EEVblog

Ever wondered how they transmit your TV signal?
David Kilpatrick from TXAustralia takes us on a detailed tour of the old decommissioned 10kW analog TV transmission system at the Artarmon facility in Sydney. It is still used to transmit digital TV. How it all works from the broadcaster video input to final transmission output up the 180m broadcast antenna. Plus some teardowns of the old equipment that's been used to transmit the Channel 7 TV signal in Sydney since 1981.
Copper rigid coaxial lines, waveguides, filters, splitters, combiners, converters, transmission valve, power supplies and all the equipment necessary to transmit a 10kW analog or digital TV signal in a major city like Sydney.
The end of Australian analog TV:
• The End Of Australian ...
Teardown: • EEVblog #574 - NEC Ana...
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[@K7AGE]

The 33 year old NEC transmitter looks brand new inside.

[@NiikiWin]

yee

[@T2D.SteveArcs]

Nerdgasm lol

[@HermanWillems]

Today here in Netherlands the only Analogue thing we have left is AM radio. FM is going to dissapear in a few years aswell. Analogue TV is already gone.

[@ReinoudVanBeek]

@@HermanWillems do you mean am?

[@HermanWillems]

@@ReinoudVanBeek Ja Amplitude Modulatie.

[@sp1kage]

Big props to the company for letting you record in there and letting their employee show you around.

[@bjtaudio]

The cost is in the millions is the answer for the installation. David Kilpatrick from TXAustralia really knows his gear. This is a dream job.

[@ThisDoesNotCompute]

I can't hit the like button enough on this one. Fantastic build quality on that whole transmitter/amplifier stack, and it sure looks like the staff took good care of it. Would love to see more videos like this.

[@jaapweel1]

I like the little plastic mineral water bottle catching the condensate from the air desiccator. Even in the fanciest setup, there's always a touch of improvised kludginess going on.

[@steve24822]

David Kilpatrick knows his Apples from his Pears. I am stunned at the condition, it looked brand new, every part of it was perfect. Great tour...

[@ScoopDogg]

I was thinking the same

[@jasonpike2619]

RF for TV is so different today. The transmitter were just MONSTERS.

[@douglasengle2704]

David Kilpatrick gave a great tour and really knows his TV station's equipment and the reasons its there! It is a bit sad to see those old work horse transmitters go a way. Just think how many children grew up watching their after school cartoons and shows coming out of those particular very special boxes. It looked like the station was the transmitter cluster for several television stations. Its good practice to have all the local TV station's transmitters on the same hill so people can point their home antenna in just one direction to get all the TV stations. This configuration looks like it might have the majority of the local stations on just one transmitter tower.

[@jakedillingham]

I love it that they pulled some of their old guys out to turn off this gear, well done!

[@27613James]

Mr. Kilpatrick was very knowledgeable about the installation, nice of him to share.

[@kennethflorek8532]

I have visited a TV station (where they wouldn't let anyone near real RF) and a 50KW radio station (where they would let electronics students see some of the relic emergency, low power, back up equipment.) But I have never seen even good photographs of what real, live TV RF looks like. This is as close to being there as I will ever get. Thanks much. The radio station's backup had an ancient, gigantic tube with a solid silver plate, and solid silver coil. The technician told the story that how there got to be solid silver parts was during WWII, when the government's policy required all major amounts of copper to be allocated to the war effort (even new US pennies were not copper), and these kind of parts fell under the rule. The government however had abundant silver, as backing for money. So radio broadcast equipment got allocated silver as a substitute (which was paid for in full, not a gift.)

[@dash8brj]

David Kilpatrick seems like such a nice bloke to allow you to roam around the transmitter building with camera in and and even let you take a few bits of channel 7 hardware home. Lucky you Dave!! Great video as always. Best bit was when David casually yanked out the 5kw transmitting tube. That would (be wasted though) make a great conversational piece on the coffee table!! Would never be able to fire it up due to power requirements, not to mention my VK license only allows up to 400 watts peak :) Been meaning to watch this hour long presentation for ages, haven't had the time until now.

