September ’70: Preparing the transmitter tower site

September 24, 1970 Volunteers John Pfeifer and Tom Busch continue to pound sizzling chisels into the permafrost for explosives expert Sam Tucker to pack with dynamite. They shovel and bucket out debris 11 to 12 hours a day, taking only 10 minutes for lunch and dinner; the meals are delivered to them seven days a […]

November 1970: Waiting for the weather for tower construction

November 22, 1970 After three weeks of blizzards and winds, the weather has briefly cleared. Volunteers John Pfeifer and Tom Busch are belted to the AM tower at the 95-foot level, and eight others on the ground hoist the microwave receive antenna, which the pair install.  Weather closes in again, and work can’t resume for […]

September 1970: Dynamiting into the permafrost

September 21, 1970 Volunteers Tom Busch and John Pfeifer and dynamite expert Sam Tucker put in another day, melting holes into the permafrost with red-hot chisels and heavy hammers. Sam’s dynamite blasts excavate an average of about a foot a day on the main hole for the tower, as well as the three smaller holes […]