This is the War Stories Section of
The Broadcast Archive

Maintained by:
Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer
Last Update: 1/20/07

True life stories:
This section is devoted to some of the most interesting stories of the 
broadcasting industry, as told by the participants. Want to share yours with us?

Directional Tower Systems

The joys and agonies of growing those farms of tall steel 

Birds!
by Phil Galasso
When the directional went out of whack ... guess what caused the arcing?  !!!

Fun and Games with the FCC

The End of KRUD Radio
by Don Kimberlin
A strange signal appears in Southern Florida. Who could it be?

History in Real Life

Sometimes we just read the news. Sometimes we made it!

Camelot on the Moon
by Don Kimberlin
The true story of how the first moon landing came within five minutes of being scrubbed, as an intrepid group of engineers worked non-stop for two days to solve a major problem.
A Gringo and the Bay 
of Pig's Invasion
  
by Don Kimberlin
Think a young fellow in Florida was safe from the invasion of Cuba? Read on!

Transmitter Interlock Craziness and other Mishaps

What was that critter that got "smoked" on the HV transformer?

Chasing the Interlock
by Michael Barnes
Who's been modifying those safety interlocks? And why?

The Inside Story of Real Radio

Western Union's Time Was Up Years Ago 
by Don Kimberlin
Remember those clocks that reset on the hour? Wonder how that happened? Read this!

Pioneering Technologies

Where you there at the beginning of some technical "break through?"

Early Quadraphonic  Broadcasts
by Mark Durenberger
It was 1971. Minneapolis radio WLOL-FM conducted Minnesota's first discrete 4-channel broadcasts. Mark Durenberger, a DJ at WLOL at the time of those broadcasts, looks back and shares his thoughts on those pioneering days.

Tower Stories

WTC Disaster The World Trade Center disaster reviewed from a broadcast standpoint
1572 Feet!
by Nate Wolfe
Ever wondered what it is like to climb one of those reeeaaaaalllllly tall towers? Read on!

Tower(s) Down!

Pictures and/or stories of steel that went the wrong way.

Marconi's 20 tower loss at Poldhu December 12, 1901
WOAI, Selma (San Antonio), TX 1957/8
Senior Road Tower, Houston, TX 198x
WRAL, Raleigh, NC December 1989
KXTX-TV, Dallas, TX October 12, 1996
KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA March 20, 1997
KXJB-TV, Fargo, ND April 5, 1997
WRMD, St. Petersburg, FL. April 2000
WNWI, Oak Lawn (Chicago), IL July 9, 2000
KXEO/KWWR, Mexico, MO August 23, 2000
WVAH/WKLC, Charleston, WV February 19, 2003
WPAY, Portsmouth, OH February 19, 2003
WMBD, Peoria, IL May 10, 2003
KFI, Los Angeles December 19, 2004
Katrina related - several towers in LA and MS (AL, too?) (If someone wants to help with a list, that would be nice.

WTIX lost 2 towers
WYLD lost 1 tower

August 29, 2005
WFXL-TV, Doerun, GA June 1, 2006
WALB-TV, Doerun, GA June 7, 2006 (related to WFXL)
KRBC-TV, Abilene, TX January 14, 2007
WCFB, Orlando, Florida February 2, 2007


Not exactly tower failure ...

Fire at Mount Washington
here is the story   ... and further:
Mt Washington Fire Recovery Fund
February 9, 2003
Planned destruction of Radio Liberty towers at Girona, Spain March 22, 2006

Utter Strangeness ... and other stories

Moths in LNB feeds, crawly critters in transmitters ... 

The day the Spooks Stepped on Ma Bell.
by Don Kimberlin
Who was that out there with the enigmatic Morse Code message. Read on and find out!
Attack of the Antenna
by Tom Bosscher
Just when you thought it was safe to leave the transmitter building!
   
 

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Copyright 1993-2006, 2007  by Barry Mishkind. This material on this site should not be reproduced or reposted in whole or part without express approval.

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An important note about this resource:

We have used many sources, including FCC files, university lecturers, historical publications and more, and have tried to be as accurate as possible, not repeating many of the myths of the industry (such as the Uncle Don Story) nor histories "manufactured" by promotion departments. However, I am not perfect, and may well have overlooked something. If you do see an error or omission, please let me know.

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