Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

[deleted] t1_iu6c0lc wrote

Reply to comment by TacTurtle in TIL that in 1968 the US Navy proposed turning 2/5ths of Wisconsin into a giant underground radio antenna so orders could still be sent to submarines following a nuclear attack on America by DeadForDecember

[deleted]

−8

TacTurtle t1_iu6fhd4 wrote

The actual generation and radio equipment could fit in a couple shipping containers or a small building, it is the antenna that is big.

3MW is small enough power you can get them as pre-packaged skid-mounted units like https://www.westernstatescat.com/power-systems/electric-power/gas-generator-sets/cg260-12-2100kw-3000kw3mw-gas-generator-2/

Example: check out this weather radar array - radar is radio broadcast and receive, just at much higher frequency. WSR-88D weather radars for reference are almost 1MW. The Wisconsin ELF was 2.6Mw.

11