50,000 Watt Transmitter Site

50,000 Watt Transmitter Site

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Oh, big time!! I have told many KZbinrs that troubleshooting a 50K watts transmitter is easy. If a part goes bad it does not burn out, it explodes.

[@polemicvs]

Very enjoyable video, and quite educational too. I built an electrical service for a transmitter station before, but never had the opportunity to see it up and running. Not to mention the nice peaceful scenery around it! thanks for posting!

[@GroverCricketDaisy]

Great I have always wondered what and how these transmitters were set up and how it worked. Really appreciate the explanation even if it was a cursory one.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

I helped at this transmitter site form 2000 to 2020.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes I have worked on and repaired this transmitter, of courses no time for picture taking then. So this was a great opportunity to do so, and I did. I only visit this station when the chief engineer calls. Thanks.

[@trailboyus66]

My first radio station experience was touring KTTR 1490 AM Rolla, Missouri when my third grade class took a field trip from Newburg Missouri in 1967. The now late Luther Martin who built KTTR in 1947 made sure we were given a complete tour of KTTR including a tour of the fall out shelter under the station. Mr. Martin loved connecting with the public.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Theres no problem. It is safe to work around the outside of the wooden fences.

[@ckinard2]

Thank you very much for this tour it's awesome! My very first time hearing the terminology "Hot Tower". I'm very much so interested in getting into amateur radio this year.

[@nakayle]

Some change from when a 50-KW transmitter took up an entire building with transformers, rectifiers, oil capacitors, blowers, tank coils, etc. But they were exciting to see with their big glowing tubes and flickering mercury rectifiers. Now transmitters look like a row of filing cabinates.

[@saturn5tony]

Thanks for the Tour Rick. 50,000 WATTS!! Wow, I felt the electricity on the other side of my monitor just watching this!

[@OverlandOne]

Great to see this video. Thank you. Bill

[@MTTT-bl2uo]

Nice Nautel Ampfet transmitter there! That thing should keep going for many decades to come with few problems. In case you didn't already know, Nautel started out as a manufacturer of aeronautical radionavigation beacon transmitters (NDB), first generation of transmitters produced in the early 1970s. Although horridly inefficient (30-35% is fairly typical), many of these early transmitters are still going strong (I maintain many of them, as well as some newer versions too such as the Vector series NDB transmitters which are almost identical in circuitry and operation to broadcast transmitters such as the J1000).

[@SuperWatson63]

As a kid in the early 70s, i would hike up to the WSM radio transmitter in nashville,tenn. I was fascinated by it.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks. No, we can not run the transmitter at full power without proper cooling. There is a heat alarm and we can call up the transmitter site and check room temperature. The air conditioners are very important.

[@birdfeeding]

Thanks for the tour. Quite interesting!

[@dougankrum3328]

..Interesting...there is a radio station near me here in Sacramento....3 towers like these...200+feet tall...I don't know much about transmitters...but it was obvious to me the whole tower was the antenna element, co-ax running from the RF transmitter cabinet a couple feet away, connected directly to base of tower.......sitting on a ceramic sphere about 12" diameter...grounded 'lightning' rod about an inch or so from the base of each tower.....3 towers maybe 100 feet apart...underground wiring and RF from a large 'base-station'.....large (5-6 foot) Satellite dish on base station...base station sitting on 12-14 foot legs..... Several years ago...a bad fire in the brush and grass toppled 2 of the towers....lower part was looking like spaghetti....brush fires were pretty hot......Towers were later rebuilt....

[@ianbutler1983]

Thanks for the video. I always assumed there was one gigantic transmitting tube in there.

[@kingbee1500]

Up until about 30 yrs. ago, you'd be right! Then, the first wave of moderate-power (

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@OXLEYCRUSHER Yes it is directional to protect other stations, and it is day time only.

[@bobbj77]

Great video. thanks for posting

[@davidnash41]

Very interesting, many thanks.

[@Maxxarcade]

That's really neat! Are there any ill effects of being around the RF energy for extended periods?

[@RossCarterOfficial]

Thanks for the epic (free) tour!

