Voice of America Visit November 20, 2013

For a visit arranged by PARS President Bill Olah KR4LO, last Wednesday eleven members found their way along the back roads to Grimesland and the the Edward R. Murrow VOA transmitter station. This station, Greenville “Site B”, is the last of the VOA stateside HF transmission sites still in operation. Built in the 1960’s, each of its eight big walk-in “industrial strength” transmitters are still capable of sending 500KW out to any one of the rhombic, fan dipoles, and Sturba Curtain antennas in the big treeless expanse behind the building. Even with very limited funding by Congress, Chief Engineer Macon Dial (KB4PMQ) and the small staff keep the station on the air 24 hours a day broadcasting programs from Washington DC VOA studios to listeners around the world. The programs are currently being directed toward South America, Africa and the Far East but the station is capable of pointing its short wave signals in any direction. The station transmits, not only in conventional AM, but also SSB and several digital modes. A thick binder full of reception reports attests to effectiveness of the station’s transmitters to maintain the United States’ top standing in the world of international radio broadcasting.
(Extracted from PARSgram 2013-11-25)

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