[GreenKeys] AP, UPI transmitter location ?

[Richard Dillman]

Hi Guys,
Back in the early 1970's I spent a lot of time 
copying RTTY from
AP, UPI, TASS and other news services that were 
still transmitting
on the SW bands. Does anyone know where the 
transmitters were
located? What equipment was used? I know RCA 
had a large site on Long Island and had
assumed this was the source but have never been 
able to verify.
                                     
Steve

-----

Greetings, Steve.  I've included some information and links to our Web site below.

Radio Central on Long Island (transmitters at Rocky Point <http://www.radiomarine.org/gallery/show?keyword=RP&panel=pab1_10#pab1_10>, receivers at Riverhead) did indeed run many circuits on frequencies from LF through HF and beyond.  But  much as Long Island was the "cradle of aviation", it was also the cradle of radio communications.  Many companies besides RCA had fixed stations on the island due to its proximity to New York.

Press Wireless (PreWi) <http://www.radiomarine.org/gallery/show?keyword=PW&panel=pab1_10#pab1_10> was a big player.  Their station at Hicksville had many point to point circuits.  After the war Hicksville, along with Levittown and many other areas became housing developments.  PreWi moved the station to Brentwood where I saw it in operation.

On the west coast PreWi had its station in Belmont.  This was taken over by Globe Wireless which continued the point to point service (with many complaints about poor service - these are now in our files).

Firestone Tire & Rubber maintained links on HF to their rubber plantation in Liberia for many years using Morse, RTTY and, in the later years, SITOR.

There's probably much more to say by those who know more than I but those were some of the major sources of US RTTY traffic.

Regards,

RD

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Richard Dillman, WPE2VT
Chief Operator, Coast Station KSM
Maritime Radio Historical Society
http://www.radiomarine.org
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