WMAQ-TV - Sorting it Out: The Transmitter Story

[@mikemallen9378]

The wonderful world of analogue TX and distribution equipment , thanks for posting

[@MikeinSoCal]

Thanks for posting this, Mark. I work at a TV transmitter site and enjoy seeing how the other guys do things. WMAQ is a first-rate operation and their facility looks very impressive for its day with the old RCA tube transmitters making their 40 kw ERP.

[@fudgesauce]

The video actually does a pretty good job of describing it in enough detail without getting bogged down in stuff most people wouldn't understand. Good job, Bob!

[@hormelinc]

"... receiving a microwave signal from the Merchandise Mart .." UNTIL Max Headroom interrupts your signal while being spanked with a fly swatter 😆

[@marcusdamberger]

The Hancock Center building was opened in 1969, while the Sears Tower was opened in Sept. 1973. This video was from May 1974. So I'm assuming most stations at the time moved into the Hancock first and were well established at that location by 1974 when this aired. Moving into the Sears tower probably came a few years later. Did some stations keep two facilities, one as a backup at the Hancock when they moved to the Sears tower? Interesting video, well done, still was valid tell analog shutdown in 2009.

[@bob4analog]

3:31 "All engineers must have a 1st Class broadcast license." Not anymore. Now we have tv stations in a 1RU "pizza box" called a server. If they fail, oh well! That's their attitude now.

[@billydonegan3658]

Is Mark Ream related to Bud ream in the video?

[@funkmike]

Were sideburns issued by the FCC back in 1974?

[@ApartmentKing66]

So the "Sears Tower" used to be the "Hancock Building?"

[@johnhippisley9106]

wannawatchu66 “willis tower” now XD

[@ApartmentKing66]

@@johnhippisley9106 I know that, but I didn't realize that the Hancock and the Sears were two different buildings.

[@geebee75]

Personally I give that guy's comb-over a perfect 10. :)

[@kaitlinmil]

@wannawatchu66 The Hancock Building is a separate building than the Sears Tower (now Willis Tower)

[@ApartmentKing66]

Yeah, they now call it the Willis Tower, but not me. I still call it the Sears, and probably always will.

[@mattrock2003]

Interesting... wonder what it looks like now instead of on ancient equipment. lol

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Now? Well, here in our stations in Dallas, we have four transmitters for two TV stations at two different tower sites. The towers are 1600 feet tall. There is one man who periodically visits the sites, the rest of the time they sit unattended, monitored in Miami. The transmitters are now about the size of one or two SubZero refrigerators, and send me an email or text message if they discover a problem. I can operate them from my computer anywhere there is an Internet connection. The highest voltages in the transmitters now is about 400 volts AC, there are no vacuum tubes, and can be repaired while the transmitter is still on the air. That RCA transmitter you see had voltages approaching 25,000 volts DC, some had more. I grew up working on that "ancient" equipment, still know how it works, and could fix it.

[@ApartmentKing66]

@kaitlinmil Yeah, thanks...I found out soon after I asked this. For one thing, the Hancock is older. I didn't know how old the Sears was (construction '69-'73) at the time I asked.

[@Flakeway]

I had hoped to see vintage Shelley Long but Linda Alvarez is subbing for her I reckon. Wonder WEHT her. She was nice. I remember she did the weather at noon and co-hosted the occasional local affairs program on channel 5 back in the earlier to mid 70s.

[@ApartmentKing66]

@wannawatchu66 No, it didn't.