My first job as Chief Engineer was at WPTR and WFLY in 1991. I was young and it was a learning experience. The WPTR transmitter was a Harris MW50A, which reliably went off the air every six months. The transmission lines going out to the towers had fallen off of their wooden support posts, trees were growing up in the antenna field, and sample lines were going bad. In short, it was a mess. Even so, the station was well-known and well-liked in the community. One could still see echoes of greatness that once was.
When Crawford Broadcasting purchased the station in 1996, they put much money and effort into renovating the facility. Replacing the Harris transmitter with a solid state Nautel, replacing the phasor and transmission lines, cutting the trees from the field, painting the towers, renovating the old transmitter building into a new studio facility, and finally removing the old Butler building that formerly housed the “Gold Studios.”
Then the depression of 2008-20?? hit. Once again, the place has fallen on hard times. WDCD-AM has been silent since last April. The cost of running the 50 KW AM transmitter being too much to bear in the current economy. Formatically, the station drifted around for several years. According to the STA to go silent:
WDCD WILL SUSPEND OPERATIONS FOR A PERIOD DURING WHICH IT WILL DEVELOP AND PREPARE TO DEPLOY A NEW PROGRAM FORMAT AND REPOSITION ITS VOICE AND IDENTITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
They may need to do something slightly non-religious to survive.
While we were waiting for the utility company to turn the electricity back on after yesterday’s fire, I took a short walk around the WDCD-AM site and took some pictures. The transmitter disconnect thrown, fuses are pulled, it is kind of sad to see the Nautel XL-60 dark:
Nautel XL-60 AM transmitter. WDCD Albany, NY
I apologize greatly for the blurry picture, it was taken with my cellphone camera, my good camera being back at home on my desk. Radio stations, when they are on the air, seem like they are alive. Machinery hums, fans move air, meters move, and there is a sense of purpose. Silent radio stations give me a sense of foreboding like something is terribly wrong.
WDCD three tower array, Albany, NY
View of the towers without Butler Building. The towers are 340 feet tall, which is 206 electrical degrees on 1540 KHz. The site was constructed like this to suppress skywave signals toward ZNS, Nassau, Bahamas. ZNS is the only clear channel station allotted to the Bahamas by NARBA. The other station WDCD is protecting is KXEL, Waterloo, IA. During the 90’s, I received many QSL requests from Norway/Finland and even a few from South Africa. I know that the station had a large following in most of New England.
WDCD tower base, tower one (furthest from building)
Tower one tower base. This IDECO tower had to have the top 60 feet replaced after it was hit by an airplane in 1953. The tower base also had to be replaced in the late 1980’s as it was crumbling and falling apart. To do this, Northeast Towers used railroad jacks and jacked the entire tower up off of the base insulator. They re-formed and poured a new base, carefully letting the tower back down on a new base insulator about a week later.
WDCD towers looking back toward the transmitter building
Antenna field looking back at the transmitter building. If you work at radio transmitter sites, I encourage you to take pictures of all these things, as someday, they will all be gone.
WDCD bomb shelter
The “bomb shelter” and 220 KW backup generator, constructed by FEMA in 1968 as part of the BSEPP. This used to have an emergency studio and enough diesel fuel for fourteen days of operation. Now, the bomb shelter has a kitchen and bathrooms. The underground storage tank no longer meets EPA standards and has been pumped out.
WDCD Onan generator
The Onan generator is conservatively rated at 220 KW, surge rating 275 KW. These things were way over-constructed, so it is likely it would easily run 225 KW all day. It has an inline six-cylinder engine with a massive flywheel. When the engine is stopped, it takes about twenty seconds for the generator to stop turning.
Three phase service
National Grid, 3 pot, 480 volt, 3 phase service, original to the 1947 building.
So sent wireless operator John “Jack” Phillips on the night of April 14th, 1912, and likely sealed the fate of some 1,514 passengers and crew of the RMS Titanic, radio call sign MGY. That message was sent in response to the radio operator on the SS Californian/MWL, who was attempting to report icebergs nearby.
