[ARC5] AN-Ranges

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 4 May 2018 at 13:09, Rich Post wrote:

> According to my info, the last AN range in the United States was in
> use in Northway, Alaska until 1974, a long life for a technology that
> was state-of-the art in the 1920s, probably due to some difficulties
> of VHF use in the mountains.  That may have been an issue in Montana
> also.

Yes. I was born in Montana, and got my first license in 1956 while I was living in Missoula, 
Montana. 

My best and favorite Elmer was Woody Davey W7CJB who was the chief of maintenance of 
the electronics at the FAA HQ there. At one time, Montana had the finest system of "airways 
beacons" in the entire world, all due to Woody. There were many mountain-top beacons 
designed and installed and maintained by him and his crew.

What I found most interesting at the time was how they powered those: they used Kohler 60 
Hz AC generators, which turned at 60 RPM (!). They ran for a full year before being turned 
off for a day during the summer, when the crew could finally reach them, when the oil was 
changed and they were checked, then restarted.

He told me that the generators were so reliable they never worried about them after a while. 
Apparently, none ever failed.

As I remember it, they were 1500 watt units.

Ken W7EKB

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