New Transmitter Building Project
WBJC is in the process of installing a new precast building to house two new transmitters and ancillary equipment for analog and HD transmission. Here you see the preliminary work on the slab foundation for the new building.
Here’s the completed foundation. The building to the right houses WBJC’s exisiting transmitters. The 34 year old structure will be demolished once the new building is complete and the new equipment is installed. The old transmitters will be traded in and find a happy home far away.
The new transmitter building requires an additional transformer and feed from the power company. These are the conduits that will house cables that connect the power company feed, transformer, meter and disconnect panel, to the new building.
This is the new power company “H frame” that was installed in order to accommodate the new building. The H frame holds the new electric meter and the main power disconnect for the new building.
The new power company transformer will be mounted here.
Cool, love this technical stuff – thanks, Bob! How old are the current transmitters? I’ve always piddled around in the electronics hobby, but I don’t know anything at all about the equipment that’s used for commercial (OK, non-commercial!)
radio and television broadcasting.
Regards,
Doug
The main transmitter is a 1978 model. The auxiliary transmitter dates back to 1965.
Hi Bob, Will the new TX have a greater output than the present TX? It would be terrific if you can get the stn manager to consider adjusting WBJC radiation pattern to favor DC and NVA. 73
Tony Gates, N3GE
We will be putting the same amount of power towards DC and NoVa. This is all that the FCC will authorize.
Any more power, we will step on other stations that are on adjacent frequencies.
We expect to gain a clearer, more consistent signal with the modern equipment.
The difference should be dramatic if you are in range of our HD signal and have an HD radio!
Great stuff. Thanks. living on a ridge here in southern PA almost due north of your, I’ve been able to get a decent signal using a TV antenna on the roof. The same antenna pulls in WAMU’s HD broadcast from DC. Will probably take a little antenna jiggling, but I’m counting on a great HD signal from WBJC, which is my main listening source.
Hi Bob,
Do transmitters still use vacuum tubes? If not, what technology replaced them?
There are still transmitters on the market that use vacuum tubes.
These transmitters are solid state, except for the final power amplifier tube. Our new transmitters will not use any tubes at all. They use multiple solid state RF power amplifier modules in place of a final tube.