[BC] WLS Tx History Update

[Rene Tetro]

At WBBR in New York (ex-WNEW) back in the late 90s, we looked extensively
into installing an off site auxiliary transmitter, and looked at several
locations (most in depth at WPAT-AM).  In the end, however, we installed a
12kw Nautel transmitter in the tuning house of our Tower 4, with its own
generator, STL equipment, and AC Mains feed from PSE&G.  To my knowledge it
never got used, except for testing.  The idea was to provide a method of
staying on the air should the main transmitter building be disabled (fire,
flood, etc).  Since tower 4 was setup as our backup non-directional tower,
inserting the auxiliary transmitter on that tower with an RF contactor was a
minimal process.  This happened after the 1993 WTC bombing and Hurricane
Floyd.  At that point many NYC AMs and FMs were searching for alternate
sites.  For instance, I believe that WINS had diplexed onto WABC's auxiliary
tower in Lodi as a backup.

The last I heard Bloomberg had removed the equipment at WBBR.

Rene'

Rene' Tetro
WNTP-WFIL
Philadelphia

-----Original Message-----

 On Behalf Of
peterh5322 at rattlebrain.com

> WCCO was late in adding a second site, feeding a rented tower.  (They had
> once used a long-wire backup scheme, but that fell into disuse.)
>
> Latest news is that they're abandoning the second tower site and going
> back
> to the long-wire idea.