Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Broadway's Microwave Towers | Bangor


I've seen various images and their associated descriptive text on Picasa and Flickr identifying this local landmark as related to military activity, namely radar. The large, old communications towers overlooking the Broadway Shopping center are actually microwave repeaters that were originally a part of a fledgling long distance (consumer) communications network developed by AT&T as well as Bell labs, who, at the time were responsible for handling ALL long distance communication in the United States. According to a documentary from the late 1970s, each transmitter/receiver could handle up to 3,000 voice calls each, simultaneously. The conical shapes that you see atop the tower are Western Electric KS-15676 horn-reflector antennas originallydesigned in 1955. Bangor appears as a planned phone routing station in the long lines network in maps dated as early as 1966.

More information below. Some technical information as well as a 1977 documentary from AT&T.



1 comment:

  1. There is also what I presume to be a repeater tower, In Liberty ME. These did see some contracted government comm use, some buildings are blast proofed.

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