Anthorn Radio Station
of Anthorn, Cumberland
The VLF transmitter is used primarily for transmitting orders to submarines and transmits on 19.6 kHz with an output power of 550 kilowatts.
VLF transmissions are relatively unaffected by atmospheric nuclear explosions and Anthorn was once part of the link between Fylingdales early warning radar, North Yorkshire, and the United States' air defence system.
A large part of the site is taken up by the VLF transmitter's large trideco wire umbrella antenna.
1961 Continental Electronics Systems Incorporated was contracted to build the station - work started in 1962 and was completed in 1964.
It is a NATO facility, controlled from Northwood Headquarters along with three other VLF transmitters in Norway, Germany and Italy.
Originally, the station was designed to radiate a single telegraph channel at up to 45.5 baud and at powers ranging from 50 kW at 16 kHz to 100 kW at 20 kHz.
2007 The National Physical Laboratory installed three atomic clocks at Anthorn. The national time signal transmissions were transferred to Anthorn (previously transmitted from Rugby, administered by BT).
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Wikipedia