[@simplertimes1]

Thanks, very informative. Nice job.

[@letseeitplease]

thanks for posting your video, i liked it,, you had mentioned you were waiting on the new air conditioner at this site, what i want to know is, when the air conditioner gos out, can you still run the transmitter at full power without heating up and cooking the equipment?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

This is an AM station and at the top of the towers part of the guidewire is part of the antenna system. That is why no tower lights. Thanks.

[@maplewoodsp]

@AllAmericanFiveRadio OK, I had thought that older AM transmitters required audio modulation equal to 1/2 the transmitter output power.

[@planeguy3223]

Hey that's pretty neat. I would love to have a station like this (maybe for ham radio). All of this stuff really interests me. Love it. Thanks for posting the video.

[@KJ4HYD]

Nautel Transmitters ROCK. We put an XR-6 in WLTQ a couple of years ago.

[@jayjordan5555]

I always wanted to see the inside of a transmitter building!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks

[@BadChizzle]

So Cool! I've though about these many times but I've never seen one. You get to do all the repairs for in it, and keep things working smoothly? I've got to say, you're awesome!

[@Hilldrum]

Greetings from Vance Co., I enjoy your videos. At 5:30, does the static-like noise and the peak meters correspond with the actual audio being transmitted?

[@wb5oxq]

Solid state transmitters sure save a lot of energy consumption. A friend has 2 Harris DX10 AM transmitters. He says his electric bill in less than a fourth than when he had the old gates 10kw AM rigs.

[@radioripster]

Hi Rick, thanks for sharing and for the time and effort to make it. Nice transmitter site. So, it's 50K from the transmitter? I'm a little confused. The towers are "hot" for an FM station? I know FM stations get their advertised power rating from the ERP provided by gain attained from the antennas arrays mounted on the towers and fed by coax , but AM broadcast stations count on just brute power from from the amplifiers and phased 1/4 wave arrays for the most part?

[@hmpeter]

Great video, thank You!

[@letseeitplease]

@AllAmericanFiveRadio ok thanks for answering my post, i have another question, the triangulater thing, it has a post it sign on it saying touch it and die, is that because it will shock someone and kill them? or did that mean it will cause trouble with the equipment if someone touchs that, i know you said you set it once and dont touch it again,

[@ELSTARBREAKER]

Great Video !! Nautel and Orban Opimod Sounds great on the am dial i'm sure

[@maplewoodsp]

Thanks for making this video!! I would guess this is a fairly modern design transmitter that does'nt require 50% modulation.

[@ryan9570]

curious as to whether or not this station has a low-power pre-sunrise authority. I would think it has to sign off at local sunset to protect WBZ. there is a 50kw licensed to Indian Head, MD about 35 miles southeast of DC that can't sign on until sunrise because of WBZ.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

It's still fascinating to me too

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@NoWattz It is a Nautel, not sure of the model. I was just back out there a few days ago. But as usual I don't have time to look around. Get it back up, and get out.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Oh it is hot with RF HIGH VOLTAGE 50,000 Watts. I am glad I had time to take pictures this time. Most of the time there's a problem and I don't have time to even thing about picture. Thanks.

[@DoubleHaulCharters]

I enjoyed this as I've not seen the inner working of a station. How does the signal get to the site - internet?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks!

[@wb5oxq]

I have seen a Harris DX series personally at KBBW 1010 in Waco and it works much the same. 3 phased towers 10kw day and 6 phased towers 2kw night at a second site. These use much less electricity than tube transmitters and generate less heat also.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

I don't think there's too many tube type transmitters in daily use today. May be a small market. The station does have a tube type transmitter for you says a backup.

[@hyvahyva]

That's a very nice site... and biiiig beautiful AMPFET

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thank you, and your welcome.

[@BadChizzle]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, needing new video soon! Your friend, Chuk

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks.

[@ApartmentKing66]

This is the transmitter site for AM 1030 WDRU, serving Raleigh, NC and environs.

