|
Online LPFM Radio
Resource: LPFMRadio.com
| |
-
WNDC AM-910
Baton
Rouge, LA.
(This one will
take a minute to load... The graphics are tremendous!)
|
This
page has been in need of being updated for some time. If
you don't mind "old information", please read
on. We promise to fully update the information as soon as
possible. There is also a certain amount of OPINION
expressed on this page. You'll just have to take that for
what it's worth...
Here's
a look at one of our "big" projects... This
station is a model of what can happen when your
"contracted engineering firm" is more interested
in collecting that monthly retainer than in servicing and
maintaining your station. In even more simple "other
words", here's what happens when an engineering
"firm" takes a station to the cleaners for a
number of years and gets away with it! |
|
|
|
Here's a
view of the four tower directional array as seen from a
nearby intersection to give you some perspective of the
size of this monstrosity.
You are
looking toward the southwest.
I get tired
just walking from one tower to the other.
I have as yet to determine if this tiredness is a direct
result of distance between the towers or age...
|
|
|
|
Here's
another view of the array from a parking lot.
Believe it
or not, the owners and managers tell me that, before our
arrival, this station faded out in this parking lot!
Now,
granted, the parking lot is in the null but,
that much of a null is a bit hard to believe...
Now, let's
move a bit closer and actually onto the site. From this
point on, a good deal of the "perspective" will
be lost to you. There's no way I can accurately photograph
the experience due to the fact that all four towers
completely surround you when you're there. |
|
|
|
As you turn
into the driveway, the first thing you see is the sturdy
galvanized metal gate... Smashed for about the twentieth
time (apparently) due to someone's being in too much of a
hurry to move it out of the way.
Now, let's
move in on the actual towers for a first-hand look...
Surely,
you're familiar with the old requirement that all weeds,
shrubbery, bushes and other plant life should be kept
neatly trimmed back from the bases of an AM radiator?
|
|
|
|
Apparently,
the engineering firm we replaced wasn't...
This photograph was taken three days after one of
their engineers made a notation of "Cleared path to
each tower" in the maintenance log... I'd say these
trees grow FAST!
The previous
engineering firm maintains that it was not their
responsibility to keep the undergrowth cut back. I can
actually agree with that but, what I have to take issue
with is their claim that it's also not their
responsibility to monitor and/or report the fact that the
undergrowth needs to be cut back! To me, this is a lot
like seeing a one year old child crawling across a busy
interstate highway and, after dodging it, going on your
merry way (leaving the child in the traffic) because
"it's not my responsibility to move the damned
thing!"
Also, if
this really were the case, why make a maintenance entry
claiming to have "Cleared path to each tower"
just three days before this picture was taken?
These towers
(three of the four, anyway) were originally erected in
1952. Time has definitely taken it's toll on them, too.
However, I can't help but point out: If they had been
properly maintained, they could've been in much
better shape than we found them to be in. |
|
|
|
Here's a
close-up of a rusted out leg. Notice the piece of tree
branch that I poked through it to give you
some idea of what I mean when I say "could've been in
much better shape than we found them
in"...
Know where I
can find someone to climb this tower?
The plan has now been modified
to replacing the three "rotten" towers.
(Originally, management had wanted to sandblast and
reinforce but, this was going to cost almost as much as
replacement towers.)
I had already begun the
sandblasting process on two of the towers but, after
sandblasting completely through two legs of
the first tower, we had a meeting to discuss alternative
arrangements. Now, take a look at what's left after a bit
of blasting... |
|
|
|
I can see daylight through two
gaping holes in two separate legs...
Also, note the bolt that I was
going to "clean off"... That bolt attaches the
diagonal support which would end up supporting most of the
weight if that leg were to "give up".
For a brief period of time I
considered recommending the replacement of the bottom
sections. Unfortunately, this idea was thwarted due to two
very good reasons:
-
These
towers are no longer in production and matching
sections would have to be "custom built" and
-
I
was afraid that, after we removed the bottom sections
for replacement, the rest of the towers would remain
too high above our heads to be able to insert and
attach the replacement sections! (OK, a little humor
never hurt anyone...)
At this point, it was time to
recommend a complete replacement. True, this is the worst
of it but, the tower is not much better as you go up... It
gets even worse!
Fortunately,
it seems that the most rust damaged parts of these towers
are the bottom sections where most water run-off occurs.
Unfortunately,
this is the section which supports the rest...
Here's
another look at the same tower base from a different
angle. |
|
|
|
The
horizontal tubing, at one time, supported the top
half of an "Austin Transformer" which coupled
A.C. power across the tower's base insulator without
shorting the R.F. signal to ground.
Why would we
do this? What do you think makes the lights on the towers
light up?