RMS Titanic side view
Of course, it would be a gross error to blame the sinking of the Titanic on the radio operator, he was but one small link in a long chain of events that unwound that fateful night one hundred years ago. Beginning with the ship’s design and ending with the Captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, many seemingly unconnected decisions lead up to the ultimate disaster that befell the Titanic.
After about four days at sea, during the late morning/early afternoon of April 14th, the Titanic began receiving wireless messages indicating “growlers, bergs, and ice fields” were in the area. The Captain decided to alter the ship’s course to the south, out of the supposed ice fields.
In spite of numerous reports of nearby ice, the Captain did not order the ship to reduce speed. It continued on at 22 knots (41 kp/h) up until the time it struck the berg. Lookouts were posted in the crow’s nest, near the bow, to spot icebergs. This was considered normal operating procedure at the time but is the most significant factor in the collision. A number of nearby ships had spotted ice and had greatly reduced speed or stopped for the night. Further exacerbating the situation, the lookouts on the Titanic did not have binoculars, which was due to a mix-up before they sailed from England.
Some of the ice reports received later in the day and evening did not make it to the bridge. Wireless operator Jack Phillips was either repairing a malfunctioning spark gap transmitter or was sending messages from passengers to Cape Race Radio/MCE, Newfoundland. At the time, the (wireless) radio operators were not a part of ship’s company but rather were employed by the Marconi Company for the purpose of sending messages for profit. Any notion of safety or distress communication was an afterthought.
The SS Californian, the closest ship to the Titanic at the time it sunk, was attempting to broadcast another ice warning to all ships in the area at about 10:30 pm. The message was broken off by Phillips with a terse: “SHUT UP! SHUT UP! I AM WORKING CAPE RACE” At about 11:30 pm, Cyril Evans, the Californian radio operator closed the station and went to bed. Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck the iceberg.
5 KW synchronous rotary spark gap transmitter
The Titanic used a 5 KW synchronous rotary spark gap transmitter, which was state of the art at the time. The power is measured at the input of the DC motor. Considering the efficiencies of the motor and generator, the ability of the spark gap to generate RF, and the efficiency of the tuning circuits and antenna, the actual power radiated by the transmitting antenna would have been significantly less, on the order of a couple of hundred watts. The above schematic is not exactly the same as the unit installed on the Titanic, as the meters and additional controls for motor speed and generator voltage have been omitted. Additionally, some sources report the transmitter as a 1.5 KW non-synchronous unit. The difference between the two would be very apparent in the sound of the received signal; a synchronous transmitter had a tonal quality to it versus a non-synchronous or simple spark gap, which sounded like hissing. Wireless operators from shore stations and other ships who worked the Titanic reported that they were using a synchronous unit.
The transmitter used two frequencies; 600 meters, or 500 KHz, and 300 meters, or 1,000 KHz. Because of these frequencies, the maximum range during daylight hours was about 200-400 miles (322-644 km). At night, the ranges were considerably more, 1,000-2,000 miles (1600-3200 km), which is typical for medium frequencies, including the AM or standard broadcast band in use today. Thus the effort by the Titanic radio operators to clear the backlog of message traffic during darkness, when Cape Race was about 374 miles (602 km) away.
Another part of the problem was with the transmitting and receiving apparatus itself. The transmitters were crude and generated broad harsh signals. The receivers were also very broad, and nearby transmitting stations could easily wipe out all frequencies on early receivers. That is what likely prompted Phillips’ outburst, something termed today as blanketing interference. Vacuum tubes (aka valves) had yet to be accepted for widespread use as amplifiers and most receivers were simple tuned circuits connected to a detector of some type. As such, receivers were far less sensitive and selective than they are today.
Interestingly, the Titanic had both types of receivers on board. The main receiver was a tuned circuit with a Marconi Magnetic detector (aka “Maggie”) and a valve receiver as a backup. The valve or vacuum tube was likely a simple diode detector connected to a tuned circuit.
After the collision, Jack Phillips stayed at his post sending out distress messages and communicating with other ships en route to assist. Long after the Captain told the radio operators they were dismissed, Phillips persisted until power was lost and the radio room began flooding. He perished shortly after in the 28° F (-2°C) water, however, assistant operator, Harold Bride, survived.
