is About to DIE,
and the future of shortwave broadcasting along with it!
(Click Here for sample VOA audio)
Voice of America, Our
Greatest Radio Icon
is About to DIE,
and the future of shortwave
broadcasting along with it!
(Click Here for sample VOA
audio)
The 'Frank Lloyd Wright' of Broadcast Installations
(Photo Courtesy of James O'Neal/Radio World)
"Destroying the last
flagship VOA facility in Delano,
California would be like blasting Mount Rushmore
or tearing down the 'Statue of Liberty' and
scrapping her for the copper!" M.D.
The 'Save
The Delano VOA' movement
has begun to have a major impact:
Mike
Dorrough Lends His Voice to Delano VOA Effort
One radio icon is trying to save another.
Mike Dorrough, a familiar name in radio technology, is taking part in efforts to
save the retired VOA facility in Delano, Calif.
Dorrough said he's trying to enlist the help of Delano city officials to
restrain demolition of the facility; he says Mayor Sam Ramirez had not been
aware that the facility might be removed.
"The possibilities are limitless for the VOA broadcast facility in the
areas of education, rehabilitation, experimentation and tourism," Dorrough
told Ramirez in one of his letters to the city.
BBG
Spokewoman Comments on Delano Story
BBG has medium-wave radio transmitting facilities in Marathon, Fla., and shortwave radio transmitting facilities in Greenville, N.C., and in the Northern Marianas, a commonwealth of the U.S. King wrote that the facility in Greenville now covers Latin American regions that Delano used to handle, and broadcasts to Africa as well. Some of the Delano transmitters will be moved to broadcast facilities in the Philippines to improve reach to critical audiences, she said; and she described the Delano facility as being in cold storage.
Mike Dorrough Responds To Broadcast Board of Governors:
Radio
World,
The
official VOA (BBG) response to your story and my letter to Delano's mayor is a
good opportunity to amplify several important points.
On a positive note, we may have hit a nerve and possibly prevented a
frontal assault on Delano. In
Latitia King’s admirable zeal to defend the continued capacity of the VOA she reveals
a certain institutional disregard for shortwave, and more disturbing, a plan to
remove the legendary Delano transmitters. As
the mad surgeon said to the patient, “We're going to remove your heart but it
won't hurt a bit!”
Describing
the flagship Delano facility as ‘part of a network’ of many transmitting
facilities is like calling the aircraft carrier Enterprise ‘one of many
boats’. Delano is the biggest and
sole remaining example of the classic, audacious, 'price is no object', VOA
template. Delano was conceived as a
broadcast cathedral through collaboration between government and the Columbia
Broadcasting System with unmatched industrial and architectural design teams.
The radio community considers it akin to a Frank Lloyd Wright of
broadcast installations.
We
are not striving to save Delano merely for a utilitarian purpose.
It is a community and national historical asset with a capacity to serve
several practical and even profitable purposes, not to mention being a strategic
EMP-proof communications powerhouse.
The
most important nugget in Ms. King's letter is this line:
"Some
of the Delano transmitters will be moved to broadcast facilities in the
Philippines to improve reach to critical audiences, she said; and she described
the Delano facility as being in cold storage."
A cynic might assume that once those wonderful transmitters are cut loose
they can just as easily wind up at a scrap yard as in the ‘Philippines’. Is
it rational to think that ripping out and then shipping those behemoths halfway
around the world is more cost effective than buying new transmitters
specifically for the Philippines?
We
also know that once the classic transmitters are gone there is no going back.
A vintage car goes into the crusher only after the engine has been
removed. This is the pattern we saw
at Bethany, a death by attrition and a thousand cuts.
As with its sister facility, when neglect creeps in, the towers will
suddenly be declared a public nuisance and the ugly pattern of Bethany and Radio
Liberty (literally blown up after the VOA took it over) will be repeated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlLhWlDbKbI
The
magnificent Crosley designed Bethany, OH facility has already been thoughtlessly
gutted and, without its towers, is as tragic as an eviscerated Elk carcass with
its antlers brutally hacked off. The
Bethany tragedy is akin to the shortsighted greed-driven destruction of New
York’s classically designed Pennsylvania Station.
The tragic loss of that magnificent landmark raised enough public outrage
that her sister Grand Central Station was not only saved, but also restored.