[@DavidLeeMenefee]

The longer the videos the better. Thumbs up! Thanks

[@EEVblog]

It's basically a complete dump of the raw video as it was shot, almost no editing.

[@alexanders860]

EEVblog This is just perfect, love it. Why to waste time for editing>> :)

[@zaprodk]

0:56:20 - NOT an LCD display - It's an Orange Gas-plasma display - those are absolutely beautiful!

[@nightshadelenar]

those are rare displays now-a-days

[@cityslacker6221]

7 years late, but I enjoyed every minute. Thanks to everyone involved with approving this and helping Dave document this.

[@coldlikechips]

I am so astonished and fascinated by just how meticulously well laid out and well maintained everything is....I wish the cable management behind my desk was as nice as behind those covers

[@fastfourier666]

Loved the security guard in the background at the end - "errrr...is he supposed to be taking that?"

[@Raczoon]

That was very cool of TXAustrailia to let you tour around like that, and even let you have a piece of CH7, I doubt that would ever happen here in America.

[@MsMarciax]

1981. Looks like they were only just manufactured yesterday, beautiful :-)

[@dazaro3]

Been waiting for this one. I love powerful transmitters.

[@timbelson9522]

Love watching this as im learning RF in my telecommunications course

[@Tanocchio]

Kept me glued to the screen. Well done!

[@paulhoward4161]

Amazing. When I was younger, my dad was always arranging for me to visit these types of installations, but these days people are 2 jumpy. I can't even get my son into the server room at work!

[@gerjaison]

Your son can't get into server room? Really? OH&S i suppose, you don't want lawyers getting involved, they have the skills of legislating anti-gravity law. In grand scheme of things, a 5kW RF power is probably more interesting!

[@WTFIsThisGuyDoing233]

When I was a lad I got to tour a coal power plant with my dad and his buddy. Was fucking awesome. No way that would happen today.

[@joshuarosen6242]

It's true and a great shame. When I was about 10 someone showed me round the data centre at the university where my father taught French. I was already interested in computers but that visit helped to foster an interest in technology and now, several decades later, I'm the Chief Information Security Officer at an insurance company. I still like looking round data centres even though I've now seen at least a hundred.

[@themagus5906]

I was a water treatment consultant several years ago, and with just a minor credential (key card) I could get into data centers, and, Verizon central offices 24 / 7. On off-hours, I took my son into our local CO. He was amazed as I showed him where phone calls come & go, along with internet, FiOS, etc. My impression is that it's very boring; nothing but racks and racks of equipment with a flashing light here & there. I used to say, "What if I pulled this card out, or this wire here...who would lose their services?..." Ha ha!

[@dragonfireproductions790]

A server room holds sensitive data and a video of those could give the hacker an idea of the server and exploits. I am a cybersecurity specialist and I assure you we never let anyone except the it crew inside a server room because of not only that but 1. an accidental discharge of FM-200 or Co2 is dangerous to anyone 2. Static electricity is dangerous to server equipments 3. Someone might touch the racks and even a slight shake can possibly destroy data going to the drive and 4. If many people are there, airflow is affected and they are also bringing in dust to the server room

[@robinparnaby3335]

Fantastic Dave. You don't get to see that every day. Please extend thanks to Dave and TX Australia for being so accomodating .

[@afriedli]

Great to come across this video. Worked in the early 2000's for several state broadcasters doing pioneering stuff injecting control signals and various other kinds of data in broadcast video so got to visit lots of installations like this. Many happy memories of playing with some serious kit and working with some great engineers. The programming on TV networks is rarely as interesting or impressive as the networks themselves :-)

[@MM0SDK]

As a radio amateur, this was a nice watch. It's great to hear how they use little repeaters dotted around to fill poor signal areas. I've always wanted to find out more about TV RF. Even though I always look on the past fondly, I have to admit - digital is better. Perfect signal or nothing, no in-between. Liked the built-in SWR meter on the final amp for the video, watching the reflected power. lol at the little 50 ohm dummy load. 2M1VFO

That's sick! Beautiful! Things will never be the same... And that final stage left me lingering in nostalgia...

