The total ultraviolet radiation from self‐sustained Townsend discharges in hydrogen has been measured by means of a sodium salicylate wavelength shifter and a photomultiplier tube. The excitation coefficient per unit pressure &dgr;0/phas been determined forE/p=80−250 V/Torr‐cm. &dgr;0/pas a function ofE/ppasses through a maximum forE/p≈150 V/Torr‐cm. The pressure dependence of the radiation can be ascribed to quenching with a quenching pressure equal to 20 Torr. An attempt has been made to evaluate separately the excitation coefficient for the 21&pgr;uradiation by subtracting other uv contributions from the total light intensities observed.