bc:bctel:radiohistory:lightroute


Nass Light Route Microwave System

North-West, British Columbia, Canada

The Nass Radio System we worked on, supplied Long Distance, and Mobile Radio Service, to the whole Nass Valley,
From Terrace BC, all the way to, and including Stewart BC and Hyder Alaska, with a side branch to Kitsault including the Native Villages in the Nass Valley.
When one part of this system quit, so would all the Telephone services of BC Tel in the North.
All of the sites, other than Stewart, had diesel power, one diesel running all the time, with another diesel as backup.
Our job was to keep the radio system working, as well as the diesel power.
Maintenance was done on both, at least once a month, on each site.
When we travelled to each site we would spend from Monday to Thursday there.
In the winter time it could take us 12 hours or more to get to some of the sites, and the same to return.
Half the job was getting there and return. Remember this was before the ploughed, sanded, paved highways up north, which exist today.
Before the highway, we depended on loggers keeping their roads open as far as possible, then we would use our snow machines after that point.
Some sites were strictly helicopter access, such as Bell Irving.
We also cooked for ourselves at all the remote sites. We would shop in Terrace on Monday morning, and pack our food and drinking water to the sites.
All sites had propane cooking facilities. We all became fair cooks and janitors as well.
I know during my career from 1969-1982 here, there was no very often the system went down, and if it did, it wasn't for very long, considering what conditions we had to work with.
On a major failure, we would be dispatched by helicopter if conditions allowed. Weather and time of day, didn't always allow that.
In 2018 there is probably a fiber optic cable all the way up there, or some satellite service? This was not possible in 1969!

_ = Microwave

_ = Microwave
_ = Wireline

Added Kitsumkalum-Terrace Wireline

The Carquad cable was installed on Work Order #726000, completed on Jan 4, 1971 per old record book.
Kitsum repeater was located on Highway 16, across from the Kalum Motel, the last motel heading west out of Terrace

_ = Microwave
_ =Wireline

Added the Alice Arm, Kitsault Shot, as well as Bell Irving

_ = Microwave
_ =Wireline

Added Greenville leg, and also changed the format of the Kitsumkalum to Terrace run. also added Lava Lake Radio Site

_ = Microwave
Added Kincolith, and Landslip Passive

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  • Last modified: 2018/01/12 14:47
  • by dlgent