Navy was building at Haiku. Another alternator was shipped to Marion from Radio Central on Long Island. Marion provided communications for U.S. Atlantic Fleet ships and submarines during World War II, being given up by the Navy in 1948. In 1949, the site was leased by the Air Force to disseminate weather data to aircraft and stations, notably the stations being established on ice floes in the far North. The New Bedford Standard Times has some interesting articles from the early 50's detailing the running battle between the Air Force and local townsfolk regarding television interference. Apparently, it was severe, with very little that could be done given the power and proximity of the transmitters. The station was still being operated at VLF frequencies. According to information obtained from the newspaper archives, the controversy continued during the entire time that the Air Force was resident there. The site was purchased by the Air Force in 1956. The service at the time stated that VLF was the only means of communicating with distant points that was not affected by "auroral absorption and magnetic disturbances". Part of the purchase agreement with RCA included the use of the operating frequency, 25.82kHz. In 1959, the property was declared surplus by the Air Force. In 1960, the 14 towers were dropped and the antenna field began to revert back to swampy vegetation. The station buildings housed various industrial and professional offices over the years. Some still exist. One of the 1927 towers is being used for cable television reception. A visit to the antenna field by the writer in 1986 revealed concrete pylons, tower bases, rusty guy wires and considerable 1/8" hard drawn copper ground wire. Just a few notes: the writer can recall travelling on Route 6 as a boy during the late 40's and seeing the huge antenna field with its attendant red aircraft beacon. It was a fascinating sight and helped "spark" his interest in radio, a local Falmouth ham has said that one could actually hear code being sent while swimming underwater in Buzzards Bay. For an excellent description of early American radio, get a copy of Thorn Mayes' "Wireless Communication in the United States", published by the New England Wireless and Steam Museum in East Greenwich, RI. lf you decide to visit the site, the antenna field is accessed via the disposal area road in Marion, off Route 6. The station buildings are under the present tower. Don't forget to visit the Shortwave Grill on Route IO5, adjacent to the site. It might be better named the Longwave Grill! 200 KW ALEXANDERSON ALtERNATORS AT MARION STATION Date Installed Call sign Wavelength Disposition 1920-new WQR 13 423 meters Idled 1932 Scrapped 1922-new WSO 11,628 meters Sent to Haiku HI 1942 1949-from Possibly WIM 25.82 khz Preserved Radio Central Smithsoian Institute Long Island