Voice of America Museum and WLW Tour During Hamvention Weekend

The National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, a short drive from Hamvention, announces expanded hours for Hamvention weekend.

The Museum is located at the site of the former Voice of America Bethany Relay Station in West Chester,
between Dayton and Cincinnati, just off the I-75 Tylersville Road exit.

From 1944 thru 1994, six of the most powerful shortwave transmitters in the world broadcast to listeners seeking truth in Europe, Africa and South America from the Bethany Station. Every week millions heard programs in 50 different languages beamed globally from this hilltop.

Those attending the 2019 Dayton Hamvention will have ample opportunities to visit.
The Museum is located about 35 minutes from the main convention activities. A booth for the museum and WC8VOA is located in space #1910 in building 1 at Hamvention.

The Ham Shack for WC8VOA will be open, as well as some unique exhibits such as the comprehensive collection of Drake Amateur Radio gear, the remaining Collins 250,000 watt transmitter, the 1960’s VOA Master Control room, the Powel Crosley Jr. Exhibit, and an exhibit about the US Coast Guard
Cutter “Courier” a cold war era floating radio transmission facility that relayed VOA Bethany broadcasts to the Middle East and Soviet Union.

The VOA Museum is open every Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 pm.

Special hours for Hamvention Attendees are:
Thursday, May 16th from 4 to 9 pm
Friday, May 17th from 4 to 9 pm
Saturday, May 18th from 1 to 9 pm
and Sunday, May 19th from 1 to 5 pm
Admission is just a five dollar donation.

In addition this year, the museum has a special offer for new donors visiting during Hamvention on Saturday, May 18th only. From 6:30 to 9 pm, new Museum donors of at least $45 will
receive:

Free general admission to the Museum

A guided tour of the Museum’s Crosley Collection

A tour of the historic WLW transmitter site featuring the Crosley 500 kw WLW transmitter.
This tour will be conducted by internationally known broadcast veterans Jay Adrick, K8CJY and Geoff
Mendenhall, W8GNM. Transportation from the Museum to the WLW transmitter site and back is included.

Space is limited on the WLW transmitter tour, and reservations are required. To sign up, visit voamuseum.org.

See you at the Museum!

More information about the museum and the special WLW transmitter tour option is available at www.voamuseum.org.

 

We would love to see you all at the Voice of America museum Hamvention weekend.
Repeater info: WC8VOA 145.39- (No PL), EchoLink WC8VOA-R (805289)

73!

 

Wow,i worked them last week on 20 meters.

 

They need a dummy with a rifle in the guard tower to make the display seem more authentic.

 

Sad that so many Western countries shortwave stations are shutdown, yet the Communist Chinese 7/24 broadcasts are BOOMING worldwide.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if we had a 500.000 watt station that broadcasts the truth today.

 

When is the last time you heard what you believe to be the truth on the radio? All I've heard for years are opinions with supporting 'facts' scattered in that are of questionable reliability.

 

This!

Not only this, but the fact that China is becoming the de facto world leader in everything manufactured means they need their message broadcast to Africa and South America.

The fact we gave up is sad.

The fact that China controls most precious minerals is scary.

Seriously, it's cheaper to 'broadcast' on the internet. But my new house (in an affluent zip code, not the one associated with my license) doesn't have any broadband other than wifi or satellite means their are a LOT of third world countries in the same boat. So who has a message (propaganda) getting through?

Everyone doesn't have a cell phone, and nobody I know that does tunes in to former shortwave powerhouses or their respective governments. They use them to 'google' things.

Meaning the Chinese are the ones who control a worldwide third world message, and Google, Bing, etc control the first and second world message.


--Shane
KD6VXI

 

This is definitely a place every Amateur Radio Operator should visit.
The collection is world class!
The history of the facility is incredible.

Keep up the good work guys!

Jack, WB8SCT

 

I'll try to visit on Thursday if I can

 

Soft power, which in the long run is more effective than hard attempts to control things. It also looks far into the future. For example, in Africa the West sends troops and while the Chinese also have a base in Djibouti they mainly send merchants and engineers. It is a strategy on many levels. As mentioned on my QRZ page, some years ago I won one of their shortwave contests. They invited me and several other people from around the world to visit for a week, and gave us a great time, including a tour of Radio China International's very large headquarters. (I wrote it up for Popular Communications which promptly ceased publication before running this, though I believe they ran it in an online CQ SWL supplement before that also died.) That's good planning on how to make friends in many places.

 

nice

 

Oh boy. A friend and I are speaking at the Dayton youth forum. Maybe we can make it there.

 

I'll be at the youth forum. We hope you can make it to VOA!

 

Ditto the Internet.....