WKXY-FM Transmitter Blower Replacement

One of my radio stations, WKXY-FM, in Cleveland, Mississippi, uses an FM transmitter which dates from 1999. The blower motor had failed (for the 4th time), so I decided to replace both the squirrel cage blower AND the motor that drives it. This video shows the equipment at the transmitter site and some explanation of the tube-based FM amplifier.

[@thevacuumtubejunky9774]

I just love it when people knock R.F. or A.F. vacuum tube technology. They have no clue how tubes are still apart of today's cutting edge technology. Great video, thanks for the tour of you equipment. Kind regards Eric Dee

[@MervinGriff]

Excellent video Kirk! hope to see more of your videos like this one.

[@jeabo0adhd]

I like your use of a broadcast microphone for the video. Nice quality. : )

[@joblessalex]

What a setup.

[@hyvahyva]

Oh hey Kirk, you worked on an RVR and lived to tell about it.... mwahahahaha Love how RVR SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZED the plate caps right up in there. Ugh. The one I worked on had a set in front of, and halfway BLOCKING, the blower inlet too. Aaaaaand now I work in TV again ;)

[@century3horizons]

Interesting to note, originally a station in Sarasota, Florida held those WKXY calls from sometime in the mid 1940s to the mid 1990s. They were THE contemporary hit music station for many decades there.

[@PY5AB]

Hi Mr. Kirk I like high pwr but not too high hehehe, my hobby is Radio Amateurism and my job is Radio also, in commercial two way. It really is a different circuit of this amplifier, usually the output is taken at the end of the cavity (side of low Z) by a link or a capacitive pickup. In this amplifier, know details of the final part of the cavity? The set of plates forms a tuning capacitor? The length of this cavity is directly related to the operating frequency? It seemed short, this often about 80cm (31.5 inch) is the length for 92.1mHz. I don't understand the tube PN, my english is so bad. This video is quite old, how is the migration to digital radio? Are spare parts of these old equipment? I particularly am interested in variable vacuum capacitors, Oil HV capacitors (DC filter), filament transformers like this showed in the video, high voltage transformers, surplus to HI PWR Transmitters, etc. Congratulations for the work and the personal care, we follow strictly the safety procedures when working with high voltages, no clock, ring, anything metal that can hold me. Antonio from Brazil - PY5AB.

[@jledonne8n8f]

That is why I came here, but this was interesting none the less.

[@nakayle]

Grounded grid transmitter are staple and easy to tune but most higher power transmitters are grid driven because it takes less drive, but they must be tuned carefully or bad things can happen.

[@bamaslamma1003]

Do you DJ as well? You have a good radio voice.

[@steamboiker]

Hi. Can you tell me who the manufacturer and or supplier is for this blower motor, and a part number. I am building an amplifier using the same power tube, and this looks like it will do the job nicely. Kindest regards...David VK4BGB Australia.

[@century3horizons]

@TheSmashCOBamberg In some cases it does cause some damage of sorts.

[@TheTheo58]

very nice transmitter installation. Ah yes the 3 phase breaker ought to have been removed when the new transmitter was installed, replaced with the required double 240V breaker, I would have also replaced the conductors.

[@telecastky]

Doesn’t really matter if there’s still 3Ø coming into the panel. It would then be 208

[@m35a2lover]

what exactly are you transmitting

[@larryangeles5073]

how can i purchase the transmtter

[@hobbycornermk5415]

Why to use an amplifier?

[@century3horizons]

@TheSmashCOBamberg Dead, electrocuted mice and rats are commonplace in transmitter buildings. Rodents get in through even the tiniest of cracks & crevices in the transmitter shack structure. When a rodent comes in contact with an exposed high-voltage area that's carrying alot of juice or a high voume of RF, BAM!

[@nakayle]

Hate sliding finger stock. Variable vacuum cap tuning is the way to go.

[@timothystockman7533]

I always thought that engineers who wore metal watches while working in transmitters werer effectively carrying their own electric chairs...

[@juniorsilvabroadcast]

It's overmodulating? I saw the deviation too high I think...

[@KirkHarnack]

WTSX XSTW 100% legal. We transmit an RDS signal, which allows for another 2% overmod. Also, the occupied bandwidth is well below the allowed limit.

[@juniorsilvabroadcast]

Kirk Harnack that's why I still prefer broadcasting RDS that is built-in the audio processor of the station. 7% of injection still at 75khz

[@jvolstad]

Should be a transistor based final by now.

[@iblesbosuok]

Exotic

[@thebestofall007]

oh

[@lady1diesel]

i love to have my hands on that arm strong 1000 watt....wow...

[@thebestofall007]

radio-locator shows this station to be 500 watts erp. what's the deal with that discrepancy?

[@ryantoomey611]

The video says it is from 1999. Maybe it used to be 3000 watts and they have since changed to 500 watts. Maybe new owners?

[@glennso47]

In Rockford, Illinois there is a TV station that used to be a full power station and recently switched to a low power station. (WIFR-TV)

[@robertramos36]

wow all that madness and my wizzard built competion amp does more power output than all that crap lol :).

[@glennso47]

I'm sure the wife appreciates you coming home alive rather than in a bushel basket!

[@terrya450]

yuck your still useing tubes

[@KirkHarnack]

Terry Ambrogio We are taking donations if you’d like to contribute toward a new solid state transmitter. Our group of 14 stations is about 1/2 tube and 1/2 solid state transmitters.

[@terrya450]

the only thing i have for donation is a energy onix but yuck who wants more tubes LOL we called it the energy oink before we took it offline