East Toledo in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Radio Direction Finder
Photographed By Craig Doda, June 17, 2022
1. Radio Direction Finder Marker
Inscription.
Radio Direction Finder. . For millennia, ships out of sight of land navigated by using the position of the sun, moon, and stars. The discovery of radio waves changed navigation forever. By the late 1920s, ships used special antennas called radio direction finders (RDF) to determine the source of radio navigation transmissions on land. By measuring the strength and thus the distance from various transmitters, a navigator could triangulate the ship's relative location. RDF remained the primary means of navigation until the Global Positioning System gained wide use; the last RDF transmissions in the US and Canada ended in 2010.
For millennia, ships out of sight of land navigated by using the position of the sun, moon, and stars. The discovery of radio waves changed navigation forever. By the late 1920s, ships used special antennas called radio direction finders (RDF) to determine the source of radio navigation transmissions on land. By measuring the strength and thus the distance from various transmitters, a navigator could triangulate the ship's relative location. RDF remained the primary means of navigation until the Global Positioning System gained wide use; the last RDF transmissions in the US and Canada ended in 2010.
Erected by Helen H. and Gregor K. Emmert, Sr.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 2010.
Location. 41° 39.372′ N, 83° 30.97′ W. Marker is in Toledo, Ohio, in Lucas County. It is in East Toledo. Marker is on South Marina Drive, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1525 S Marina Drive, Toledo OH 43605, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 23, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
