US Naval Communications Station Balboa - Panama - NBA

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NBA'ers Playground web site  

Early Naval Radio in Panama - Photos  

The U.S. Naval Communications Station, Balboa (NAVCOMMSTA BALBOA), established in 1908, is the oldest Naval Activity on the Isthmus. Its headquarters is located adjacent to the Fifteenth Naval District headquarters at Fort Amador and houses a facilities control center, a message center, a cryptographic center and a fleet broadcast center. It's receiver unit is located on the opposite side of the Canal at Farfan while the transmitter station, Summit, is situated on the Trans-Isthmian Highway on the continental divide. Providing communications support for the fleet is a primary consideration of NAVCOMMSTA BALBOA. Additionally, as a tributary of the Naval Communications System, the station meets the communications needs of all the commands in the area. Farfan receiver site Summit transmitter site  Gatun VLF transmitter site Inter-American Naval Telecommunications Network - web site

NAVCOMMSTA Balboa patch

1960's - Summit Transmitter Site - 1947 Film with antenna towers at 00:10, tower and helix house at 06:35
                  - thanks to Thanos Massias for the link

AN/FRT-73 transmitter photos from Jay Schroeder - more Summit photos

Transmitter & Helix buildings & antenna lead-in	Control Console	NRS Atomic Clock	Helix Coil
Transmitter heat exchanger	Transmitter finals	Output tuning coil

1968 article
			NAVCOMMSTA Balboa plaque thanks to Randy Hoops

Summit Transmitter Site Map (1983) & Photos (1999) - thanks to Matt Paulonis

		Building 6102 at Base of 600' tower	Base of 600' tower (#6103)
		Base of 600' tower (6103)
Taken from Transmitter Building 6003	Helix House (6002)