A Century of Radio History Comes Alive: SAQ Grimeton to Transmit on United Nations Day

One of the world's most remarkable pieces of radio history is preparing to come alive again. On Saturday 24 October 2026, the historic SAQ Grimeton Radio Station in Sweden will transmit a special Morse code message celebrating United Nations Day, promoting peace, unity and international cooperation.

What makes this transmission extraordinary is the equipment producing it. Rather than using modern electronic transmitters, SAQ will operate its original Alexanderson alternator, a remarkable piece of electromechanical engineering dating from the 1920s. The transmission will take place on 17.2 kHz CW, deep in the Very Low Frequency (VLF) spectrum, using technology developed more than a century ago.

Radio Before Electronic Transmitters

Grimeton Radio Station entered commercial service on 1 December 1924, providing long-distance wireless communications at a time when reliable international radio links were transforming the world.
The station is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for preserving an extraordinary example of early global wireless communications infrastructure. Its functioning Alexanderson alternator is a rare survivor from the era when high-power radio signals were generated mechanically rather than electronically.

For radio amateurs, engineers and experimenters, SAQ offers a fascinating connection to the pioneering days of radio. It demonstrates the extraordinary engineering required to generate and radiate VLF signals long before valves, transistors, integrated circuits and software-defined radios became commonplace.

When to Listen in Australia

The Alexander Association has announced the following schedule for Saturday 24 October. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) is 11 hours ahead of UTC.
Event UTC AEDT (NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT)

YouTube livestream and technical presentation 12:20 11:20 pm Saturday

Alternator startup and tuning 12:30 11:30 pm Saturday

SAQ CW identification begins 12:45 11:45 pm Saturday

United Nations Day peace message 13:00 12:00 am Sunday 25 October

All times are scheduled and subject to operational conditions. Queensland is one hour behind AEDT; South Australia is 30 minutes behind.The station also plans preliminary test transmissions on Friday 23 October between 11:00 and 14:00 UTC, corresponding to 10:00 pm Friday through 1:00 am Saturday AEDT.

Can Australian Amateurs Receive SAQ?

Receiving SAQ presents an interesting technical challenge. At 17.2 kHz, the wavelength is approximately 17.4 kilometres, considerably longer than anything encountered on the conventional amateur HF bands.

A suitable VLF receiver or SDR, together with an appropriate receiving antenna, offers an opportunity to experiment with reception. Active magnetic loops and specialised VLF receiving arrangements can be particularly useful, although local electrical noise and propagation conditions may make reception difficult.

For amateurs who cannot receive the VLF signal directly, the Alexander Association will provide a live YouTube broadcast, including the startup and tuning of the alternator, technical commentary and the transmission itself.

Amateur Radio Station SK6SAQ Also on Air
The associated amateur radio station SK6SAQ is also scheduled to operate on HF during the event, providing an opportunity for radio amateurs around the world to make a contact with the team at Grimeton.

Planned frequencies are:
Mode Frequency
CW 3.5172 MHz
CW 7.0172 MHz
CW 14.0172 MHz
SSB 3.755 MHz
SSB 7.140 MHz

Two amateur stations are expected to operate for much of the day. These HF transmissions are separate from the historic SAQ transmission on 17.2 kHz.

Reception Reports and QSL Cards

The Alexander Association welcomes reception reports from listeners worldwide. For a guaranteed electronic QSL confirmation, listeners should use the official online SAQ reception report form, available from 24 October until 22 November 2026.
Reports submitted by email, ordinary mail or through the bureau may not receive confirmation. Reports for amateur station SK6SAQ are handled separately.

This is more than a historical demonstration. It is an opportunity to hear the same fundamental technology that helped establish international wireless communications a century ago, still transmitting a message to the world.
A century-old machine, a 17.2 kHz Morse signal and a message of peace. Radio history doesn't get much more authentic than that.

Further information and links
- alexander.n.se - Link

Page Last Updated: Friday, 09 Oct 2026 at 08:20 hours by Justin Giles-clark

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