[@BlackWolf42-]

I have to admit, my pulse quickened when he opened the doors to the power amplifier. He then raised the chimney that moves cooling air to the valve... When he reached in and pulled that tube out of it's socket, I nearly lost it.

[@derkchurk5879]

Least you contained yourself, I didn't....

[@dannyfitzgerald1593]

EEVblog Really cracking video mate. I'm based in the UK and took up EE/circuit building within the last year as a hobby. Your channel has made my skills come on leaps and bounds and an onsite tour of a facility like this is really refreshing to see on KZbin. +1

[@pauldudley8061]

Great video, Yes, used to work on NEC DMR770 uW gear years ago, was a masterpiece of engineering and reliability, the RF stages were just so reliable, operating for nearly 20 years with minimal ,if any rf faults, most issues were MUX (NEC) and sub rate interfaces from storm surges. Was a real pleasure to work on. The manuals were comprehensive, every aspect, every component of the system was carefully and thoroughly thought through, but programming the MUX through the handheld terminal was a mission...

[@conkerconk3]

following the path of the actual "signal" from actual computer/camera/etc, to being amplified and all the way to getting to the antenna line is so fun

[@ColePaquette]

This is both insanely awesome and insanely humbling. And took what little I thought I understood of RF design and threw it away.

[@MarkShannonroad_videos]

Worked in the broadcasting industry for 13 years and tours like this just never get old! Have never seen such a facility like this before. Stations I've worked at owned their own tower usually located on the outskirts of town or in a rural setting. Thank you for posting this.

[@xmttrman]

I de-commissioned our 1985 RCA G-Line analog VHF transmitter June 9, 2009, when the final deadline for analog television in the US arrived. But the next day the whole rig was to be torn apart to make room for a standby digital transmitter. The RCA was a dual 35 kW, using air cooled tubes for aural and visual, feeding a top mounted bi-polar antenna.

[@j.p.wagner6461]

Watched entire TV station tour & equip tear-down series - please don't ever apologize for getting lost in details (such as going through two volumes of 4in tech binders). Loved it all ! THANK YOU !!

[@Psychlist1972]

What's impressive to me is how clean everything is. No dust inside any of those cabinets. Did they clean it for you, or was that normal operating condition?

[@patrickdreker4297]

These rooms - like datacenters - are highly environmentally controlled. The air is filtered by the air conditioning system so there will simply be no dust to accumulate. It's not like a "clean room" but a lot cleaner than e.g. an office environment.

[@AnalogX64]

What a fantastic video. I love how clean the place is.

[@zombieregime]

180,275.9hrs = 20.56 years! Also, my dream job would consist of assembling button control panels like that, running perfect loops and lengths of wire, all day long. So happy......

[@trahim2]

I love seeing specialty industry gear like this. What a nice guy David is to let us in :-)

[@MikeBMW]

Impressive, Dave! Your guest is extremely knowledgeable, as are you. I never knew so much went into analog transmission. Thanks! :)

[@EEVblog]

David certainly know his stuff. He is answering tech questions over on the forum.

[@Cnctrldotcom]

Great video. It's a real pleasure to listen to someone who clearly knows what they are talking about and can explain it clearly.

[@VoltageNut]

David shure knows his stuff, thanks Dave for this great tour ! Really enjoyed it.

[@thelaughingman79]

i didn't understand any of this but i loved it! so cool

[@ChristopherWoods]

Fascinating vid! The UK only recently ceased analogue; though done with much fanfare and promotion of digital broadcasting it was a sad day for those of us who appreciate the history and accomplishments of that generation of engineering (and its engineers). Always interesting to see how other countries have been 'getting current' and what gets left behind.

