As some folks know, there were 4 shortwave broadcasters in northern California. We regard them as VOA Dixon, VOA Delano, KGEI in Belmont, and KWIX in SF at the KSFO transmitter site. Looking around old Broadcasting magazines and thanks to David Eduardo's fabulous radio history site, here's part of a story about the ramp-up of the newly formed Voice of America on those 4 stations. All are now defunct, but there was a time....
The term OWI refers to the Office of War Information, later called the US Information Agency, parent of Voice of America.
== begin quote ==
OWl Increases Japanese Operations
Six New West Coast 50 kw Stations CARRYING the Voice of America stronger and farther into the Orient,- the OWl has stepped up its radio psychological warfare operations against the Japanese by broadcasting simultaneously from six new 50 kw shortwave transmitters on the West Coast.
New transmitters include four operated for OWl by NBC in the Sacramento Valley at Dixon (KNBA KNBC KNBI KNBX) and two operated by CBS in the San Joaquin Valley at Delano (KCBF KCBA).
Use of dual transmitters permits same programs to be broadcast simultaneously on different frequencies to reach different parts of the Far East.
Other Transmitters In addition, OWl continues to broadcast from four shortwave stations in and near San Francisco: two operated by General Electric Co.
(KGEX KGEI) at Belmont and two operated by Associated Broadcasters (KWID KWIX) in South San Francisco.
This growing network of facilities, OWl said, was strengthened on December 26 by a new 100 kw short-wave station in Honolulu and a 50 kw medium wave station on the island of Saipan which also serves as a relay system for the West Coast broadcasts.
The two island stations were subjected to jamming by the Japanese within 30 minutes after they began operations but only the medium wave Saipan station was affected while the shortwave Honolulu station went through without interference, OWl having instituted counter-measures in advance.
With the new transmitters, OWl will increase Japanese programs to nine hours a day and Chinese programs to six hours daily during favorable evening listening hours on three different wave lengths and five hours daily during favorable morning hours.
Ten hours of programs will be sent to the Philippines instead of the present 6% hours.
Service also will be continued to Australia, East Asia and Indonesia.
The new transmitters will increase operations by the Office of Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs by 13 hours daily and will provide an additional 3% hours a day of broadcasting to troops by the Armed Forces Radio Service.
== end quote ==
The term OWI refers to the Office of War Information, later called the US Information Agency, parent of Voice of America.
== begin quote ==
OWl Increases Japanese Operations
Six New West Coast 50 kw Stations CARRYING the Voice of America stronger and farther into the Orient,- the OWl has stepped up its radio psychological warfare operations against the Japanese by broadcasting simultaneously from six new 50 kw shortwave transmitters on the West Coast.
New transmitters include four operated for OWl by NBC in the Sacramento Valley at Dixon (KNBA KNBC KNBI KNBX) and two operated by CBS in the San Joaquin Valley at Delano (KCBF KCBA).
Use of dual transmitters permits same programs to be broadcast simultaneously on different frequencies to reach different parts of the Far East.
Other Transmitters In addition, OWl continues to broadcast from four shortwave stations in and near San Francisco: two operated by General Electric Co.
(KGEX KGEI) at Belmont and two operated by Associated Broadcasters (KWID KWIX) in South San Francisco.
This growing network of facilities, OWl said, was strengthened on December 26 by a new 100 kw short-wave station in Honolulu and a 50 kw medium wave station on the island of Saipan which also serves as a relay system for the West Coast broadcasts.
The two island stations were subjected to jamming by the Japanese within 30 minutes after they began operations but only the medium wave Saipan station was affected while the shortwave Honolulu station went through without interference, OWl having instituted counter-measures in advance.
With the new transmitters, OWl will increase Japanese programs to nine hours a day and Chinese programs to six hours daily during favorable evening listening hours on three different wave lengths and five hours daily during favorable morning hours.
Ten hours of programs will be sent to the Philippines instead of the present 6% hours.
Service also will be continued to Australia, East Asia and Indonesia.
The new transmitters will increase operations by the Office of Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs by 13 hours daily and will provide an additional 3% hours a day of broadcasting to troops by the Armed Forces Radio Service.
== end quote ==
