Thanks to Terry Michaels for contributing this information.
These sites were part of a four hop microwave link from the Lee, IL main station, to the Hanover, IL earth station (Hanover C.S.). From Lee, the hops to Dixon, Chadwick and Elizabeth used 4 GHz TD-3D equipment. The hop from Elizabeth to the Hanover tower (Hanover R) used TN-1 microwave radios at 11 GHz, this was done to prevent interference with the low level 4 GHz (C band) signal coming down from the satellite. At Hanover the 11 GHz signal was received at a short tower on the top of a ridge right alongside the entrance drive. The earth station had two large parabolic satellite downlink antennas, and was built about ½ mile to the south, down in a ravine. The steep walls of the ravine provided a natural barrier to interfering signals from other 4 GHz microwave stations in the general area. A 22 tube L type coaxial cable brought the IF inputs and outputs from the 11 GHz equipment at the tower to the earth station receivers and transmitters through a 100A switch.
The link was brought on line around 1974, and retired in 1986. According to neighbors the 2 horn antennas aimed at Dixon on the 240 foot tower at Lee were removed by helicopter shortly thereafter. AT&T sold the towers and land at Dixon, Chadwick and Elizabeth in 1988. The earth station and the 11 GHz link tower were dismantled around 1994.
Created on January 2, 2003 at 18:47 by Albert LaFrance