[@capndavey1]

Ah a solid state transmitter lots and lots of transistors

[@radioripster]

I thought it was an AM station, because of the "hot" towers and all that power. I was confused about WRDU.. I hadn't heard of WRDU AM. Must be a shared property. I was still a little groggy from sleepy when I wrote my initial post. heh. Thanks again for the post..all things radio fascinate me.

[@FelixTheHouseFreak]

Very very interesting, i always like seeing transmitters. What station is this?

[@Lancedsanders]

Nice tour & explanation how everything works. Don't touch that dial - or the phasors!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thank you.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks, WDRU

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks djjoelnorth

[@planeguy3223]

So is the actual structure of the tower hot, or is it just the cables? Either way.... dang. What's the electric bill like?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks

[@scottbailey1560]

I have been to the WSM-AM 650 Transmitter Site and I live about 45 minutes away from their site. Nice place with much history! I have been trying to find out where WSM-AM first site was in 1925. I live here and nobody seems to know.

[@ApartmentKing66]

My guess would be on the roof of the building that housed the station. A lot of stations did this in the '20s. In San Francisco, KPO (now KNBR) first signed on in 1922 on the top floor of the Hale Bros. dept. store with the towers on the roof. KFRC, KFWB, KGO, KGGC (now KEST) and KTAB (now KSFO) all had their antennae on top of the station building or next to the building. Putting the site outside of town didn't really start in earnest until the 30s.

[@jeromewhelan6723]

Thanks for the station tour - could you speak about the contents of the boxes at the bases of the towers?

[@cossa6296]

jerome whelan These are called Antenna Tuning Units and contain circuits (capacitors & coils) to fine tune the antenna to match the impedance of the antenna to the transmission line. At some stations these boxes will be in the form of a small shed.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks joaocarlostec

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Oh, we still modulate as cols to 100% as possible.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks geoffrobert1

[@stdavross666]

nice duck, what does this transmitter site transmit??, good vid thanks

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@force311999 My concern is how long will AM survive.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks feboburger

[@agustiana1247]

Good.....mr

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks

[@DavidBerquist334]

what station is it i thought one tower sends signal all derections unless blocked by a mountain our towers for radio tv are on hill tops to get greatist distance how far does fifty thousand go what kind of music do you broadcast fhankyou

[@tonymartin9118]

What frequency do you broadcast on and does it reach to Indiana? I found the video very interesting. Not somewhere to be on a hot day!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

1030 kHz day time only. Thanks

[@-p5251]

@@AllAmericanFiveRadio is it still functioning right now?

[@Vintage_USA_Tech]

Very cool

[@4815162342SW]

Great video, how does all the data get to these remote sites? is it alot of data?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

[phone]SW “T” carrier

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

The Internet is connected at the studio.

[@madskyltd]

very interesting. i know with AM radio, the entire mast serves as the antenna. how do stations (like WHO since you mentioned 50,000 watts) do maintenance on a tower without taking the station off the air - so they don't get fried climbing the tower? how does this differ from an FM antenna? can they be on the same mast?

[@ApartmentKing66]

Stations do maintenance with the station on-air by greatly reducing the power. When I was at KFIA in Sacramento, if someone needed to climb a tower to change a strobe during the day, we'd take the power down to 500 or 1,000 watts non-directional from its usual 25,000-watt daytime directional. This differs from an FM or TV antenna in that the tower itself does no radiating. The tower simply holds the antenna, which is mounted at the top of the tower. FM antennae can be mounted to the top of AM towers (KYA-FM in San Francisco was an example), but certain equipment is required to keep RF from "bleeding" from one to another. A broadcast engineer can explain it a lot better, but there it is from a layman's perspective.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks Vk1FXJC

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks saturn5tony

[@gaylonrose6713]

I didn't read all the responses below but the pipe is called wave guide, correct..??

[@ryantoomey611]

It is hard-line coax, it is similar to wave-guide but not exactly as wave-guide is only used on the higher microwave frequencies. Pipe has to be used as coax due to the extremely high power output. Ordinary cable would melt at that power level.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Wave guids do not have a center conductor.