Note the
thick, deep rust. This is the kind of rust you're afraid
to remove due to the fact that it could be the rust that's
actually supporting the tower!
At the base
of an AM tower, you'll usually find (OK, unless it's a
REALLY unusual installation, always find) an
antenna tuning unit which matches the transmission line to
the tower for an efficient transfer of RF energy into the
radiating element...
Here's a
look at the back side of one of those tuning units at this
site. |
|
|
|
Note the
door lying flat on the ground beneath the metal housing...
This is a definite "no-no" and will be one of
the first priorities to be tackled in the outdoor cleanup
(as soon as we can reach all four of the towers).
Unfortunately,
this is not the only unit in this condition.
I had to
take a set of bolt cutters to a chain in the gate to the
tower pictured below to even access the antenna base
current meter. This, too, is a definite "no-no"
and was only made possible because the previous engineer
negotiated some kind of a deal to place a three-bay FM
antenna on this tower.
I've finally
been able to ascertain that the FM station does
have an "almost legal" Special Temporary
Authority to locate it's antenna on this tower. I say
"almost legal" due to the fact that the Mass
Media Bureau of the FCC normally would have never issued
the STA had they been made aware of the fact that this FM
station had proposed a temporary installation on an AM
directional array. (The FM station's engineering firm -
the same engineering firm the AM station recently fired -
failed to disclose this information in the "request
for STA" which was filed with the FCC on the behalf
of the FM station... This information is required to be
disclosed.
Oh! I
neglected to mention the fact that the former engineer
also negotiated the lease to an extraordinarily high $500
per month to hang this commercial FM antenna on the AM
array. Let's see, now... For a commercial FM located in a
state capital, I'd say that's a rip-off. But, who do you
think is getting ripped? (He also neglected to mention
that - according to FCC regulations - it's the FM
station's responsibility to verify the fact that the AM
directional array is functioning properly after installing
the FM antenna and, then, attempted to bill the AM station
almost $45,000 for having his "firm" perform
these tests and some other maintenance that would've
fallen under the name of routine maintenance had it
been done before the problem exacerbated itself due
to neglect...)
Forgetful
and highly ethical little dude, huh? |
|
|
|
The three-bay ERI Rototiller
is located at the top of this 270 foot tower.
Just below that, is a four
foot STL dish for receiving the signal from the FM
station's studio.
Thus far, I have been unable
to find any documentation, at all, concerning both the FM
installation and it's possible impact on this highly
critical directional array. (Dare I say:
"no-no", again?)
A possible (How about
"likely"?) secondary impact is pictured below...
|
|
|
|
Cellular
tower to the south! Within two wavelengths and right IN
the main lobe...
I'd LOVE
to check all of this out but, due to the fact that the
Field Intensity Meter for the station has
"walked" (at least, the box it came in is still
here), I'm having to wait for another one to be built.
An
interesting fact of the matter is that we've now located
documentation which proves that the cellular company did,
in fact, contact the former engineer and offer to pay him
to perform a partial antenna proof (to be certain the
cellular tower did not interact with the AM array) and the
former engineer "did not return the contact".
ALL of these
(now) major problems could've been headed off by any
competent engineer who would've gone to a small amount of
trouble in what we refer to as "routine maintenance,
careful observation and responsible reporting of problems
found".
Of course,
there's a certain element of "common sense"
required, as well. I'm not quite sure which element was
missing, here. But, much like an automobile engine run
without oil, these "small problems" have mounted
to the point of requiring a major station overhaul and,
instead of paying an engineer $1,500.00 per month for
"routine maintenance, careful observation and
responsible reporting of problems found" (which they
were
paying), these poor folks are looking at a $15,000.00
N.A.L. and $50,000.00 to $100,000.00 in repairs!
The sad part
is that they actually were retaining the area's largest
and "most reputable" engineering firm... I
wonder why it ever got to this point?
Also, the
engineering firm that had been on retainer for "more
than ten years" (according to a letter inquiring into
the reasons of termination of their contract) has asked
for a reason for the termination... Can you see any?
Now, this is
not an intentional "slam" of any one particular
engineer or engineering firm. This is the reason the
entire presentation is totally anonymous with no mentions
of the station call letters and/or the name of either the
engineer and/or his firm's name. This page should serve,
rather, as a reminder of what you may get when you agree
to turn total control of your site over to someone who has
"other interests" in mind. Who can fault the
man? He simply "conducted business" (as most
would)! After all, isn't the object of the game to make a
profit?
There is
also the issue of "did the station choose to not
follow the advice of the engineer?" All I can say
about this is that I've been told (rather emphatically)
that this was not the case but, in order to form a
complete opinion, I'll have to spend more time on this
case and learn all of the subtle nuances of the
situation... |
|
