[GreenKeys] Sheldon Daitch's Tangier Photos

[Sheldon Daitch]

Geoff,

I didn't know about the site until I read something on the cold war 
group about
an RCA study on propagation to Tangier vice directly into Europe.

I was assigned to the IBB Morocco Transmitting Station, about 35 kM 
south of
Tangier, mid 2006-mid 2008, so when I saw the article and the tie with 
Tangier,
my ears perked up.

So, I asked one of the older technicians, Kassemi, about the site, and 
yes, he knew
all about it and where it was, so one day we drove out there, and the 
results of that trip
were the pictures.  I was told another international carrier, whose name 
I can't think
of at the moment, was also in the area, but I've never found that site.

These coordinates are about halfway between the RCA TX and RX sites:

35 41 22.93N
5 57 08.15W

The current Google Earth shot shows a lot a trees around the area, but when
I did the photo run, most all of the trees had been felled, no doubt for 
development.
I don't have any idea how long the RCA site will remain as is.

When the trees were up, the site was not visible from the old Rabat 
Highway, but
once the trees were down, and you knew what to look for, the RCA buildings
were visible from select points on the old Rabat Highway.

By the way, the old VOA TX site, which we built in the late 40s or early 
50s, is at:

35 38 41.93N
5 54 49.13W

You can see some of the towers for the rhombic transmitting antennas.

The old VOA receiver site is closer to Tangier, at:

35 43 22.92N
5 52 01.41W

There were one or two of the old transmission line supports, wooden poles,
still around a few years back, but nothing of the antenna system remains.

The now closed Morocco Transmitting Station is at:

35 32 59.49N
5 57 46.83W.

73
Sheldon


Geoff Fors wrote:
> Sheldon, I was fascinated by your photos of the abandoned RCA Tangier
> point-to-point facility over on the "Cold War" web pages recently referenced
> here and have an appetite for more details!  Can you tell us how you found
> it, how you wound up being there, and so forth?
>
> I think I am not the only one on this list with an interest in "radio
> archaeology."  I couldn't immediately find anything on the web about when
> this station was shut down; presumably this occurred when satellites took
> over.  The newer RCA logo didn't seem to see use until about 1970, so I am
> guessing it was after that time.  I am wondering if Moroccan scrap yards
> were full of AR-88 receivers and relay racks when this occurred?
>
> I think Richard Dillman should have that truck in the photos for KPH-KSM
> over at Point Reyes, since the truck is, after all, a real RCA artifact and
> could give the Radiomarine service car a rest.  Since Tangier is a seaport,
> I propose that the Red Oak Victory go there to get the truck when the work
> on it is finished.
>
> Geoff
> WB6NVH
>
> _______________________________________________
> GreenKeys mailing list
> GreenKeys at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/greenkeys
>