VOA Transmitter at Delano, CA

(Jim Hawkins' Radio and Broadcast Technology Page)

Photos and descriptions by Fred Telewski
WA7TZY

Thanks to Fred (WA7TZY) & Susan (WB7BST) Telewski for sending these photos taken during their 1993 visit to the Voice Of America transmitting facility in Delano, CA (Google location map). Thanks also to R Lynn Smith who hosted their tour. God knows when I would get a chance to get out to this site myself. Delano is about 140 miles north of Los Angeles. - JPH

Bethany was almost a carbon copy of Delano. Much of the gear is identical and installed in almost the exact same way right down to the placement of the transformers. Delano used to have two of the GE 250 KW units like Greenville but they were removed in the early 90's. - Fred

Shutdown of Delano station Radio World article - VOA Delano Station Goes on the Block

Tour Voice of America - Delano W6LIE

Antique Wireless Association acquires one of the Delano Collins transmitters.

AC power vault behind building at VOA Delano, Ca.
Several megawatts transformed from 4130 volt
primary distribution.

Just some of the many Rhombics on the Delano site.

"Big TCI" curtain 6 to 12 MHz collinear with reflector
on 400 foot towers.

"Little TCI" 12 to 24 MHz array stands next to
Big TCI.

Another Curtain at Delano similar to those [taken down]
at Bethany, OH.

Combining and Phasing yard for the BBC's.
They can put them on the same frequency
and combine for more output, or feed the
broad band TCI collinear with several
transmitters on different frequencies at
the same time.

Switching yard for beam slewing on the TCI
collinear. They can electronically slew the
azimuth and take off angles on the TCI array.
Wouldn't you like to be able to do that on
20 meters??

One of over 100 pneumatic switches for the
TCI array.

Close up of switch.

Detail of feed on "Little TCI"

One of the 250 KW BBC transmitters. These
are mounted through the walls in a newer
section of the facility. There are two on each
side of a nice gallery with plants and some
furniture running down the middle. This setup
was Susan's inspiration for our station.



Fred and Susan's Trip to Delano Story

Every year Susan and I go to Visalia, Ca. for the international DX convention (APR 15 this year). Visalia is between Fresno and Bakersfield. Delano is about 30 miles south of Visalia. We would alternate driving each year from LA or San Jose, a nice drive either way. The first time we drove up from LA, we could see the 400' towers for miles on the flat farmland of the valley. When we got to Visalia we asked some of the other hams about the ANT farm in Delano and they informed us that it was VOA. No chance to visit that year, but ah, next year!! Well next year we misjudged how long the drive was going to be from San Jose and arrived about 20 minutes after visiting hours. I got out of the car and approached the intercom and camera mounted at the gate and announced my presence and pleaded my case. I was politely told to go away, "We are closed". Grumble, next year.

Next year, we came from LA again. It was HOT, 96 degrees. We got caught in a big construction delay in the pass which resulted in many overheated RV's and stuff. We got there about 30 minutes late, grumble!!!!!! Susan was driving. She said she would go out and ask at the call box, I said don't bother based on my last experience. Susan (dressed in tennis top and short tennis skirt) goes out anyway and pleads her case. The camera, facing south
pans east and down, and the gate opens and we (she) is welcome!!!

TNX Susan!!

We returned several more times over the years and got great tours of the
facility. - Fred (WA7TZY) & Susan (WB7BST) Telewski

Google Satellite of VOA Delano as grabbed 4/29/2017 - click on image for larger.
Google satellite.

Rights to all photos on this page belong to Fred Telewski (c) 2000. Republication in any book, periodical, website or any other media accessed by the public is prohibited without permission from Fred Telewski.


Accessed times since April 8, 2000.

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