Photo page 1 - 2 - 3
Status: 17 June 2014
Please notice, that the following photos are the oldest of the series and being about 90 to 94 years old!
De Kloof
(Canyon)
Viewing the canyon, having the future Malabar Station in our rear
Pulling the wires of the 'Kloof-antenne' (canyon antenna) which should hanging several hundred metres above the canyon ground
The antenna inside the canyon was just over 2 km long and the canyon several hundred metres wide. A series of parallel wires were by itself not radiating. But, it constituted a capacitance against ground which actual HF current was delivered by the vertical antenna-section, just where the wires were leaving the transmitter-antenna tower. Only this, relatively short wire section acted as a radiator, the rest acting mainly as a capacitance against ground; and so closing the current loop. At the starting point of the antenna wire the local HF voltage could reach 250,000 V. This in a tropical environment, where humidity often reaches 100 %!
All those familiar to Indonesia and particularly the Preanger, may become 'in love' with the surrounding. Even though, it is not a colour photo, it is a very beautiful one!
The Preanger is one of the most beautiful areas on earth!
We cannot yet say from whereon Klaas Dijkstra might enter our photographic arena.
The wooden construction is holding the parallel wires, as to keeping them from touching ground (preventing entangling)
The most complex operation was - that all at the same time should start pulling the very many wires upwards, though, preventing that some touched ground or other obstacles where it might become in danger. Of course, those pulling the supporting wires upwards inside the canyon, were have a highly delicate job. Pulling too little caused that wires might entangle, pulling too fast that wires became over stressed. Great care was taken releasing stress from the glass-insulators ('glaslichamen').
High power systems need cooling
Particularly in respect to HF purposes, where efficiency is often quite low, consequently causing loss - hence: heat. The big Poulsen spark transmitter was designed for 2.4 MW, can you imagine what cooling provisions should be taken? This power was practically never reached, as all sorts of downsides occurred, owing to the tropical environment.
Cooling water streams had to be canalised and concrete constructions to be build, like this lock
Pulling-up the antenna wires was a delicate job, as they had to deal with several tons of loads. When, for whatever reason, a wire was entangled!
Klaas Dijkstra reported on an occasion vividly. Once causing a huge devastation.
Tropical rain is hanging at the ridges of the mountains, but, beautiful it is!
Considering the composition of the first album page, I get the impression that already Klaas Dijkstra might have been, in some respect involved. Not unlikely in composing the pages or that like
He had a real penchant for scenery, be it antenna constructions in the country site or landscape.
Album page 2
Eerste waterwerken
Water voorraad voor turbine
Intermediate small water-basin, part of the controlled water flow
To be canalised water stream
Although, lacking a caption, this basin looks looks a bit as the water basin in front of the main station building
On the other hand, this building was yet in a premature fashion.
The photo sequence seemingly is random, but Benny Emaus followed the sequence of the album page. How he approached it might be arbitrary; but it was their choice
No doubt, European employees of Radio Malabar or staff members from the Radio Lab. in Bandung (Bandoeng) being photographed
In Holland we say: vereeuwigd.
From Klaas Dijklstra's book we know also a group photo, but like this one
An intermediate water basin, overlooking the: 'Bandoengsche Hoogvlakte'
Viewing one of the cooling water sources
Building a 'kunstwerk'
Constructing a concrete water guiding system crossing a difficult trajectory. Water had to be guided by means of natural gravity only, which means that the trajectory slope must be very moderate.
Page 3
Drukleiding? and etc.
I guess, a temporary water guiding tube
Whether meant for a smaller turbine, I don't know
Boog van 50 kilowatt
An early Poulsen spark-chamber, maybe among the systems that Dr. de Groot purchased in the US about 1920
Working on the horizontal parallel antenna wires
The construction was, like already previously described, as to prevent that the over 2 km long parallel wires could entangle themselves with obstacles (debris) on the ground, when the entire antenna system had to be lifted over its full length at once. Can you imagine what a tremendous job this was, getting this commenced? Slowly but steady of course, but still. 'Walkie-talkies' did not exist yet.
This had be done several times, and sometimes it went wrong causing quite some damage.
A pressure tube bigger than the foregoing showed on page section 3
Please notice the many iron binders. I get the impression, that the tube was made of wooden parallel strips, maybe sealed-off (finished) by some tarred textile or that like material. The visible longitudinal pipe-structure might stress my perception.
My guess, in front we see the premature state of a basin. Still much debris kept in it
Its caption: Aanleg Toegangsweg
Preparations for the entrance road. In my perception, this tractor is a quite heavy one. Most likely powered by steam, which was the 'state of the art' in those days. But it might have been Diesel driven instead.
I presume, meant is the main road from the Bandung valley (Hoogvlakte) towards the Station Building of Radio Malabar. The last section is quite steep. When I visited the area in 1994, it was mainly being approached by small motorcycles.
Viewing the same transmitter as is shown on the second 2 photo of page 3
However, from a farther perspective and at different circumstance, because the first photo shows a big coil arrangement at the top right-hand side. Please notice the way the chassis on the right-hand side is being kept insulated against the Poulsen spark-gap housing (the wooden floor and the brown and white ceramic insulating bodies).
Whether this is a turbine connected onto a generator, or its force being used for other means, like driving something, I don't know
Sadly this album rarely provide captions.
Closure of page 3
To be continued at page 4 - 6
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