History of the 2T22/3T22

[Gil]

Dual-Toned sirens aren't as loud as single tone sirens are.

[500AT]

I would like to know when these wonderful line of sirens were introduced, and the final year they were offered.

The 2T22 and later 3T22 came out in 1954-1955. They were based on the already successful STH-10, STL-10 models, which were introduced in 1949. Some of the very first 2T22s were installed in aftermath of Udall, Kansas F5 tornado of May 25, 1955.

I have been told by one of the older techs who worked at Federal Signal, that the 2T22 for a short-time, was available in a double-tone special order configuration. You could actually order the siren with two high or low-pitch rotors and stators. However, there was litter if any interest in this idea, and sales were very low, and a year later the idea was dropped.

I believe that the 3T22 came out in 1961, as I have seen an older Federal Catalog from 1962 offering the 3T22, but I can't remember if the 1003 Thunderbolt was offered in that year or not?

[500AT]

Dual-Toned sirens aren't as loud as single tone sirens are.

They do however, get your attention much better, especially if the single-tone siren has a higher pitch.

[Trey]

Now James, you say that the 2T22 was a dual-tone siren only and that the Thunderbolt could be single-tone, which to me means that CD and EMA prefer single-tone sirens. Why? What's wrong with dual-tone sirens?

Gil got answer number one. I would figure the second answer is because there was probably not renewed interest in dual tone sirens after the Cold War was over, though some companies such as ASC and Sentry kept the dual tone alive.

[FS T-Bolt]

I do agree with 500AT, dual-tone sirens get your attention much better. But so what if the Cold War is over? Why don't the companies try to figure out how to make dual-tone sirens louder? So many of the sirens today sound almost the same.

[Trey]

I do agree with 500AT, dual-tone sirens get your attention much better. But so what if the Cold War is over? Why don't the companies try to figure out how to make dual-tone sirens louder? So many of the sirens today sound almost the same.

I have no idea. As far as I know dual tone sirens are always gonna be softer than single tone sirens if there is a single tone equivalent. I don't know ask Federal that question.

[whelenmike]

As a church organist and having worked on professionally voicing pipe organs, I might add that sound waves of more than 1 pitch can clash into each other and can cancel each other out.

2 pitches create harmony and overtones which I find more pleasing to the ear, but a single pitch will travel further and not clash with the other Sign waves.

Some church organs have a "fake" 32 ft pedal stop where we play a low note such as C and a perfect fifth (G) above which will cancel each other out at a low pitch and create an octav lower bass pitch to the human ear.

Studying sound waves is fascenating, but I do not have the exact science in front of me, but in short, a single pitch or frequency will travel further unimpeaded alone by itself.

[Robert Gift]

Hi, Mike.
Nice to learn of another organist. Makes four of whom I know at ARS.

You may enjoy the Ports, Pitches, Resultants, post:
http://airraidsirens.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1523

"Tootie" our 2t22A whose name was changed to Lassie, sounds a B-flat2, D5 - F5 major chord at full pitch. Nice to hear pure minor third and not tempered.

Hey, have you heard of an organ builder using one 32' bass pipe (Bourdon) to sound for C, C#, D, D# and E? The pitches are so low no one would know that one pipe is out of tune with all but C.
Then they continue on chromatically from F at 32' pitch (F= 23'), (G = 21-1/3), etc.
I can't find any information on this cheating.

Thanks