[TowerTalk] Oldest Free Standing Amateur Tower? W4EM, Memphis TN

Ken Boasi n2zn at rochester.rr.com
Sat Feb 29 18:34:03 EST 2020


Hi Paul,

W3CRA’s tower, which dates back to pre-WW2, is still standing on its hill south of Pittsburgh. I know W4ZV and a few others have documented Frank's activities through the years.  

It is partially viewable on Google Streets, and remnants of the 3L 20 can be seen from Google Earth:

40.2448665, -80.1815144

I know there are also some still-standing towers at the former K6UA and K2GL sites as well. WA2AOG (sk) had a Big Bertha at his hunting camp that had been there since at least 1965. 

73, Ken N2ZN 

> On Feb 29, 2020, at 4:05 PM, Paul Christensen <w9ac at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> I collect old QSL cards, most of which date from the early 1920s when card
> exchange became popular.  I recently spotted a card that's currently on
> eBay.  The card shows the station of W. Wright Mitchell, W4EM, of Memphis TN
> and is dated January, 1934.  For those interested, have a look at the
> left-most tower on the QSL card.  
> 
> Next, Google "1455 Peabody Ave, Memphis TN."  Take a peek beyond the trees
> at the street intersection.  Incredibly, the tower is still standing, in its
> original form 85+ years later.  The tower formed one support of what appears
> to be an OCF dipole, fed with open transmission line.   I believe the tower
> actually dates to about 1931 based on another card I've seen.  If true, the
> tower has been standing almost 90 years.
> 
> Paul, W9AC
> 
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