Lighthouse Jake

09/01/2023

SS ALPENA IN GREEN BAY - Fire/Fog Horn and Steam horn exchange

I took my Type B Diaphone to Green Bay to try and get a steam salute out of the Alpena. I was supposed to go to the Grassy Island Range Lights and get a cool video from there...but we missed them.

A friend who was meeting me anyway scouted for a 2nd location and got permission from some cool construction workers to set up on the edge of the new marina by Mason Street. I'm really happy to see that land finally getting used!

A HUGE THANKS to the pilothouse crew of the Alpena for saluting back! I know it's not the best timing. Next time we come back I'll see you at the mouth of the Fox, and not between the bridges!

This Type B Diaphone generates sound much like a siren. Where a siren has a slotted rotor that spins, diaphones have a slotted piston that oscillates very quickly inside of a similarly slotted cylinder. The piston is driven and cushioned by air. As the piston oscillates, the slots on the piston and cylinder line up and air is forced through and quickly cut off. That "chopping" many times per second is what generates the sound we hear.

Diaphones are classified by size by "Type." The Type B is the second smallest made, but the smallest mass-produced diaphone. (Types A, B, C, CC, F, F2T, G, K, L)

The B was used in very few lighthouses as a fog horn but Gamewell (the fire company) manufactured these to sound above fire stations. A fair amount are still in use, but not in the Great Lakes region.

The diaphone attained its fame as a fog horn. The Type F (with the grunt) and later the two-toned F2T. You can find videos of the Type F and more videos of this horn elsewhere on my YouTube channel. (Lighthouse Jake)

Thanks for stopping by!
Jake

08/27/2023

Last fall I was given a collection of Diaphone fog horn parts, letters, and blueprints.
In that collection are a couple original blueprints (pictured) from Deck Brothers of Buffalo, who manufactured the two-tone diaphone fog horn for US use.
Also included are the entire book of plans for the Type F2T and Type CC fog horns.
If someone wants to recreate one of these two types of horns or a piece of one, let me know. I can likely help. (Especially with F2T pistons)

This collection was assembled by the late Jeff Laser, who gave the collection to Harry Barry of PA. Harry has now passed the collection on to me. I'm working on scanning the documents and they'll be eventually uploaded to the US Lighthouse Society database.

12/22/2022

The Type B Diaphone I restored was originally used as a fire horn. These small diaphones were used far more for this purpose than they were for fog horns.
Here, a fire call goes out with the Type B Diaphone barking out the alert starting at 0:26. These horns were also used as a box alarm, where the horn's pattern of blasts corresponds to the area of the city or county the incident is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL1hGEdqgyU

Welcome to LongIslandFireAlarmGallery! This is a channel because the old website Long Island Fire Alarm shut down around 2009. I will be re uploading as many...

12/13/2022

At 2AM on the morning of June 1, 1967, the Waukegan Lighthouse mysteriously caught fire and burned extensively resulting in a near total loss.
The fog signal building, dual Tyfon SM-25 fog horns, the DCB-10 light assembly, and the lantern room were severely damaged and subsequently removed, leaving just the circular tower behind.
The Fresnel Lens was safe, having been removed at the end of 1962. The lens is currently on display at the Milwaukee Public Library. (Photos provided by MPL)
The log page from that day and post-fire drawn plan are from the National Archives
Examining the construction (and climbing around in the attic) of the Kewaunee Pierhead lighthouse, the construction of Waukegan was likely very similar. The main level was likely steel framed, brick lined, and then clad in steel. The upper floor and gables are wood framed.

10/19/2022

One of my 2022 projects was restoring a small diaphone horn and creating a semi-portable air supply for it. This Type B diaphone was made by Gamewell and was used above a fire station. This size was used at a few lighthouses as fog horns as well. The much bigger Type F diaphone was the standard fog horn for much of the world for a fair part of the 20th century.
Here, I salute the SS Badger, a ferry built in 1953 to carry passengers, rail cars, and automobiles across Lake Michgan. Since 1992, it's carried passengers and vehicles, including semi trucks from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI.
https://youtu.be/mgoxlIdjJmE

The .S. Badger: Lake Michigan Carferry 2022 sailing season came to a close on October 16th and I wanted to close out the season by exchanging salutes on h...

