rfradioconsult
Member
Prior to the OLETS and other state/regional law enforcement Teletype systems there was High Frequency stations (HF) radio networks utilizing Morse Code as the communications medium. The FCC allocated specific frequencies for regional, national and international law enforcement inter-communications. Tulsa Police operated an HF station until they installed their first NORLETS model 28 terminal. The receivers were located at the Reservoir Hill site in NW Tulsa. The site was a small brick building adjacent to the Water Department building that housed the various valves for the reservoir. The door was/is an old jail door with a steel plate on it. The original tower was a 4 leg self-supporting tower about 200 ft. tall, the tower originally belonged to a Kansas radio station and was bought used and moved to Tulsa. The site also housed the VHF radio equipment; the HF receivers were crystal-controlled Wilcox CW-3 mounted in a rack. The audio output from each receiver was connected to a stepper relay; the dispatcher would use a rotary telephone dial to select which receiver fed audio to the dispatch office. A Hammarlund HRO was the backup receiver and was located at the dispatcher’s. The Transmitter was a Collins 500 watt autotune located in the Garage adjacent to the PD at 4th & Elgin. The transmitter was tuned by a rotary telephone dial ; the dispatcher would “dial” a number to select the channel and the transmitter would tune to the preset channel. The designated CW operator was required to have a FCC Radio Telegraph 2nd class license. Most of the traffic was on the regional frequencies, a regional station would then relay messages between other regions and to certain international gateway stations.