There is also some bit of discussion about the rudder commands given after the iceberg was sighted. Most accounts say, First Officer, William Murdoch, gave the command “Hard over starboard” which would be the equivalent of the right full rudder, effectively pushing the back of the ship to the left.
As rudders work, the amount of water flowing over the rudder determines its effectiveness or loading (resistance to water flow). With the center screw turning at full speed, the rudder would have quickly loaded and pushed the rear of the ship away from the center line by re-vectoring the water coming from the propellers. There is no way to know if this would have changed the outcome as not enough is known about the maneuverability of the Titanic. Her sea trials consisted of about seven hours of sailing time before passengers were embarked.
The next commands issued were “full astern,” on the engine room telegraph. Because of the design of the ship, it took about thirty seconds to engage the rudder and backing engines. The ship continued straight ahead at 22 knots (11 meters per second), traveling 372 yards (340 meters) before beginning to turn. The center screw had no reverse, so it was simply stopped. Once the engines were reversed, the rudder lost much of its effectiveness due to turbulent flow and stalling. The ship could not maneuver around the iceberg, striking it in a glancing blow springing the hull plating in five forward compartments on the starboard side.
As it was the Titanic’s maiden voyage, the first officer did not have much deck time and was likely less familiar with the maneuvering characteristics of the ship versus other ships he had conned. On most other ships of the time, including the SS Californian, which had just completed the identical maneuver, that combination of rudder and engine room telegraph commands would have been appropriate to stop and swing the ship around the berg.
The SS Californian was within sight of the Titanic as it sunk, observing several “rockets” (as many as eight) being fired. When informed of the rockets, the Captain of the Californian asked for their color but did not move to investigate or wake the wireless operator. According to some of the Californian bridge crew, the Titanic looked strange in the water, like something was wrong. The Californian attempted to signal the Titanic with a blinking light, which was not acknowledged. Inexplicably, the Californian never attempted to investigate further until 5:30 am the next morning when wireless operator Evans was back on duty and reported the sinking to the bridge.
Therefore, the entire chain of events that led up to the disaster includes:
Too few lifeboats for passengers and crew
Not enough training in the deployment of lifeboats
Very short sea trial period for the ship’s crew before passengers were embarked
Overconfidence in the water-tight door system in keeping the ship afloat
Binoculars for lookouts were not procured in time for sailing
The ship’s rate of speed is too fast for the conditions, with numerous reports of ice in the area
The ship’s radio operator dismissed ice report from the nearest ship (almost within view at the time) so he could continue to send paid message traffic
The combination of helm and engine room telegraph commands did not produce optimum maneuvering
Failure of the nearest ship to recognize distress flares (or rockets) as such and render assistance
Change any one of those nine things and the outcome might be entirely different. Something to ponder.
The result of this disaster was the formal codification of shipboard safety requirements known as SOLAS or Safety Of Life At Sea. Those standards include the transmission of distress signals, distress communications, numbers of lifeboats, radio watches, fire suppression systems, and training for passengers and crew. Currently, the distress communication system is known as the Global Maritime Distress Safety System or GMDSS.
Originally signed on as WMNB in 1947, it is a Class C AM station on 1230 KHz, one of thousands in the country. Initially, it had a power of 250 watts, upgrading at various times to its current power of 1,000 watts.
WNAW-WUPE-FM, North Adams, Ma circa 2012
What is different about this station is the studio building. It is located in its original place on Curran Highway on the south side of North Adams. The studio is a late Art Deco design, complete with a small glass atrium in the lobby. Like many older radio stations, this installation was built on a raised floor. The walls and doors are all well constructed for maximum sound attenuation. The doors are large, heavy, and solid wood.
WNAW newsroom, formerly the performance studio
Inside, the original studios are laid out with a control room, a broadcast studio and a live performance room. At one time, the live performance room had a grand piano. Several times per week, live music shows were broadcast on the station. There was a large newsroom, and a big corner office for the General Manager and sales managers.