10/13/2022

Throughout 2022, I've been restoring a Gamewell Type B Diaphone. Not only does it work, I've built a gas air compressor that sits in a pickup bed to be able to sound it anywhere. I've studied these, and the much bigger "Type F" Diaphone... The classic fog horn sound.
I'm working on creating educational presentations for adults and kids to pair with the demonstration of the horn. This series of pictures shows what it looked like as I was able to disassemble it.

10/13/2022

Diaphone Fog Horn Demonstration
Sunday, October 16 (approx. Noon & 2pm)
Location: Manitowoc Marina Boat Ramp

Celebrating the historic SS Badger's final sailing of the 2022 season, hear salutes exchanged between my restored Type B Diaphone and the SS Badger as she enters the harbor at noon. I will sound another salute when she departs at 2pm.

07/06/2020

A near shore pass on the Eastern (Lake Michigan) side of Pilot Island, Wisconsin. This view is from a cruise with Shoreline Scenic Cruises & Charters in Gills Rock. Thousands of the cormorants, seagulls and other birds call Pilot Island home.

Pilot island is part of the Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Fish & Wildlife Service) and is a bird sanctuary for colonial nesting birds, such as double crested cormorants. Because of its status as an avian sanctuary, it is closed to the public.

The lighthouse was built in 1858 and is still an active aid to navigation. The Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands are working on stabilizing the Pilot Island Lighthouse, to prevent from deteriorating further. The roof on the summer kitchens (the lower roof on the near side of the house) was scheduled for replacement in 2020, however is on hold due to COVID.
www.plumandpilot.org

04/29/2020

Never before seen photo of Chambers Island Lighthouse after the lantern room was removed!

A rare photo of Wisconsin's Chamber's Island Lighthouse in 1958 when the lantern was removed from the tower and a steel skeleton structure with a light atop it was placed on the tower.
To help us save and locate rare photos such as this please consider a tax deductible donation at www.LighthouseHistoryResearch.org

11/03/2019

As I move through post production of Lighting the Door, I'm searching for music to correctly reflect the moods of the film. This video illustrates how much of an effect music has on our perception ;)

10/30/2019

A cool video from 1958 showing older lighthouse technology and the assembly of a Fresnel lens.
This video illustrates the kerosene fueled lamps in use in the US most recently during their manned history. Notice the similarity to that of our modern (Insert brand here 😉) lanterns.
This technology gave way to unmanned, acetylene fueled lamps and eventually electricity.

08/26/2019

Photos from a recent sunrise at the Cana Island Lighthouse.
These photos have not been extensively edited...They don't need it. There's a reason Cana is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Great Lakes!

08/20/2019

A breathtaking picture of the Round Island Lighthouse in the Straits of Mackinac!

A Michigan icon, the Round Island Lighthouse built in 1895. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Photo: M22 Ambassador

08/14/2019

Stop by The Ridges in Baileys Harbor to hear from two of the most influential people in the restoration of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights!
Knowledge galore! It's sure to be a great evening!
7pm at the Ridges nature center, followed by a tour of the partially restored rear light and a rare tour of the fully restored front light.

Our Lake Lesson this week is all about the Range Lights!
Join Ed and Sandy Miller, as they walk us through the recent work done on the Upper Range Light.
The restoration on these buildings have come a long way and are nearing their completion.
Join us at 7PM on Thursday at the Nature Center for a great conversation!

08/07/2019

HAPPY NATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE DAY!
Jake and family will be celebrating at Cana island today. The lighthouse and gorgeous 3rd order Fresnel lens turn 150 this year, with a big birthday party today!

Here, Jake stands on a foot wide ledge at the very top of the lighthouse, outside the lantern room. Share your favorite lighthouse selfies in the comments! Don't have one? Stop out to Cana and get one! Link to the event is in the comments!

08/06/2019

We'll be at the 150th celebration! Will you? Here's how to get out there to join the fun!!
Come be part of history!