[@jix177]

Great vid, and what a nice + informative guy he is! Well done.

[@EEVblog]

Yes David really knows his stuff and comes across very well.

[@worldgate989]

When the aliens come and disable digital signals, at least one place can still broadcast the warning. ;)

[@mwbgaming28]

not anymore

[@TheDutyPaid]

Love the guy checking what was going on at 1:01:07

[@dandavidsonuk]

That was absolutely fascinating, can't believe the size of those resistors. Thanks Dave.

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Lots of exotic electronics. I was surprised by the extreme amount of medium scale digital integrated circuit boards. That stuff was not available in the 1950's, and that era had tons of tv transmitters.

[@michaelterrell]

I moved and rebuilt a 1952 RCA TTU-25B transmitter around 1990. It had been sitting in an abandoned transmitter site, after the station moved to a new tower, and a Comark transmitter. The new site was a 1700' tower, and the Comark had three 65KW EEV Klystrons. It was analog, on US ch 55. The old transmitter was moved to the Florida panhandle, and retuned from Ch55 to Ch 58. It was one of the first 'high power' UHF TV transmitter models built for the US market. It filled nine large aluminum cabinets, and it was water cooled. It only had a couple semiconductors, which were in the custom Bird RF wattmeters. Even the directional couplers used 6AL5 dual diodes, instead of semiconductors. If they use analog FM broadcast in that area, a lot of the aural section could be used for spare parts. In fact, the Aural exciter in the RCA transmitter was an FM transmitter, followed by a multiplier, before the 12.5 KW final amplifier. The final Visual amplifier didn't use DC on the filaments, like the NEC. It had a pair of 1.5VAC filaments at 1000A each. You had a par of long copper bars that were used as precision resistors that were adjusted with a wrench to tune the stage for minimum hum in the video. You adjusted for zero volts between the filaments, which took the hum well below the FCC requirements. I worked with the Comark before I moved the RCA. That site was clean enough to eat off the floor. Other than the annual flush, clean and refill of the cooling system, all I did was replace a few lamps, and one ganged pushbutton switch that was damaged by one of the staff, while taking the required readings for the log.

[@jbrou123]

Man, that is beautiful equipment. Looks more mechanical than electrical. Do more walks through! I know little about electronics but find this stuff fascinating. I would like to know more about that valve.

[@MrBeep2010]

Spot on Dave......I expect theirs allot of happy electronic/electricians out there watching this

[@qbasic16]

Very interresting video, Dave! I once had luck to go visit Ampegon in Turgi, Switzerland and visit their big RF amplifier factory with some ham friends. They build amplifiers up to 600kW for short, medium and longwave. It's incredible how much engineering goes into these huge amps! Some rigid coaxes were about 40cm in diameter... Love your videos! cheers

[@lechulsk4845]

It's the best EEVBlog episode ever ! I thought that high power "waveducts" has to look like that, but I have never seen it before

[@jrallen870]

A great tour Dave... when I first clicked on the link and saw an hour long I didn't think I'd make it.. but the fascinating history in this one kept me glued to the screen.

[@paulf1071]

It only felt like 20mins!

[@Coolkeys2009]

Awesome one of your best videos ever. Wish it had been a bit longer.

[@nliknes2]

as an instrumentation tech this is absolutely fascinating i work mostly in pneumatic controls, most of this is over my head for the time being but still cool as heck.

[@redtails]

4:48 I love how that dial has already gone around fully!

[@IronServant351]

Yes it is finally here!

[@EEVblog]

The tour, not the teardowns...

[@strangersound]

As a huge fan of radio broadcasting, this was an awesome episode. That coaxial is wild! :)

[@mytwocentshere3943]

It belongs in a museum.

[@simeonpetkov768]

Amazing ! And all this is going to be destroyed... Well, we can do nothing. Hey, Dave, we want the transmitter teardown video !

[@jameshealy4594]

My god, the build quality...