WNAW studio monitor speakers
WNAW studio, looking into the control room. Back in the day, the announcer, whose only concern was announcing, worked in a separate studio from the engineer on duty, who worked console in the control room. The audio level limiting consisted of turning down the level on the console if the announcer started speaking loudly. They often communicated with each other with hand signs through the windows.
WNAW lobby
At the time that WMNB was signed on, the Adams/North Adams Massachusetts area was in the heart of the northeast manufacturing belt. Sprauge had a capacitor plant in Adams, GE was making plastics in Pittsfield, There were many textile mills still in operation and so on. The population was predominantly working middle class.
WNAW control room console
Obviously, the console has been changed since those days. The current console is a Audio Arts R-60. This serves as the control room for WNAW and WUPE-FM. The programming for WUPE-FM comes from Pittsfield on a T-1 line. From here, it is relayed to the transmitter site on a 950 MHz STL. WNAW transmitter is located about 2/10 of a mile south of the studio building on Curran Highway. It consists of a skirted self supporting tower with a Gates 1 solid state transmitter.
WNAW-WUPE-FM equipment racks
Equipment racks containing the T-1 equipment, modulation monitors and STLs. Note the very old Moseley TRC-15 remote controls. We have been unwiring these at the transmitter sites and disconnecting the TELCO lines. The transmitter sites now have Sine Systems dial up remote controls.
In 1961, WMNB-FM (now WUPE-FM) signed on the air from a tower north east of downtown, off of Mohawk Trail (MA route 2). It broadcast on 100.1 MHz with an ERP of 1,000 watts using a Gates FM1B transmitter.
WNAW continues on today as a community based radio station and is well liked and supported.
That question was posed to me this afternoon by a coworker. It is, indeed, a good question. Certainly, broadcast engineering is more of a vocation than a career, especially where it concerns radio stations. Why would anyone work for low wages, long hours, little or no recognition, 24/7 on-call, and or unappreciative management?
Further, in this risk-averse, zero-defect, micromanaged environment, what is the upside to being a radio, RF, or broadcast engineer?
I suppose one would have to have some appreciation for history. One of the reasons I cover radio history here or certain historical events is that without knowing the roots of radio, one would be hard-pressed to find today’s version of radio broadcasting even remotely interesting. Understanding that before there was the internet, web streaming, Spotify, Youtube, Sirius/XM, television, cellular telephones, 3G, 4G, and so on, radio was mass media. Radio was people-driven, and people-oriented, not an automated computer programmed from afar. People tuned in for the music but also the personality and the personal connection.
Growing up in the late sixties and seventies, radio was my link to the outside world. As a young boy living in rural upstate New York, my mostly agricultural surroundings seemed a bit provincial. Through radio, I was able to listen to the clear channel stations from New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Nashville, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Cincinnati, etc. The street that I grew up on did not get cable TV until 1980, prior to that, the rooftop antenna received exactly two channels when it wasn’t blown over by a storm. The black and white TV was often broken, sometimes for over a year. It was of no great consequence, however, when nightly under my pillow, the battery-powered transistor radio was employed until midnight or later.
When I got older, shortwave radio kits were built and listened to.
Through that medium, I learned about life outside of my small town.
Author, sitting in front of Atwater-Kent Model 20 regenerative receiver
The upside is being a part of something that can still be great, although those stations are getting harder and harder to find. Still, there is a certain pride to a job well done, a clean transmitter room, and a well-tuned machine working into a properly tuned antenna. Does anyone even appreciate that anymore? I do. Lou Dickey, John Dickey, Bob Pittman, Leslie Moonves, and other CEOs may not care that the transmitter site is clean and well-kept. They may, in fact, question it as a waste of salary. I appreciate it. Fellow engineers will appreciate it, too.
Starting a transmitter, especially a high-powered tube transmitter, is a joy all its own. Nothing against Nautel, they make fine transmitters, however, when pressing the on button, the outcome is almost assured: The transmitter will turn on. Not so with certain tube-type transmitters. Pressing the plate-on button for one of those can have many different outcomes. There is a certain thrill when it all works right, the first time. There is a certain pride in driving away from a transmitter site, listening to the radio, and knowing; I caused that to happen.
