Jeff put me onto ferrite toroids some 26 years ago when installing an ND25. During a rare lightning season several years later there were multiple hits - we had zero damage. Station literally across the street had serious damage. It happened again (this time we have an NX25) about a month ago. Same ...

The MDCL modifications were done by a "consultant" who it was alleged had done a large number of them. I was grudgingly allowed to be on site and didn't like what I saw happening. When it was done one of the two exciters, both of which had no history of trouble, no longer worked. I took some notes a...

Not specific to WCBS.... Just over a year ago I replaced a Nautel ND25 with a new NX25. The ND had been modified for MDCL and it did save quite a bit on power costs but had a terrible impact on coverage. The station is in Alaska - primarily serving extremely remote villages. In fact, the power cost ...

Thanks to all for the info on the automation system for OSX....no, I hadn't heard about it! I'll check it out but the Linux concept seems a bit much for my advanced age and disposition. The one station for which I do pro bono is a non-profit AM/FM deep in the throes of Zetta (until recently I though...

Fascinating! At age 78 I still do pro-bono for one station I've worked with since 1972. Even for them I don't mess with automation systems. Just tell 'em that even for my wife I DON'T DO WINDOWS! So far nobody's come up an OSX automation or control system so I'm safe. It's just a matter of time........

Sounds like we may have worked at the same station at different times. Another one: Caller from a newly-built high-rise senior building called to complain that Channel 6 was making her apartment cold. She'd start her viewing day with the news - she loved the sports guy. But within an hour her apartm...

Woman called saying she couldn't see Channel 6 between 4-5 pm. Only those hours. She was the first. Over several days there were more calls with the same complaint. Plotted them on a map. Tight cigar-shaped pattern. Ummmmm.. Visited two of the homes. Yup. 4-pm sharp strong interference that continue...

Sounds all too familiar. Had to deal with an ND25 with similar symptoms a couple of years ago. It traced to a power bus having burned up in the rack with the major power transformer. It's in a difficult to reach location which allows it to escape notice when doing the annual tightening down of all c...

And there is why I carry a phase-shifting XLR/XLR when doing work for stations using asymmetric modulation.

Possible source: Perhaps a long shot but certainly worth a try. In my younger days I voluntarily maintained a rotating airways beacon. It used the same Duro lamps we've been talking about here. Almost all such beacons have long-since been converted to LED. There is a good chance that there are prett...

It's pushing 15 years since I converted the 230 foot tower from incandescent to LED. I still have 3-4 of the beacon lamps hanging around and feel pretty sure management would part with them for a nominal price but wonder about the cost of shipping and possible damage. They're in Nome, Alaska. PM me ...

Thanks for the reminder....it was Mike Patton who overhauled the STL transmitter for KNOM. Quick turnaround and beautiful workmanship. The 10+ (perhaps 20?) old transmitter humming along better than new.

Funny the call-letter similarity..... I recently have had several Marti units reworked for KNOM. Some using Broadcast Electronics. I had been cautioned that they were expensive and took a long time but was very pleasantly surprised at how quick and how moderate in cost. Recently I had an STL unit re...

I just had two RPT-2s overhauled by BE (successor toi Marti). Had been told to expect a long turnaround but they were back amazingly quickly. I had suspected crystals but the problem turned out to be the crystal ovens, Right now I'm looking at two RPT-15s which seem OK on frequency - they were seldo...

Thanks for the .pdf of Mullaney's article! I had a copy years ago and lost it. John (the elder) designed the folded unipole antenna for KNOM (780) in Nome, AK. Originally it was a 3-fold skirt and a bear to keep going. Bandwidth was always problematic. After many years it was reworked to 6--fold in ...