Old AM station shutting down

[backwoods]

They dropped the tower last week. Local church bought the land and I am thinking of making an offer to clean off the lot for any equipment that may be of use. Anyidea of what to look for? They cut the tower up in pieces though, 180 feet of it!

[nutcracker]

I would see how bad the tower was cut up. You could possible re construct it with some heavy duty brackets and some welding. I would look for any antennas, coax, transmitters. Even if it wouldnt work on 11m I would still be taking anything that looks useable :D

[backwoods]

Yea I weld so the tower will get fixed up tp 60 feet or so. The coax has a hollow center conductor. There are copper wires buried every so any degrees around the base for a ground plane. I will probaly be removing the structure so I'll get some pics of the setup.

[Turbo-T]

The tower would definitley be cool to have. Betcha will be able to get out quite a ways.

[Rich]

The tower was the antenna.1/4 wave at 1300KHZ.
Rich

[backwoods]

That makes sense it was 1600!!! Never saw the antenna All of the guy wires were insulated as well. I really want the red light to put on my station too. I'll try and get pics. I would like to hold on to some of the tower for a keepsake. Pretty cool to think about the old AM station everytime I key up!!

[pipsqueek]

Anything left of the studio stuff or did it go to auction? Mics (EV re-20 or re-27, Sennheiser421), audio processing stuff like DAP 310 or 610, Urie, EQs, consoles, patch cords,...the broadcaster itself like a Gates (can be re-worked for other bands, even 11). You may be able to keep all kinds of things for yourself and still make good $$$ on Epay. I would guess that its all been sold off though.
Pips

[backwoods]

Everything is suposed to be there but I have not got inside.....yet!

['Doc]

If everything is still there, and if they would consider all that as payment for cleaning the place, I think you'd make out very well. But boy are you gonna have fun getting those radials out of the ground! Happen to have a 'D-9' around the backyard with a 'ripper' on the back of it? You'll need it.
As far as the tower goes, I think you can forget it. Not too sure I'd want a 'welded' together tower of any height. And depending on the size of those tower sections, you will definitely need help moving them! Don't 're-park' that 'D-9' too quick!
- 'Doc

[backwoods]

The man that took the tower down said they were not real deep. D9? No but a 320 Cat backhoe and D5m Cat dozer are pretty strong. The copper will go to the church for sure as any big dollar stuff. I would trust my welding on the tower to sixty feet, they are 20 foot sections. I would not push it much more, they took it down because of the base rusting pretty bad but the upper sections are pretty solid.

[linx]

If the coax has a hollow center conductor it's probably some type of hardline. My heliax is simular. PM me with a list of equipment when you get in there. I would be interested.

[backwoods]

If the coax has a hollow center conductor it's probably some type of hardline. My heliax is simular. PM me with a list of equipment when you get in there. I would be interested.

Need a bunch of 20 foot jumpers?

[Texas Mobil 219]

LOOK for Tubes. Amps,Radio. What ever has tube man would be a score.

219

[linx]

If the coax has a hollow center conductor it's probably some type of hardline. My heliax is simular. PM me with a list of equipment when you get in there. I would be interested.

Need a bunch of 20 foot jumpers?

LOL, I'm set. I got runs all the way up my tower for my HF and VHF/UHF beams. It's too hard to work with for jumpers. Plus, the connectors are like $50-200 a piece for the ends of the coax.

[Cain64]

Post your findings ASAP PM me with what you find im interested in what ever you find.

[Irondog]

I wouldn't hesitate on the tower. I trust my welding and could guarantee it would be stronger that when it was new. Definitely be a great find.
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[backwoods]

Well I got in touch with the church. The tower is gone, it's going to be deer stands. The Equipment is still there. Everything down to the 45 rpm's that were played in the days. It was transmitting in the 1990's. I did some research and looks like there could be 90 to 180 ground radials between 92 and 184 feet long. Any idea of their size? I am going to haul a back hoe over one day this week and see what we can find. As for the equipment I will get a list together. Not sure how it will be sold but I doubt I'll trade the work out. I may try and get a few items for my work but it is the church and I may have to pay up one day!!

[plutonium233]

I wouldn't worry too much about the rewelding as long as you use good practices. My Paw paw built a 72' tower from SCRATCH (scap metal from a place that built lawn mowers). It stood for 20 years, and it was taken down, cut into three sections, and put up again for another 8-10 years.