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Need Telegraphone info for May7 centennial of "Get Lucy"
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 1:37 am
by BobBurchett
I am hunting for any & all info on the Poulsen Telegraphone that gained fame during the early days of WWI when it was used by the Germans to speed up transmissions from New York & New Jersey to the U-Boats and the fateful message "Get Lucy" was transmitted that signaled the U-20 to torpedo the Lusitania 100 years ago as of this upcoming May 7
The transmissions were decoded by ham operator Charles Apgar (2MH call sign later it became W2MN) as he recorded them on his Edison phonograph (presumably an Ediphone/ Dictaphone machine) and he slowed it down to capture the secret text.
I want to reenact the even for this upcoming May 7 timeframe and am openly inviting all sources of even the slightest possible help to join with us at
http://www.GetLucy.org which I have set up to collect all possible data we can in one place.
If you have anything at all to add to this PLEASE contact me by any means; My email is
[email protected] and office number is 310.534.4456
There are some wonderful contributors to this site; Gary Halverson, Bjorn Forsberg and Ralph Simpson to name a few; we need to find a Telegraphone to "look at" or show off during this event; does anyone know where one is? They were pretty prolific during the 'teens & twenties' but sure aren't out there today! Anyone out there know more about them? Contact me off list please to speed up the process and I will check back here too.
Re: Need Telegraphone info for May7 centennial of "Get Lucy"
Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:25 pm
by Uncle Vanya
BobBurchett wrote:I am hunting for any & all info on the Poulsen Telegraphone that gained fame during the early days of WWI when it was used by the Germans to speed up transmissions from New York & New Jersey to the U-Boats and the fateful message "Get Lucy" was transmitted that signaled the U-20 to torpedo the Lusitania 100 years ago as of this upcoming May 7
The transmissions were decoded by ham operator Charles Apgar (2MH call sign later it became W2MN) as he recorded them on his Edison phonograph (presumably an Ediphone/ Dictaphone machine) and he slowed it down to capture the secret text.
I want to reenact the even for this upcoming May 7 timeframe and am openly inviting all sources of even the slightest possible help to join with us at
http://www.GetLucy.org which I have set up to collect all possible data we can in one place.
If you have anything at all to add to this PLEASE contact me by any means; My email is
[email protected] and office number is 310.534.4456
There are some wonderful contributors to this site; Gary Halverson, Bjorn Forsberg and Ralph Simpson to name a few; we need to find a Telegraphone to "look at" or show off during this event; does anyone know where one is? They were pretty prolific during the 'teens & twenties' but sure aren't out there today! Anyone out there know more about them? Contact me off list please to speed up the process and I will check back here too.
The Sayville station did not use a Telegraphone to control transmission. The tiny signal coming out of a Telegraphone in the days before vacuum tube amplification could not have controlled a transmitter. The transmitter used did have a Poulsen connection, though. Telefunken used the Poulsen Arc to create a continuous wave, which was keyed by changing capacit nice I the tank circuit. The Telefunken transmitters were known for their high-pitched warble, a very odd sounding note indeed in those damps of spark transmission. The transmitter was keyed with a paper tape Keyes, which could be run at great speed. The Arc transmitters used by Telefunken were capable of being keyed at two-hundred-fifty words a minute. Much more nimble than the Alexanderson Alternators which were considered the state of the art in the U. S. The Telegraphone was used at the RECEIVING end of the Telefunken high-speed system, to allow a human operator to decode the transmission. The high frequency warble of the Arc transmitter became a pleasant musical note when slowed down.
By the way, the Sayville transmissions were decoded by Charles APGAR not Charles ADGAR. He was experimenting with transcribing wireless signals on the Dictaphone ( He was actually using a Columbia a Type C Graphophone) when he noted that the odd noises coming from the Sayville station coule be read when slowed down. He actually contacted the Secret Service and offered his services. The original Dictaphone cylinders are believed to no longer exist, but some snippets of them are preserved on a transcription of a 1930's radio program where Mr. Apgar reminisces. A transcription of the program is in holdings of the AWA, they have much information about Apgar.
I recall seeing a couple of Telegraphones offered for sale at Union some years ago (2007 or 2008) by, I think Kurt Nauck.
The AWA has a Telegraphone in its collection, I believe.
Re: Need Telegraphone info for May7 centennial of "Get Lucy"
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:49 am
by BobBurchett
I know Kurt Nauck but if they are sold then I still need to see if I can locate a Telegraphone to "show and tell" but not to actually hack up & key something. Your info is much more complete as to the specifics; there is a ton of "very close" info and we are collecting it on GetLucy; where did you accumulate all this cool info? I need all I can get; as accurately as possible. None of us knew how that alternator was keyed; do you have any diagrams or other background. Can you please email me directly with links & sources? I will be pleased to report the source; I know little about it I am just the "central processor" of all the neat stuff! BTW: I located Charles Apgar III who lives in Florida and sent him a letter; he hasn't responded yet; I am hoping he does; the family keeps the memory alive at
www.Apgar.net WB6SLC
[email protected] CALL me if you want at 310.534.4456 as there is only 90 days left to try & make this work!