Postwar Television

Cable Television in Astoria, Oregon

Though not the first cable system in the U. S. (Earlier systems were built in Arkansas and Pennsylvania), it is one of the earliest. Beginning at the end of 1948, Stanley Daniels and L. E. Parson began experimenting with receiving TV signals from Seattle in Portland, 125 miles away. Between the two cities is a mountain range about 4000 ft high.

By July of 1949, Daniels and Parson had built a coaxial distribution system connecting 25 customers. They used a separate cable for each customer, installed in existing underground tunnels.

Their plan was to eventually get licenses for 3 rebroadcast stations (translators) to provide coverage to the entire city. Eventually the FCC denied their applications.

Articles courtesy of Art Redman