Our Collins 237B-1 13-Element Log Periodic Antenna
Boom: 63ft, Longest Element: 80ft, Shortest Element 10ft, Weight 3000lb, Height at Boom: 75ft
Towering above the W1OP clubhouse is one of the Providence Radio Association’s most distinctive pieces of radio history—the Collins 237B-1, a massive 13-element rotatable log-periodic HF antenna which covers 6.5-40 MHz. This particular Collins 237B-1 antenna was originally installed as part of NAVCOMMSTA Newport’s impressive transmit antenna farm on Beavertail Point, Jamestown RI from 1964-1975. Following the decommissioning of the facility, the Providence Radio Association acquired the antenna, reengineered and erected it at W1OP in 1983 led by W1IUX Zaven Tenkarian (SK).
The effort to reengineer and erect antenna proved its worth in the aftermath of the Armenian Earthquake disaster of 1988. The antenna was directed towards Armenia shortly after the earthquake. W1IUX and others operated the W1OP station providing both assistance and health and welfare checks for those outside of the affected area searching for loved ones. It was reported that the W1OP station with the assistance of the Collinns 237B-1 antenna was the first signal heard when the band opened and the last signal heard when it closed.
Below are some videos of Zaven performing some antenna mantenance back in 1997.
In 2022 the antenna went under a major renovation and had our DMR and 220 repeater antenna installed on top of the mast.
Earlier Maintenance (2016)
More than four decades later, the Collins remains an important part of W1OP’s HF station, providing both outstanding worldwide communications capability and a tangible connection between Rhode Island’s rich naval radio heritage and today’s amateur radio community.
