TV Broadcast Towers & Transmitters (photos, vids) - Page 4 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

RingtailedFox · 2009-10-23, 12:08 PM

why does this remind me of the old Devo song "Whip It"? :P

WHOOOOOOSH! *thud*

awesome video, though, guys!

stampeder · 2009-10-23, 01:27 PM

Those galvanized, braided guy wires would be so beefy that a gas-powered grinder or band saw would probably be needed, but ya I sure wouldn't want to be in the vicinity of such a guy wire letting go! Maybe small explosives were used instead.

Its also possible that the chainsaw-like noise was coming from the nearby RF Aircraft flight zone that was conveniently located right near big radio towers!

Macman · 2009-10-23, 01:45 PM

Nope, look closely at the bottom right. You can see the smoke from the saw running wide open, then the *snap* and then the guy running backwards. Maybe the guy wires don't have that much tension on them to whip that hard, because even if you tried running from a wire under super high tension it acts like a whip and probably moves fast enough that no human could ever outrun it.

The police station near my house in Winnipeg was relocated about a year ago I think, and the old station had a huge tower there for as long as I can remember. I was driving past it 3 or 4 months ago and noticed someone lowering sections down on a pulley or something. They dismantled it piece by piece! I know they wouldn't do something like what was done in this video, because there is houses all around.

I was surprised to see them do it this way in the video, because I saw a tower demolition on TV where they used explosives. The footprint that the fallen tower left was WAY smaller than the one in the video.

Good post!

stampeder · 2009-10-23, 01:58 PM

Ya thanks for that tip - its possible that they loosened the guy wires beforehand to just a minimal tension.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macman

noticed someone lowering sections down on a pulley or something. They dismantled it piece by piece!

Yep, that's the "Gin Pole" technique.

LONSat · 2009-10-23, 01:59 PM

Lindsay with 5 towers I would expect it would have been an AM radio setup.

Billsmith · 2009-11-07, 10:55 PM

Photo showing the 3 large broadcast Antenna Arrays on the new Mast.
At the top, the UHF panel Array. Immediately below, the first of the FM Arrays (space has been reserved for a complete additional FM array). Below the replacement VHF Channel 2 Antenna Array.
Global would have preferred two of these VHF arrays producing an ERP of 100 KW but the mast space
proved insufficient to allow this.

Billsmith · 2010-01-09, 01:33 PM

Global TV CICT Channel 2 antennas with an ERP of 56,000 Watts from their 30,000 Watt solid state transmitter. Global would have preferred two of these VHF arrays producing an ERP of 100 KW but the mast space proved insufficient to allow this as Harvard has planned to add further FM bays in the immediate space above this antenna array.

Billsmith · 2010-01-09, 01:57 PM

UHF panel array taking pride of place atop the Global/Harvard mast. It has a gain of around 10 db and will be fed via a new tuned port style UHF combiner in the Global transmitter building below.
The CICT-DT transmitter will send about 2.5Kw to the antenna array to produce an ERP of 55,000 Watts. This should leave plenty of capacity to add other broadcasters. I understand that there are inquiries presently by other parties about their use of this capacity.

Billsmith · 2010-01-09, 02:10 PM

Each FM transmitter set has a power of 20,000 Watts for a final ERP of 100,000 Watts from the antenna array. I understand that Harvard is planning to add further bays below this array at some future date.

balm · 2010-01-09, 06:12 PM

Here are some (poor quality) pics I took of the Mount Mansfield / Stowe Vermont digital transmitters. This is from off the Toll Road which goes to the top, at 4,000 ft elevation. The view is facing north-north-east along the Nose. I did this trip Thanksgiving 2009 (quite a scary ride up in the car BTW)...

I believe the transmitters are for WCAX #22 (CBS), WETK #32 (PBS), WPTZ #14 (NBC), WVNY #13 (ABC), and WFFF #43 (Fox)...

Mike FM · 2010-01-19, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billsmith

The CICT-DT transmitter will send about 2.5Kw

Actually it'll only be 1.75K after the analog to digital conversion.
Global Calgary's new digital signal will be coming from the old 5KW Larcan Eclipse that was used to power channel 44 (CHCA-1).
Unless you change the whole back plane of the tx, you will not get the full 2.5KW like the Larcan Magnum digital UHF.

stampeder · 2010-01-19, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike FM

Actually it'll only be 1.75K after the analog to digital conversion.

Mike, I think I'm missing something here - at which step in the process would Global's digital data stream from their master control be in analogue, requiring digital conversion to be sent to the ATSC exciter?

Mike FM · 2010-01-19, 01:18 PM

The HD signal is digital all the way.
I'm talking about the future tx they'll be using on "the hill".
They still have to apply for a construction permit.
Plus Harvard is doing some reconfiguring of how the UHF combiner will be placed in the building.
So, there are a few delays on the project.

stampeder · 2010-01-19, 01:21 PM

Yep, I'm aware of all that.

I'm asking what step of conversion you meant by this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike FM

Actually it'll only be 1.75K after the analog to digital conversion

Mike FM · 2010-01-19, 01:26 PM

There's less FET's in the Eclipse than in the Magnum and they won't utilize the Aural PA module.

