LF/VLF Installations

RF is an Enabling Technology

Continental Electronics has created LF and VLF solutions for some of the world's most important governmental and military projects. Our work has made it possible to literally communicate over the horizon, under the seas and into space in ways that once were only the dreams of science fiction. Learn more about how we've led the way in innovative uses of RF in the Low and Very Low Frequency ranges.

You'll be surprsed to learn about the ways we've used RF technology to innovate some very impressive accomplishments:

LFCase Histories
VLF Case Histories

Long before founding Continental Electronics in 1946, our Founder J.O. Weldon was a leader in the RF industry. Over the ensuing 7-decades, Continental has continued to show the way. Learn how our work has literally defined the science and applications of RF technology.

LF/VLF Installations

CEC has designed, built and installed numerous VLF solid-state power amplifiers around the world. The following sites represent several sites that best represent Continental’s expertise in high-power solid-state design and implementation. All of these systems are of critical importance whether being used as timing station transmitters, VLF communication systems or for national defense.

Very Low Frequency (VLF) communications transmitters use digital signals to communicate with submerged submarines on at frequencies of 3-30 kHz. The Navy shore VLF/LF transmitter facilities transmit a 50 baud submarine command and control broadcast which is the backbone of the submarine broadcast system. The VLF/LF radio broadcast provides robustness (i.e., improved performance in atmospheric noise), availability, global coverage, and has seawater penetrating properties.
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US Navy VLF Installations

lualualei, Hawaii (USA) AN/FRT-64
VLF transmission system operating under the call sign NPM
on 21.4 kHz and 23.4 kHz

1 MW VLF transmission system operating with the call sign NWC
on 19.8 kHz

1.5 MW VLF transmission system operating with the call sign NWC
on 24.8 kHz

1.8 MW VLF transmission system operating with the call sign NAA
on 24.0 kHz

Japanese VLF Installations

Japanese Navy: 1.1MW VLF transmitter used to transmit to submerged submarines on the frequency 22.1 kHz with the call sign JJI, completed in 1991

50kW solid state LF timing transmitters operating on 40k Hz and located at Ohtakadoya-yama, Fukushima, Japan and Hagane-yama, Fukuoka, Japan

LF Solid-State Transmitters

Mainflingen’s commercial LF transmission system, installed in 1997, includes two (2) TRAM 100LC 100 kW longwave (LF) transmitters operating on 136.5 kHz and one (1) TRAM 50LC 50 kW longwave (LF) transmitter operating on 77.5 kHz

RTÈ (Radio Telefis Eireann), Ireland’s Public Service Broadcaster, uses a 300 kW TRAM 300L longwave (LF) transmitter to broadcast DRM services on 254 kHz

Radio Luxembourg
(no photos available)
234 kHz - RTL - Beidweiler - 1500 kW TRAM/P 1500L sold to BCE (Broadcast Center Europe), network operator for RTL

Aholming, Germany
(no photos available)
Installed in 2008, 500kW analog and 240 in DRM mode,
Frequency 207kHz

Installed in 2008, 500kW analog and 240kW in DRM mode.
Frequency 153kHz.

Zehlendorf, Germany
Installed 1999 500kW analog, update in 2006 to DRM with 240kW in the DRM mode. (It was the first TX operating in DRM on Longwave), Frequency is 177kHz