The parallel of that triumph born of tragedy to the Bethany/Delano
situation should be obvious.
Landmark/historical
status seems the only solution to stop a slow and painful death at Delano.
Thanks to Ms. King for helping us to bring this important issue
into the light of a public forum!
Warmest
Regards,
Mike
Dorrough
g4tut
QRZ Moderator
Shortwave - Save The Delano VOA
A video on YouTube highlights the fact that the VOA shortwave facility in Delano, California is facing destruction.
The YouTube description reads:
The last remaining intact Voice of America shortwave broadcast facility in Delano, California is facing destruction unless we act now to save a vital part of our cultural heritage. Info at: http://www.radionational.org/
The Voice of America radio service was not only important to deployed troops and Americans working overseas, it also provided oppressed people around the world a window onto a free society.
Watch the video 'Save The Delano VOA'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by K7FE; 11-06-2008 at 05:03 PM.
g4tut
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w6em
QRZ Member Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Leeds, AL
Posts: 2,713
Why Not Operate It?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After watching the video, it served as little more than a nostalgia piece. Not a great deal of information about VOA's Delano site.
Who's planning its destruction? Why isn't it being used by those having present day interests in international shortwave broadcasting such as religious broadcasters or even National Public Radio?
There still is, today, a need for Armed Forces Radio. And, it still operates. Listen in on 7811 USB or some of the other frequencies. Why isn't Delano and its huge Sterba Curtain and Lazy H arrays being used by AFR? (I don't know that it isn't!!)
And, for that matter, many of us here in the US are not happy about the BBC no longer broadcasting programs to North America. Perhaps BBC could use the VOA Delano facility for some of its interests.
The video does touch on the potential for widespread calamity following an EMP event. Interesting. But, on the other hand, how many have small, battery or better yet, hand crank generator powered shortwave receivers? Well, I do.
I'll never forget VOA Delano. I got a personal tour when I was 16, in 1962. A neat place. I'll never forget what I saw. Those huge Continental transmitters with their water cooled finals. Very impressive. And, the massive, open wire, cross-arm-mounted transmission lines and switchers.
Since I lived in Bakersfield, 50 miles away, I heard 'tales' of some of the oddities suffered by farmers within a mile or so of the arrays. Things like having fluorescent lights in their homes were a no-no. When VOA was transmitting, in the middle of the night, the lights went on, even when switched off.
One of the operators at VOA was a ham and set up the tour for the Kern County Radio Club at the time. I had to ask him if he ever tried using the arrays when VOA was off the air. He did, with the obvious results.......
Sure, let's preserve it first as an operating entity. The investment by the government is immensely valuable. Still to this day. I'd be willing to help support a use of the facility, but first as an operational station. If China broadcasts to North America (it does), then VOA should still be broadcasting to China. And, that was one of Delano's major purposes.
73.
__________________
Lee
W6EM/4
Leeds, AL
I pledge allegiance to Old Glory and the Constitution, not to
politicians. Click
Here For More...
CLICK HERE to learn more about Delano, California
The Perfect Community For America's Voice & Pride!
It's Time
to Unite to Save
VOA's Last Dormant but Intact Facility!
This
magnificent facility can never be replaced, even if we had the BILLIONS
required to duplicate it with today's inflated metal and construction
prices!
(Photo Courtesy of James O'Neal/Radio World)A Magnificent 'Save The Voice of America' Letter from a Concerned Citizen & Shortwave Monitor:
"Hello
Radio National,
Rep. Mike Fergusun,
Sen. Frank Lautenburg,
Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey
Sen. John McCain,
Please do whatever you can to follow Mr. Insinger's lead. Not many of us are as articulate but thousands of shortwave listeners and Hams can certainly express our passion about saving our greatest American radio icon!
If you think such senseless destruction
can't happen, Click Here to
see what happened to Delano's sister station in Bethany, Ohio. This
irreplaceable facility, outfitted with museum-quality Crosley transmitters is
now listed on it's community web-site as a
public trash collection center! VANDALS!
(Photo by Jim Fearing)
The VOA was our
'best voice forward' in the world!
(Satellite View of Massive Delano Complex)
What is unique about the shared experience of radio,
especially shortwave and the VOA?
