Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Fisher, who writes:
Hi Thomas,
I recently watched an episode of a science-fiction tv series on NBC called “Debris”. There was a brief scene of an antenna array and the following dialogue:
“What is this place?”
“It was used to transmit news reports to the Allied Nations during World War Two.”
“Voice of America?“
“Yes, yes. And also shortwave radio communication with spies…”
Can anyone identify this location and the veracity of the information?
Thanks for sharing this, Bruce! I’m certain some of our savvy readers can positively ID this transmitting site. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a military site rather than the VOA.
Duga over the horizon radar array. Chernobyl Ukraine. Also called “the woodpecker”.
Here are some cool photos of it: https://dronedj.com/2019/11/04/drone-photos-ussrs-giant-nuclear-detection-system/
It looks like we won’t be seeing the Duga “Woodpecker” on Debris anymore…. NBC just cancelled the show 4 hours ago.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/debris-canceled-nbc-1234960442/#!
Looks to me like the OTHR in Ukraine. AKA Durga and the woodpecker.
For some excellent recent (August, 2020) drone video of the Duga antenna, look no further:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=duga+chernobyl&docid=608014665946573757&mid=59FAB11098FDEE20B2E359FAB11098FDEE20B2E3&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
I am so thankful for this blog. When I saw that array in the Debris scene…. “what is it?”, “where is it?”, “when was it in use?”, and “why do I always notice these things to the distraction of enjoying the entertainment?” all came to my mind. Frankly, it is heartwarming and endearing to know there are others like me… and even better that there are those with the knowledge to help answer the questions.
Regards,
-jeffrey
If you want read more – there is a LOT of info on the web – just search DUGA on YouTube or in a search engine… videos, stories, tours of buildings abandoned in the zone. Very interesting radio / sci-fi / techie stuff. Even the rumors about these places. I wouldn’t be surprised if this shows up in the upcoming season of Stranger Things since they took the plot into Russia last season. — Sorry to Mods for getting off- topic.
Doesn’t look like the array for the VOA site in North Carolina that I’ve been to… it looks like the Soviet Era “woodpecker” array that disrupted Western shortwave transmissions?
The massive antenna array seen in the 2 most recent episodes of Debris are described as being in Virginia, but in reality is the Duga-3, aka Chernobyl-1 over the horizon radar installation in Chernobyl, Ukraine, just a few km from the infamous nuclear power plant that exploded in 1986. Short wave listeners will be amused perhaps to learn that this ultra-top-secret installation, until the dissoluton of the USSR, was the source of the well-known 10Hz interference affectionately known as “the Russian Woodpecker”. After the radiation catastrophe, the area became abandoned as part of the so-called “exclusion zone”, but in recent years, tours have taken visitors to the 500ft. tall, half-mile across structure. There were a total of three Duga systems built, but the other two were dismantled. These monstrosities were only receiving antennas. The transmitter was located about 60 km away in the town of Liubech.
https://chernobylstory.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CHERNOBYL-DUGA-2-1170×771.jpg
https://www.chernobyl.one/duga-1-radar-station/#:~:text=Duga-1%20is%20one%20of%20the%20three%20Soviet%20%E2%80%98over,forest%20together%20with%20the%20secret%20military%20town%20Chernobyl-2.
It’s a synthetic altered video. Pretty silly, actually, for the producers to think anyone would not recognize it immediately. And “…during World War Two (sic)…”
If it had been built during WW II, I’d bet it would have been the brainchild and design of Gen. David Sarnoff and The Radio Corporation of America! They had a massive communications installation in Rocky Point, NY called Radio Central, that was quite an awesome sight based on surviving documents.
http://www.rockypointhistoricalsociety.org/rca-radio-central/
Sure looks like Russian over-the-horizon radar.
It’s in Ukraine, not in rusiia
It’s the woodpecker antenna at Chernobyl.
Agree with the others – this definitely looks like one of the Duga sites. Interesting subject to read up on. Lots of recent photographs on the web for viewing.
That is definitely the Russian Woodpecker over-the-horizon radar array near Chernobyl, Ukraine.
Yup
I, too, vote for the Woodpecker — https://hackaday.com/2021/05/11/the-russian-woodpecker-official-bird-of-the-cold-war-nests-in-giant-antenna/
Looks like the Russian woodpecker.
Wikipedia says “In episode 12 of the first season of the NBC science fiction series Debris, the Duga radar array makes an appearance as a fictional array in the state of Virginia. ”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duga_radar
It looks like the “Eye of Moscow” – the antenna of the DUGA radar system. At 99% it is the larger of the antennas. The facility is located near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.