Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

was begun in November, 1953, coincided with the four- day holiday commemorating the 25th anniversary of the government of Generalisimo Doctor Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina. This RCA microwave system radiates from the capi- tal city, Ciudad Trujillo, into three main regions. Do- minican Republic engineers, especially trained for the job, are in charge of the stations. These technical men also cooperated in installing the equipment under the guidance of engineers from the RCA International Division. The system, credited by the Government of the Republic with aiding in its economic development. is now due for expansion. Its tall microwave towers have already stood off four hurricanes, including "Hur- ricane Katie's" winds of 150 miles an hour. Wire lines went down but the RCA towers withstood the blasts. Colombian VHF Systems New microwave-carried telephone and telegraph service between Bogota and Barranquilla, Colombia was inaugurated on June 13, 1956. This is the latest link of an expanding nationwide microwave radio relay communications system being completed by RCA Inter- national Division. Microwave communications systems are ideal for the Colombian terrain, where maintenance of wire lines is both difficult and costly. One of the RCA microwave antennas is on top of El Campanario, a rain drenched peak 12,000 feet high. Plans have already been made for another addition to the system during 1957 and 1958 which will bring it to its full circuit capacity. Basic service to all prin- cipal cities is provided. When completed, 27 cities will be linked by 328 telephone circuits and 146 new tele- graph circuits. This extensive microwave system was planned by Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones. a govern- ment telecommunications agency under the Ministrv of Communications. The L. M. Ericsson Company of Sweden provided the carrier and the telephone switch- ing equipment, and RCA International Division supplied the radio equipment. Cuba Has Vast Program Cuba is another country which is modernizing its communications. Special inaugural ceremonies marked the opening of the first link connecting Campo Batista and Ciudad Militar in the vast national microwave chain being installed by RCA International Division for the government of Cuba. Major General Fulgencio Batista, President of the Republic of Cuba, personally put this initial link into operation. He made the first telephone call and sent the first teletype message from Campo Batista to Ciudad Militar. Campo Batista, an The late President Anasatasio Somoza appeared on initial telecast last July 15 at RCA TV demonstration in Managua, Nicaragua. Left to right are Rafael Huezo, Minister of Finance; President Somoza; Leonard Ferri, Manager of Regional Sales, Carribean and Central America, RCA International Division, and Luis Felipe Hidalgo, Manager of Radio Managua. important Air Base located near San Antonio de los Banos in the province of Havana, is also the home of the RCA International Division school established in April. 1955, to train Cuban technicians in the operation and maintenance of the system. Ciudad Militar, located in the city of Havana, is the headquarters of the Cuban General Staff. The author accompanied President Batista on a de- tailed inspection tour of all aspects of the RCA VHF communications installation, including warehousing fa- cilities, school activities, mobile microwave and mobile radar equipment. The President expressed himself as well pleased with RCA's contribution to the continuing expansion of Cuban communications. Geography, once a barrier to progress, is now an ally. Mexico's rugged state of Tabasco is the site of an RCA VHF system which will help develop the country's natural resources. The system, first of its kind in Mexico, will connect all the principal cities of the state. It is being installed by RCA Victor Mexicana. S.A. de C.V., RCA associated company in Mexico. General Miguel do los Llanos, Governor of Tabasco, said that this was the first important step his state gov- ernment was making to reach a previously inaccessible region of the state. It will provide the people with opportunity to develop natural resources so that through their own effort and work they may open new horizons in the state of Tabasco. The world's first micro-wave operated railroad is part of an electronic network of communications ex- panded by RCA International Division for U.S. Steel's Orinoco Mining Company in Venezuela. Ships of the ■ V RADIO AGE 29