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Show MOST UTAH LONG DISTANCE CALLS GO BY MICROWAVE Three of every four Mountain S,tates Telephone long distance circuits in Utah are now provided by microwave facilities, according to Gerald E. Vickers, manager for the telephone company in Beaver County. Over 68,000 circuit miles of microwave were added during 1966, bringing to nearly 285,000 the number of miles of long distance now provided by microwave in Mr. Vickers noted that telephone tele-phone customers, gain two advantages ad-vantages from microwave. It offers more speaking paths per unit, and is not generally subject to the same bad weather weath-er and accidental service interruptions inter-ruptions common to underground under-ground cable and open wire. One new microwave network was constructed between Provo and Richfield, another from Cedar City to St. George, and a third between Salt Lake and Bingham Canyon, Eleven new structures were erected in the three networks, accounting for some $1,127,000 in expenditures. The microwave micro-wave towers alone are constructed con-structed at a ost of $3,000 to $80,000 each, depending upon their type, height, and location. "These towers vary in height from 12 to 160 feet, and each is designed to withstand 100 mile per hour winds," Mr. Vickers said, Their rigidity 's such that the antenna must not waver more, than one-fourth one-fourth of a degree from its transmission path. All towers are fenced. Some are painted and positioned so they will not distract from the natural beauty of the surrounding surround-ing landscape. And all have obstruction lighting to conform con-form with Federal Aironautlcs Administration regulations, Mr. Vickers said. |