This is the Continental Equipment Section of
The Broadcast Archive

Maintained by:
Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer
Last updated 6/15/07

The Continental 317 Series

Of all the transmitters built by James Weldon and company, few achieved the status of the 317 series of 50 kW transmitters. Sure, Continental made the super power rigs used overseas for 100 kW and up, both medium and shortwave. But the 50 kW "flamethrowers" that lit up the dial in the US, Canada and Mexico brought much domestic fame to the Dallas based company.

There were 215 of the 317s built by 1995. Many of the 317s are still in service as Main transmitters. Many more are primary standby units.

So far as is known, the original model was 101, of which only one was built, for WINQ in Tampa, FL.  The original 317 series had three sisters:

  1. WDIA in Memphis

  2. CKWX in Vancouver

  3. KRLA, Pasadena, CA.

And then ... there were those "B"s....

If you have a picture of the WINQ transmitter, please let me know.

 101 - WINQ, Tampa, F:L

317 - original series
This is from KRLA, Pasadena.
The flyer for the 317B in 1958.
Continental Electronics 317B, 50 kW transmitter, Serial #1 at WJR in Detroit.

There were 12 of the 317Bs built. The last one went to Harlingen, TX.

Serial #2 of the Continental 317B Powerhouses. The 317 series set new standards for high power AM transmitters in the late 1950s.

This transmitter ran for 40 years until retired from duty as "Main" in 1999.

 

The upgrade to version 317C came came in 1966. The first unit was delivered to XETRA in Tijuana, Mexico. 59 of these were built.

This is serial number 53, installed at CBL, Hornby, ON

Version  317C-1. The first one went to KIRO (710), Seattle, WA in 1978.

This is the eighth 317C-1, from WJNT, 1180, in Pearl (Jackson), MS  (It was originally installed at CBC's CBOF in Ottawa on 1250 from 1981 to 1993.)

This 317C-2 50 kW transmitter was considered "the one to buy" for well over a decade and a half, after its introduction in 1980.

The first unit was delivered to CFRB (1010), Toronto, Canada 

88 of these were built, the final one going to WBAL, Baltimore.

317C-3

The first was installed at WPBD in Atlanta on 640 in 1990.

Dave Hultsman reports: "The main difference between the "2" and "3" series was] the replacement of the 4-400C RF driver tube with a solid state amplifier to drive the grids of the two 4CX35000A tubes. There were other smaller modifications to the the audio processing and feedback boards."

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