Globe Wireless Dixon

 military, antenna, radio station

Voice of America Relay Station, Dixon (closed)
The Dixon site operated from 1943 until 1993, originally by NBC (1943-1963) and later the government (1969-1979, 1983-1988). Its callsigns were KNBA, KNBC, KNBI and KNBX. Like the VOA relay station in Delano, CA, Dixon first used 200kW and dual channel 50kW shortwave antennas. The site was later upgraded to the more familiar 500kW curtain (Sterba) antennas in place today. The maintenance requirements of the older transmitters, decline in listenership, and labor costs were some of the reasons behind the closure of this site.

The site was purchased in 1998 by Globe Wireless for the purposes of connecting vessels in the Pacific Ocean with land based electronic mail systems. Space is also subleased to Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (ARINC) for the purposes of transmitting HF voice and data to commercial aircraft.

www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm
Facility tour showing the immense scale of the operation, from the giant Sterba curtain array to the Transmitters of Unusual Size: home.roadrunner.com/~boatanchors1/voadixon.html