A Really BIG Antenna

By Steve Mollman – KD9HL As a teenager and adult living in the shadow of the US Navy Radio Station NSS-Annapolis, I was able to watch much of the development of this gargantuan antenna system. Such things as 800 and 1200-foot towers with supporting 600-foot towers.  A sight for an amateur operator to behold and drool over! NSS-Annapolis first came operational in 1918 with two 350 KW arc transmitters.  Annapolis was strictly a transmitting site-the receivers were originally located at the Navy Yard Annex in Washington, DC. Later the receiver site was relocated to Cheltenham, MD, about 30 miles from Annapolis.  Portions of the site, including some of the log periodic antennas mounted on wooden utility poles, were visible to motorists traveling on US 301. Over the years improvements were … Read more >>