1400 KHZ AM, UTAH VALLEY, UT

At 4:00 pm sharp the transmitter went on the air, took a moment for the variable LC network to tune the antenna, and began transmitting prerecorded messages for two hours. Tonight would be the transmitter’s only time in service. It was a “pirate” broadcast, unlicensed by the FCC and thus illegal, and at 10,000 watts, generating a strong signal, but the Federal Communications Commission, who police the airwaves, ignored it. “It was for public safety,” they later claimed.

“Hi everyone, I’m Philo Farnsworth, no relation to Philo T. Farnsworth, just a big fan. Tonight at 6 pm we are launching, from a location north of Elberta, many space vehicles. You are all invited to attend, or to find a location as close as you can. Good locations will be along State Route 68 north of Elberta, from the southern slopes of Lake Mountain, and the northwestern slopes of West Mountain. Those with ATV’s can find locations all through the hills west of the opening. Feel free to get as close as you like; our launches produce no flames and are completely safe. Follow any orders that the Utah Highway Patrol and Utah County Sherriff’s deputies give you. Be patient. Don’t park on private land, which means any field you come across. It should be quite a show, visible from just about any place in Utah Valley. You don’t even need to get on your rooftop to see it, it’s all high up in the air. Stay tuned to this frequency at 6. I’ll tell you all about it. Message repeats. Hi everyone, I’m Philo Farnsworth….”