BC Tel- Kitsumkalum Radio Site

Originally, per Joe Wlasitz, all the sites had Lenkurt 71 A or B radios, except Stewart to Meziadin had a Lenkurt 74 radio.
Per the log book the 71A radio to Terrace, from Kitsum site was removed in 1970, and replaced with a Wireline, thru the Kitsumkalum Repeater, in front of the Kalum Motel.
I am starting to believe this repeater was added, after awhile, also to improve levels to Terrace.
Per the log book, Birke Brookbank and Dennis Hull struggled to equalize the first wireline.

Photo by Brian Wolfe

The first Kitsumkalum site was a branch off the old Kitsumkalum Ski Hill Road. Only a few miles from town, up the old Nass Rd, West Kalum Forestry Rd now,
This one room building had a little propane emergency Onan, and the Radio Bays, and that was about it.
Later on a battery bank was added.
When this building was removed, it was found to have the floor under this battery bank, eaten away by a porcupine.
It was holding on by a thread!
What a surprise it would have had with one more bite!

This site was fed by Hydro via the Kitsumkalum Reserve Power Line, at the bottom of the hill.
In the winter time we would get trees down on this line, and have to snowshoe up the hill, and see where there was a problem.
It was not a fun part of the job. Found out real quick how out of shape I was each time I did that.

Located at Lat 54-38-45 and Long 128-44-30

Picture by Glen Olver
Sometime in the early 80’s, Kitsum was removed and a new site was installed, at approx 15 miles up the old Nass Rd.
It was a self contained building with cyclic power.
There was a radio shot to Lava Lake and to Copper Mountain.
It was built the same time Lava Lake went into service, for the new link from Terrace to Aiyansh, and north.

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