[@SlykeThePhoxenix]

Sweeeet video.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks iRouRoui

[@DavidBerquist334]

i thought tower is grounded and trans miting elaments are near the top if lightning hits tower it will ground out and not go to transmiting equipment

[@ryantoomey611]

For FM and TV stations yes, but not on AM. Due to the long wavelength the tower itself acts as the antenna, or else the antenna would have to be extremely long in order to work efficiently (over 100 feet).

[@planeguy3223]

That's ridiculous haha. So what do you use this site for?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

@wannawatchu66 Yes it is.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Oh that happens all the time, its WDRU. Truth Broadcasting.

[@billyboi57]

A "hot tower" means the tower itself is the antenna and it carries LETHAL voltages.

[@JDtheEE]

billyboi57 "Its not the Volts that kill you, it's the Amps!" But considering the Amps are directly related to voltage potential, Volts set the current since your body is only so much resistance, But voltage doesn't flow, current does. So Technically the Current is what kills you.

[@williamjones3871]

Jon Williams You are correct, of course. I was just generalizing in my comment. The main point being that the entire tower structure is the antenna.

[@ryantoomey611]

It is the RF that basically cooks you from the inside out like a microwave oven, but at 50,000 watts the amps alone are enough to kill you anyway.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

lol, Thanks!

[@OH6LSL]

Thanks for this wery intresting video. Cheers from Finland. Only one AM transmitter alive... Janne OH6LSL

[@ianharling9569]

Very good tour around the tx site.73 Ian.G7HFS/PA3IKH.☺

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thank you, and your welcome.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes the towers have 50k of RF power on them. If you touch the tower you are a Crispy Critter.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

The four towers are all hot. Power is 440 three phase.

[@christopherhall8788]

No such thing as 440 three phase in the United States... it was 460 until the 1960s... just like there is no such thing as 110... all voltages were raised in steps during the 60's and 70's ... It is 480 VAC either delta or wye for over 40 years

[@thomaumatthes]

Did you find out if Winston the warning note about the Phaser ?!

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

YES

[@DavidBerquist334]

i thought the tower is grounded and hard line carrys 50,000 wats to transmitting element near the top

[@cossa6296]

David Berquist The most popular antenna for AM broadcast is a series fed tower. First is the concrete base upon which sets a porcelain insulator. The tower then sets atop the insulator. Power is fed to the tower just above the insulator. The whole of the tower above the insulator is energized. Most commonly semi-flexible (helix, etc.) transmission line is used. Hard line is usually reserved for exceptionally long runs (efficiency) or better high power handling ability due to its high cost.

[@HeyBill100]

In AM radio, the tower carries the transmitter's total power.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes, and thanks! ELSTARBREAKER

[@michaelslee6483]

would a lightning strike,fry all that equeptment?

[@cossa6296]

michael slee A lightning strike could very well cause damage to the equipment. A well designed transmitting plant will have taken that into account and will have taken measures to minimize the damage potential from lightning, power surges, etc.

[@ryantoomey611]

They likely have lightning arresters, which shunt the current from the lightning strike to ground.

[@seanzappulla71]

Is this TV or AM or FM radio.

[@ApartmentKing66]

AM radio. The entire tower (or towers if it's directional) serve(s) as the antenna. On the other hand, the antennae for FM and TV stations are radiating elements usually mounted to the tops of towers. The towers themselves don't radiate signals, they merely hold the antenna.

[@markcarbonaro6524]

Do you have a back-up transmitter at this site? What kind?

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Yes, but it does not work.

[@francescogerotto8496]

The name of the radio ??? Frequency ????

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

www.truthnetwork.com/stations/wdru/

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

WDRU (1030 AM)

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks nysvrwx

[@michaelslee6483]

coax or wave guide

[@cossa6296]

michael slee Coaxial transmission lines are normally used for broadcast frequencies. Wave guide transmission lines are used for much higher frequencies such as microwave.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

WDRU AM 1030

[@OH6LSL]

Thanks for this wery intresting video. Janne OH6LSL

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks.

[@AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Thanks