itters to be connected to any one of the 23 antennas.
Electromechanical protection circuits ensure that a transmitter can
only be connected to an antenna that is tuned to the same frequency.
The change of antennas and transmitting frequencies is made during the
ten-minute interval between programmes, which always begin on the
hour, preceded by the now familiar signature tune of a shepherd
playing his flute with the tinkling of sheep-bells in the background,
recorded in 1936, followed by the Greek National Anthem.

The special programmes of news and features originate in the
broadcasting headquarters in Athens and go on the air throughout the
24 hours of the day in Greek, English and many foreign languages.
Reports of reception are welcome and should be addressed to K.E.B.A.,
Avlis, Greece. (The Greek initials stand for short wave transmitting
centre.)

But Avlis was 'in the news' long before the Greek broadcasting
service decided to install its short wave transmitters there. In
ancient times a great fleet of ships had been assembled in the harbour
there, ready to set sail for Troy, following the abduction of the
beautiful Helen of Sparta by Paris, the young Prince of Troy. But
there had been no wind for many weeks, and the sea was dead calm.

Agamemnon, the King of Mycenae, who had himself contributed over
100 ships to the fleet, decided to consult his Seer. As was the
custom, the Seer slaughtered a young lamb and scrutinised its
entrails. He then announced that the wind would come up if Agamemnon
sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia on the Altar of Sacrifice. King
Agamemnon despatched a messenger to Mycenae (no VHF repeater being
available in those days) to tell his wife Queen Klitemnestra to send
their daughter Iphigenia to Avlis (Aulis). The King said he was
planning to marry her off to Achilles, the most eligible bachelor of
the day. When poor Iphigenia arrived she was quickly placed on the
Sacrificial Altar--and had her pretty throat slit.

However, there seems to be another version to the end of the
story. Just before the human sacrifice was due to be made Artemis
(Diana, the famous Goddess of Hunting) sent a small deer which was
placed on the altar instead of the girl. Iphigenia was secretly
spirited away to Taurida, in northern Greece, and put in charge of
Diana's temple there.

(This story is the subject of a well-known classical Greek play.)

Historical note on the Marconi