30 years is about the useful life on a warning system. Sure, you may get longer, but 30 years is acceptable. Sounds like those Altecs were up a lot longer than they should have been. They were really the original electronic sirens. I will say, electronic sirens have come a long way. I still prefer ...

Before anyone gets upset by my comments on Electronic Warning Systems, let me just say that they are better than no system at all. Since Huntsville was one of the early users of Electronic Warning Systems back in the 1960's, we have firsthand knowledge of the problems/issues these type of systems br...

You are correct freebrickproductions. Brett Garrison told me how lightning would strike the systems and destroy the Horn Drivers. The EMA would have to hire someone to climb the towers and replace the Drivers, located on the back of the Multi-cell Horns. The system had large amplifiers, which were l...

Great information! Thanks for the historical clips, emofficer.

Allen

The rotator maintenance issue seems to be what I remember being told also. I'm glad that Madison County Alabama is going away from rotating sirens. I personally feel that Omnidirectional sirens are far superior to the rotating ones. With a rotating siren turning at 4 revolutions per minute, you are ...

We have a Huntsville Times photo somewhere in a scrap book of people installing the Giant Voice speakers (or at least showing them off) on the Clinton Building or the Times building. I haven't seen it in years, but it shouldn't be too hard to find. Any old Huntsville Times News articles or photos w...

Here is a map showing each location with additional information. Enjoy.

Here is another picture of the Altec Giant Voice Warning System Multi-Cell Horns. This is the Old Times Building in Downtown Huntsville, Alabama. The picture is really too far away, but you can still see them. Every year I would look at those horns during the downtown Christmas Parade, when I was a ...

This is another picture of the Altec Giant Voice Warning System at Chapman School in Huntsville, Alabama. This picture was taken in 1980. Yes, that is me in the picture. LOL! This is the warning system that got me interested in Outdoor Warning Sirens. I started school in 1976. Those horns, on top of...

Here is an Altec Giant Voice Outdoor Warning System Catalog from 1963. Enjoy!