Replaces Eiffel Tower

Iceland, one if Europe's smallest republics, now boasts Europe's tallest structure. The new U.S. Coast Guard Loran (Long-range Radio Aid to Navigation) "C" tower at Sandur on the island's west coast rises 1,350 ft., out-towering France's famed Eiffel Tower by some 366 feet.

The project is a cooperative U.S.-Iceland effort. Arrangements for project design, materials and funds were meade possible by by close coordination on the part of officials of both countries. Rear Admiral Church, CEC, USN, Director Atlantic Division of BuDocks, through the local Resident Officer in Charge of Construction. LCDR Robert A. Litke, CEC, USN, administered the contract with the Icelandic Prime Contractor. The IPC employed 130 technicians and construction workers in the laying of the base insulator and the construction of the station houses, utility buildings and living quarters for the tower officials and operators.

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Lt(jg) Thomas J. Vento, U.S. Coast Guard Liaison Officer in residence,
is dwarfed by one of the massive stays that support the tower.

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Stretching to it's full 1.350 ft, the tower will be ready for opera- tions as soon the equip
ment is installe. The mi-
nute dots on the guy wires are insulators measuring 3 ft in dia. and weighing 740 lbs apiece.

The tower was assembled and erected by employees of the Gunnar A. Olsen Cop., a stateside construction firm, working on a sub contract from the IPC.

Although Iceland is noted for her high-velocity winds and adverse weather conditions, fair weather favored the 12 man Olsen construction crew.

The base insulator, capable of supporting 850 tons, was laid May 15.

The first of 45 30-foot sections was hoisted into place on May 17. As many as three sections, each weighing from 13,600 lbs. at the base to 5,410 lbs. at the peak, were added each working day during good weather, By July 16 the 400 ton towere was "topped off".

The new tower will replace a 625 forr "B" tower built at Sandur in 1959. Operating at the same 100 kilocycle frequency, the "C" tower's primary advantage will come from the increased height that permits wider range at greater output.

The North Atlantic extension of the Coast Guard owned and operated world-wide Loran system is unique. With the exception of the Loran station at Sylt, Germany, the North Atlantic extension is operated by civilian personnel of the various countries. Other towers at Angissoq, Greenland; the Faeroes Islands; Jan Mayen Island and Bo, Norway; make up the North Atlantic estension.

Twenty-one Icelandic radio technicians will man the Sandur station. An 8 apartment house was built by the Icelandic Prime Contractor to supplement the quarters built there for the technicians and their families in 1959. Aseperate duplex was constructed to house the Station Master, Mr. Olafur Thorarinsson and the Coast Guard Liaison Officer in Residence, LT(jg) Thomas J. Vento, and their families.

When installation of equipment is completed in October, the tower will join the system of cooperating Loran stations in the North Atlantic. Working together, the stations will ensure blanket coverage of the area enabling ship or aircraft equipped with a Loran receiver to fix its position by Loran transmitted radio waves.