2009-10-23, 01:59 PM	#50
LONSat Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, Ontario Posts: 486	Lindsay with 5 towers I would expect it would have been an AM radio setup. __________________ Living in the land of the mayor that won't do the right thing.

2009-11-07, 10:55 PM	#51
Billsmith Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Banff Trail district, Calgary. Posts: 437	New Global/Harvard Mast Calgary Photo showing the 3 large broadcast Antenna Arrays on the new Mast. At the top, the UHF panel Array. Immediately below, the first of the FM Arrays (space has been reserved for a complete additional FM array). Below the replacement VHF Channel 2 Antenna Array. Global would have preferred two of these VHF arrays producing an ERP of 100 KW but the mast space proved insufficient to allow this.

2010-01-09, 01:33 PM	#52
Billsmith Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Banff Trail district, Calgary. Posts: 437	CICT Channel 2 Global TV CICT Channel 2 antennas with an ERP of 56,000 Watts from their 30,000 Watt solid state transmitter. Global would have preferred two of these VHF arrays producing an ERP of 100 KW but the mast space proved insufficient to allow this as Harvard has planned to add further FM bays in the immediate space above this antenna array. Last edited by Billsmith; 2010-01-09 at 06:33 PM. Reason: more info added.

2010-01-09, 01:57 PM	#53
Billsmith Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Banff Trail district, Calgary. Posts: 437	CICT-DT panel antenna array. UHF panel array taking pride of place atop the Global/Harvard mast. It has a gain of around 10 db and will be fed via a new tuned port style UHF combiner in the Global transmitter building below. The CICT-DT transmitter will send about 2.5Kw to the antenna array to produce an ERP of 55,000 Watts. This should leave plenty of capacity to add other broadcasters. I understand that there are inquiries presently by other parties about their use of this capacity. Last edited by Billsmith; 2010-01-09 at 06:36 PM. Reason: Extra info added.

2010-01-09, 02:10 PM	#54
Billsmith Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Banff Trail district, Calgary. Posts: 437	Global/Harvard mast's high gain FM array. Each FM transmitter set has a power of 20,000 Watts for a final ERP of 100,000 Watts from the antenna array. I understand that Harvard is planning to add further bays below this array at some future date. Last edited by Billsmith; 2010-01-09 at 06:22 PM. Reason: Extra info added

2009-10-23, 12:08 PM	#46
RingtailedFox Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 539	why does this remind me of the old Devo song "Whip It"? :P WHOOOOOOSH! thud awesome video, though, guys!

2009-10-23, 01:27 PM	#47
stampeder OTA Forum Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Delta, BC (96Av x 116St) Posts: 23,338	Those galvanized, braided guy wires would be so beefy that a gas-powered grinder or band saw would probably be needed, but ya I sure wouldn't want to be in the vicinity of such a guy wire letting go! Maybe small explosives were used instead. Its also possible that the chainsaw-like noise was coming from the nearby RF Aircraft flight zone that was conveniently located right near big radio towers!

2009-10-23, 01:45 PM	#48
Macman Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 469	Nope, look closely at the bottom right. You can see the smoke from the saw running wide open, then the snap and then the guy running backwards. Maybe the guy wires don't have that much tension on them to whip that hard, because even if you tried running from a wire under super high tension it acts like a whip and probably moves fast enough that no human could ever outrun it. The police station near my house in Winnipeg was relocated about a year ago I think, and the old station had a huge tower there for as long as I can remember. I was driving past it 3 or 4 months ago and noticed someone lowering sections down on a pulley or something. They dismantled it piece by piece! I know they wouldn't do something like what was done in this video, because there is houses all around. I was surprised to see them do it this way in the video, because I saw a tower demolition on TV where they used explosives. The footprint that the fallen tower left was WAY smaller than the one in the video. Good post!

2010-01-09, 06:12 PM	#55
balm Veteran Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Montreal Posts: 2,248	WCAX, WETK, WPTZ, WVNY, WFFF @ Mt Mansfield, Vermont Here are some (poor quality) pics I took of the Mount Mansfield / Stowe Vermont digital transmitters. This is from off the Toll Road which goes to the top, at 4,000 ft elevation. The view is facing north-north-east along the Nose. I did this trip Thanksgiving 2009 (quite a scary ride up in the car BTW)... I believe the transmitters are for WCAX #22 (CBS), WETK #32 (PBS), WPTZ #14 (NBC), WVNY #13 (ABC), and WFFF #43 (Fox)... Last edited by stampeder; 2010-01-09 at 11:14 PM. Reason: title added

2010-01-19, 01:18 PM	#58
Mike FM Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Alberta Posts: 174	The HD signal is digital all the way. I'm talking about the future tx they'll be using on "the hill". They still have to apply for a construction permit. Plus Harvard is doing some reconfiguring of how the UHF combiner will be placed in the building. So, there are a few delays on the project.

2010-01-19, 01:26 PM	#60
Mike FM Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Alberta Posts: 174	There's less FET's in the Eclipse than in the Magnum and they won't utilize the Aural PA module.

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