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

And we're just called the scum that Brittan didn't want. Aussies have built a lot of interesting inventions. :)

[@Ihaveanamenowtaken]

@@TheEarthHistorysConfusing NEC is made in Japan.

[@k9testis]

Oh Dave. What an awesome video. Dave K is a top bloke for taking the time to show you around. He could have just said no and been a jobs worth. Loved it

[@BattTube]

I've been unable to find anymore videos about this stuff, Its amazing to me the scale of it.

[@TheBrightPixel]

This is probably my favourite video of yours so far Dave. Thanks so much

[@davidlisney2059]

We have similar in the UK but our tv is UHF, a lot of the hardline is even bigger than it is at this site. The quality of construction of broadcast equipment is phenomenal. I used to work for a broadcaster and it is good to see familiar equipment. It is great that TX Australia gave you so much of their time.

[@CPUTests]

This is for me one of the best videos on the web! What a good peaces of equipment! Just all prime stuff! That transmission station, my god! Very good. I never get tired to look at things like that. They say perfection does not exist, but there are some good things out there like this station! Very good.

[@dasaleet]

Well done David in taking the time to explain everything and do the show round. Alot of people would of shut the door but no, you are a top bloke!

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

I miss running around the old radio transmitter sites. My dad used to repair them when I was a kid and he would take me with him. My favorite was when we wouldget to go to the actual radio stations. I would also get free CD's and promo stuff my favorite was the local rock station man those guys were cool. They would let me be their "assistant DJ" for the night where I would answer phones, announce songs, etc...

[@Palmit_]

what a star as a host for tx oz, David. Really cool and knowledgable. nothing is a problem. really good. enjoyed this vid. 6 years on.

[@thewhitefalcon8539]

I'd be pretty concerned when that guy casually bypassed all the interlocks and turned the amplifier on, even after he'd told me the entire transmitter had no power.

[@l3p3]

That is the reason why they cut off the connection between the old analog stuff and the main bus.

[@thewhitefalcon8539]

@LenP Yes but you always double check things like that. (Because if you're wrong about the power being disconnected, you could die).

[@l3p3]

Alex C, oh, sorry. I misunderstood you. You are right... ;-)

[@analoghardwaretops3976]

@@l3p3 ...It doesn't mean just turning a power switch on or off .. there are counter checks in place for that too.. Fuses will be physically removed... all these will power up through a separate start up/ monitoring system/s that enables only on reception of a TRUE /VALID positive " clear" / " proceed " status start up interlocks also disabled so main just cannot be switched on...

[@youtubasoarus]

What a treat of a video. You looked like a kid in a candy store. Just phenomenal engineering all around. Fantastic!

[@Nexfero]

lol I like how the antenna air dryer @ 46:19 has a plastic water bottle to collect the excess water. One of your finest videos Dave and David, well done, would love to see a part 2

[@davidkilpatrick1640]

Hehe.. obviously a non-original part, but as least I used a water bottle (though I did think about putting a empty vodka bottle there, and calling the air dryer a Russian still).

[@harbselectronicslab3551]

I did some work with some Ruskies once and part of there Van was allocated space for a BBQ and a case of Vodka, and I kid you not they would each drink 2 or 3 cups full during lunch and then go back to work with no apparent affect lol

[@brianmangan2459]

please do more of these tours, they are great

[@sweetgyy]

before the 911 disaster , my friend who was an engineer at channel 13 nyc let me see the transmitter and it was awesome! the transmitter power amp got so hot that the heat had to be pushed through flexible wide hoses to blow it outside . yeah I had a uhf repeater with my fcc id . it was kinda weird to actually see the channel "membership supported' tv station transmitter at work , knowing I've been watching it as a kid ! never thought I would see that! and yeah my foot print was huge!

[@GabrielRotar]

WOW!! This is brilliant, the amount of power that passed through those transmitters makes my hair stand on end.

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

Onya Dave Best techy video I've ever seen. Love the vernier to match the impedance. Makes my old Kenwood TS520 look tame. I reckon I could easily find a thousand old VK amateur operators who love to have been on that tour.