Here is one account:
"I could travel through space
as child, and often did. At the time, I lived in a corner of Alaska so remote
it could only be reached by airplane, dogsled, or the instant transport of
radio communications. My spacecraft was a Zenith Transoceanic radio the size
of a small suitcase, which it resembled, handle and all. During winter nights,
unless the northern lights draped solar interference across the sky with a
rainbow of neon curtains, that Zenith that would take me aloft into the Arctic
night to ride signals from the giant 50,000 watt stations in the States.
Radio Moscow was countered by the equally powerful Voice Of America, beaming signals to Russia from a huge transmitter in central California. Radio Moscow introduced me to classical music. The VOA taught me to love jazz." http://journals.aol.com/tomatomike/TheTomatomanTimes/entries/2007/02/12/radio-free-tomato/283
Why did the VOA phase out English-language
programming? Wasn't that a wonderful resource for Americans overseas and a
force for teaching America-loving populations to understand our language and
culture?
VOA Charter
Under the Eisenhower administration in 1959, VOA Director Harry Loomis commissioned a formal statement of principles to protect the integrity of VOA programming and define the organization's mission, This principle was issued by Director George V. Allen as a directive in 1960 and was endorsed in 1962 by USIA director Edward R. Murrow.
On July 12, 1976, the principles were signed into law on July 12, 1976, by President Gerald Ford. It reads:
The long-range interests of the United States are served by communicating directly with the peoples of the world by radio. To be effective, the Voice of America must win the attention and respect of listeners. These principles will therefore govern Voice of America (VOA) broadcasts.
1. VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive.
2. VOA will represent America, not any single segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions.
3. VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.
'Radio World' carried the VOA Obituary
and almost nobody reacted!
Delano Closing to Save $1.8 Million/Year
http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0100/t.7921.html
8.17.2007
The International Broadcasting Bureau hopes to save about $1.8 million a year by
closing its big VOA Delano shortwave facility, which occupies 800 California
acres and has 23 antennas.
As Radio World first reported in July, the Delano facility will close at the end of October. SEE COMPLETE ARTICLE
Note: The reasons for the closing were typical for the wholesale destruction of every American institution, a lack of funding, a lack of skilled technicians and environmental issues. THIS IS ALL PURE BUNK AND AN INSULT TO ALL AMERICANS!
The 1.8 Million-per-year wouldn't cover the cost of a single day's congressional pork!
This site is not only historical, some have observed that it's a matter of national security to maintain a powerful world communications capability if our fragile solid-state electronics-based infrastructure is attacked through hackers and/or EMP!
Wouldn't it make sense to maintain this unique facility and partner with a university, corporate sponsors and foundations to educate a new generation in the field of radio-electronics and antenna science? What an ideal campus and test-bed for new radio techniques and alternative power generation projects!
One man who did take proper note of an American Tragedy in the making was James E. O'Neal:
James wrote the seminal article about the history and importance of the VOA facility in Delano.
Here is one of his personal photos of Delano:
All of this will be turned into dust, scrap for export and tract-housing if we fail to act!
On July 23, 2008 the topic of the destruction of the last Voice of America
facility was brought up on the weekly West Coast
AMI (AM International) Amateur Radio Net.
The shock and dismay among some of radio's most devoted proponents and passionate personalities were palpable. Sadness turned to anger and then a resolve to do something!
Here is an audio clip of one of many articulate, heartfelt commentaries: Click Hereto download audio file (.wma format)!
Please write or record your thoughts about the importance of the Voice of America (and shortwave in general) and email to: radionational@aol.com Comments will be posted to raise awareness about the impact of VOA on the lives of those touched by that service and the world of shortwave.
Write to your representatives NOW to stop the needless destruction of the Historical Delano VOA Site!
(Ask Governor Schwarzeneggar if he listened to the Voice of America as a child overseas! http://gov.ca.gov/interact)
Voice of America Office of Public Affairs 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20237 Tel: (202) 203-4959 Fax: (202) 203-4960 E-mail: publicaffairs@voa.gov www.VOANews.com
VOA-Related Links:
http://hawkins.pair.com/voadelano.shtml
http://hawkins.pair.com/voaohio.html
http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2007/07/voa-delano-site-to-close-in-october.html
http://www.eham.net/articles/14253http://www.eham.net/articles/12541
http://www.answers.com/topic/voice-of-america