[BC] WLBK - WDEK

[Mike McCarthy]

That's what I now own.  The genny from 1983, with the transfer panel. 
I pulled it out of there a couple years ago.

The 5H3 is now at WNIU I seem to recall.  I had arranged for Jeff to 
get it out there just before the AM was sold by BCR.

Small world...

MM


> >I heard he was a decent guy to work for...but didn't want to spend 
much 
> >money on things.  Typical small market. But he had a 2nd 
transmitter on 
> >both stations, plus the 5KW at the studio from the original 
installation. 
> >So I know someone pressed for those items and he realized the 
importance. 
> >I have the genset from the site as well.
> 
> The genset is another story for another time.  But I believe a new 
generator 
> was purchased after the '83 flood took its toll on the old one.  It 
was 
> housed in the garage on First Street.  Believe it or not, the 
transfer panel 
> was located in the basement - and ripe for flood damage
> 
> I believe First Street had either a FM-5H or 10H and a four-bay 
antenna 
> insulated on an old Windcharger tower (I think).  A BC-1T was used 
as a b/u 
> to the MW-1.   The system was beginning to deteriorate badly and 
constantly 
> changing ground conditions from the river were greatly affecting 
base Z.
> 
> Jerry's philosophy was that he would spend money when he made money. 
> Unfortunately, not a lot of funding was put into WDEK when it was 
> programming a progressive rock format.  Too many of the people there 
thought 
> they could actually compete with WXRT in Chicago.  At 20KW ERP and 
490-feet, 
> it did a decent job of covering Rockford and the western Chicago 
suburbs 
> from south DeKalb.  A serious Chicago player - it wasn't.
> 
> Prior to the purchase of WLBK in 1964, Jerry had owned WJOL in 
Joliet with 
> Joe Novy (both ex-CBS engineers and both of Bohemian decent).  Like 
many 
> partnerships, they eventually found that they worked better alone.  
WJOL was 
> sold in 1964 and Jerry came in loving the fact that there was zero 
> competition in DeKalb County for some twenty years.
> 
> WLBK had previously been owned by former WLS G.M. George Biggar.  In 
fact, 
> George was WLS' first manager in 1924 under Sears-Roebuck.  From 
WLS, George 
> spent time at WLW until starting WLBK some years later.
> 
> > Were you around when they built the tower on 23?  Is that an Atlas 
tower? 
> > I found some drawings for it, but I'm not sure if that's the 
manufacturer 
> > or not.
> 
> I came on board one or two months after the tower and building were 
> installed.  It was a transition period between Jeff and myself.  Not 
sure if 
> Jeff can provide more info on it.  I do recall that the top portion 
was 
> tapered and I agree that it sure looked like an Atlas.
> 
> Paul
> 
> 
> ====================================
> Paul Christensen, CPBE, CBNT
> LAW OFFICE OF PAUL B. CHRISTENSEN, P.A.
> 3749 Southern Hills,  Jacksonville, Florida 32225
> Office: (904) 379-7802    Facsimile: (904) 212-0050
> pchristensen at ieee.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Reply to <towers at mre.com>
>From my traveling acount...