[@SquantoTerror]

Fascinating. I really enjoyed how David from TX Australia and Dave Jones explained everything. I toured a local station here in Indiana USA and they used Harris gear that was just as impressive looking. The companies sure produce amazing gear with extra attention to detail for reliability and long life. Thanks again Dave, great video!

[@superio128]

Really appreciate TXAus giving you so much access and time for our entertainment and education. Great video.

[@robotlad]

I would take all of that in a heart beat and tear it apart!!!!!!

[@InsurgentX]

Dave & Dave were fantastic! Amazing insight into the Commercial Dark Arts!

[@OtusAsio]

This man knew all of this place...my thumb up for him this time...hope you will let him know he was very interesting in the explanations...there are few that are so commited to there jobs like he is...

[@andrew867]

Neato, I had a hand in disassembling and removing a 15Kw same model NEC here in Newfoundland when I was working at the local private broadcaster (NTV CJON-DT) We switched over to ATSC broadcast in the summer of 2011. I even got to turn on the new Harris transmitters :)

[@SoundsLikeOdie]

I've been doing studio work for ages and been to a few transmitter sites. I have to compliment the crew there. I have never seen racks of that age that are so clean. Look like they were installed yesterday.

[@bdm1019]

Amazing tour. Thank you very much Dave for taking the time to do that!!!

[@edherdman9973]

4:47 - that's roughly 19.94 years on the time meter! The one shown at 10:44 was running even longer, over 20 years. I thought I heard something about a nighttime shutoff, but with the two-active, one-reserve schedule, this works out to about 30 years spanning roughly the entire life of the installation. Amazing!

[@AntonMadness]

Increadible... just amazing tour!!! These are fews so many people just never see!

[@OneBiOzZ]

Spent an hour of my life watching this ... time well spent! TEAR DOWN!

[@achcoco]

Very nice of them to let you have a look.

[@Petertronic]

Amazing that there hardly seems to be a speck of dust in or on anything!

[@AZOffRoadster]

More memories. I worked at the local TV station (~1982-83) while I was going to school (before I went to work for Norand).

[@kenrowe7594]

thats pretty cool. my shop actually has an rf tube from the 80's in the display window. we do all audio- analog/digital/ham etc etc.. really cool tour and very reminiscent of my telco days at the C.O. Thanks for this.

[@loopymind]

This was a really enjoyable episode! You have to hand it to the designers and engineers at NEC / Nippon at that time (and probably still today!) for doing some truly impressive work... I have soft-spot for the way they used to tie bundles of wires together with that string / wire to keep everything neat and tidy instead of zip-ties. .. the price of this setup would probably have been close to astronomical, but then again, it's been running since 1981... in the end, money well well spend imho :) ... and with the scrapping, they probably get paid good money for all that copper :D..

[@H3adcrash]

OMG! I almost came when you pulled the valve out! Thays just insanely beautiful!

[@SeanDuffyProductions]

Fascinating video, it's very good of them to allow you in to show us all the old gear!

[@alpcns]

Beautiful equipment, extremely impressive engineering. Very, very cool. Reminds me of (my) good old times with military radar equipment. Thanks for sharing this, Dave!

[@HeinzP100]

Stupendous video. All of the equipment in the facility is a work of art.. Still nice and shiny after all these years.

[@CharlySick]

Probably the single most interesting eevblog video, and I've seen a lot of them, and like quite a few others as well.

[@pwneytube]

I want all the walls of my house to be beautiful electronics racks and coax lines like this. Geek porn for sure.

[@AdhamOhm]

Sort of have something like that in my house, but it's just a tiny closet filled with networking equipment. Coax cables, Ethernet cables going to different rooms, cable modem, router, NAS/media server. Not quite as impressive as this though.

[@PinBallReviewerRepairs]

Oh thanks so much for showing this old tech to us all! I love old and new tech and it was great for TX to let you archive this golden opportunity! :)