The AM Forum

Here is a link to a You Tube video of the Voice Of America Bethany Ohio relay station. Some interesting details and great old photographs. One thing I learned is Bethany had NO studios. No microphones and no live talent. All program material was relayed to Bethany from other studios in places like New York. It was thought to be too dangerous to have the talent that close to the transmitter as the site was a target of the Third Reich.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icrr6lZBMuQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icrr6lZBMuQ)

Good morning, Mike,, thanks for posting that. A new one for me. Some guy named Clooney narrated it, but it sounds like Laugh-In's Gary Owens, without the sugar rush.  Well done production, and yes, the photos really make it.  You could see the engineer nearly choke up when he recalled the day they shut the place down. (we all sang "God Bless America")

By coincidence to your posting, just Saturday I got the latest issue of RadioWorld and there's a feature article in there about Bethany, describing a multi-million dollar restoration of the outside of the building, and plans among three historic groups to maintain a presence there.

One of them is a group of licensed radio hobbyists, as WC8VOA, but it wasn't clear they have any inclination toward AM and vintage gear that would make for a nice, working station display.

Some years ago, you may have worked former VOA-Bethany staff engineer Bill, WA8LXJ on a re-crafted Colllins 231-D point-to-point transmitter that he got from this site.  They were throwing it out and he found a way to give it a new home.  Impressive signal and audio on 75M and i was lucky to spend significant time with him on the radio in the early 1990s, probably after it was already known Bethany was slated to close.

I talked with him on the phone more recently, and I seem to remember he has moved.

Maybe he's got circumstances to consider now a homecoming, loaner at least, if the club is the least bit inclined.  

THAT would be cool.

Hi,

Well very nice find you brought in,.. there's so much stuff on You Tube man it's like one big data collection base all recorded for Posterity.... :)

I liked the Crosley coverage a lot...Excellent Photos of the Towers, Equipments Beautiful but the Political End of it isn't my cup of tea.

Gotta be careful with Political vestiges man.... be nice if you could Trim some of that out..

73
Jack
KA3ZLR

The site is being converted into a museum. The exterior of the building has been refurbished and the interior is a WIP. It also houses a non-VOA radio museum, and a museum of Cincinnati area radio & TV broadcasting.

It was open to the public Sunday afternoon Dayton weekend. We discovered it by accident during a side-trip on the way back home to take a close-up look at the WLW Blaw-Knox tower.

As to be expected, their biggest problem with the WIP is funding. At present, they are open to visitors by appointment only.

http://voamuseum.org/

Fantastic piece Mike!  Thanks for posting it.
Joe, W3GMS

Great video. I wonder if all the antennas were up from the start? Seems to me that it would be very hazardous to be installing another antenna near by with those power levels? I think down time was a very serious thing in the days of this VOA site!