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The Future of Delmarva Public Radio
Posts about the future of Delmarva Public Radio.

Photo Essay- Relocating WSCL 89.5's transmitter and antenna

Delmarva Public Media | By Chris Ranck
Published January 13, 2020 at 11:09 AM EST
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The temp. antenna.
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This antenna design is sometimes known as a "roto-tiller" antenna
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Tower crew swiftly (and safely) hoisting up the antenna.
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installing the temp. antenna.
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Coax cable comes on massive spools.
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Getting the cable ready for hook up.
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WSCL 89.5 uses a 4 bay antenna- this is one of the elements
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Our transmitter is disconnected from the power source.
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This looks like plumbing, but it is how the signal gets from the transmitter to the coaxial cable.
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A "dummy load" used for testing a transmitter without broadcasting
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One bay down, three to go.
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I microwave Studio to Transmitter link antenna on the ground.
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Each element is carefully inspected for imperfections.
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Our tower is being moved from Virginia Ave. in Seaford to a location near route 13
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The old tower location- now vacant.
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Transmitters are NOT lightweight.
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The WSCL transmitter at the new site, right next to the temp. transmitter
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Remember those copper pipes?
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connecting up the dummy load
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When a crew is on the tower, we have to power down the transmitter for safety.
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The WSCL 89.5 antenna has four elements or "bays".
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On the tower, they will be re-assembled starting with the element on the left.
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Each day is safely and carefully hoisted up the tower.
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The first element, along with tools for the tower climber.
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On the way up.
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Each element has brackets to bolt to the tower.
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Now that the 1st bay is installed, up goes the second.
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It can be a long day, so we sent up some lunch in the bag with element 3
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All bays installed! The next step is installing the coaxial cable.
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This is an ice bridge. It protects the cable from snow and ice storms.
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Here are some photographs of our recent WSCL  relocation. Our antenna and  transmitter aremoving from Virginia Avenue in Seaford, Delaware to a new location on Rt. 13, just north of the Seaford Walmart. 

Thanks to the crew at Stellar Communications Systems, LLC for their excellent work on making this happen. Also thanks to Matt Porter at Resurrected Electric, LLC, our broadcast engineers Al Waller and Rod Eikenberry,  and Tinsley Meekins, owner of the tower on which we are relocating. 
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Programming Notes WSCL
Chris Ranck
Chris Ranck is Delmarva Public Media's Executive Producer, Program Director and Automation Engineer.
See stories by Chris Ranck
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