Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

6 HOLDERS OF UHF grants may be able to move faster from now on, what with the delivery and imminent installation of RCA’s long-delayed first batch of 1-kw transmitters and the shipment of several interim 100-watt jobs by GE (see p. 1). Actually, not only transmitters but antennas, filterplexers and other components have proved to be the bottlenecks causing delays. Faced with hard fact that uhf grants are outstripping vhf by more than 2%-to-l (114 uhf to 43 vhf, to be exact), it can be assumed the transmitter makers are exerting every effort to speed up their uhf production and testing lines. Furthermore, there’s the incentive of intense competition, yet a sellers’ market — with some customers so eager to get equipment that they’re alleged to have placed orders with as many as 4 different companies, planning to accept first to deliver. Within next month or two, there should be a half dozen more uhf stations in operation, besides Portland’s pioneer KPTV, to serve as “showcases” of what the signal can do and how well the public responds to the idea of uhf conversion and reception. Certainly, many of the uhf grantees have been doing a terrific promotional job on receivers thus far — sometimes (some think) with an excess of zeal in their claims for number of converted sets already available. RCA’s 1-kw transmitter is of completely new design, housed in 3 aluminum cabinets, employing single Type 6181 air-cooled tetrode. New crystal oscillator is said to have stability 5 times greater than laboratory model transmitter first used at Bridgeport and now operating at KPTV , Portland. Much of additional equipment — such as filterplexer and transmission line — is of new design. Describing magnitude of uhf project, T. A. Smith, asst. mgr. of engineering products dept., said: “Since every new station is assigned a given frequency channel, TV transmitter production assumes some aspects of custom engineering.” * * * * No. 12 station to take the air — and only 49 days after grant — apparently will be Fred Weber’s WFPG-TV, Atlantic City (Ch. 46), which had a state police escort to accompany its transmitter on trip from Camden Friday. It was due to sign on by Saturday, had an affidavit to attest that 5000 converted TV sets were already in use, showed statement from Motorola distributor that he alone will have sold 10,000 by April 1. WFPG-TV got quicker start than other RCA customers because it was lucky enough to get a hand-made triplexer. Network service will come via 2-hop relay from Philadelphia, 58 miles distant, using state fire tower for the beams. York’s WSBA-TV (Ch. 43), which suffered such hard luck when its first antenna crashed as it was being hoisted (Vol. 8:44), gets its RCA transmitter Friday also, but filterplexer is due in next couple days from Dielectric Products, Portland, Me. It hopes to start testing by Tuesday (Dec. 23) with films, hopes to get network service Dec. 28. South Bend’s WSBT-TV (Ch. 34) chartered a plane to hasten filterplexer from Maine and, barring bugs, expects to be testing by Christmas day. It will also carry 2 hours of films daily at start. WHkes-Barre’s WBRE-TV (Ch. 28) has everything ready except transmission lines, due to be completed early next week, and antenna, due for Dec. 27 delivery. It still promises Jan. 1 start. * * * * Mobile’s WKAB-TV (Ch. 48) looks like it’s going to beat vhf WALA-TV (Ch. 10) to the air by weeks, with its Dec. 31 or Jan. 1 debut. WALA-TV hasn’t yet had delivery of RCA equipment; efforts to get further information have proved unavailing, but it apparently cannot possibly get started by Jan. 1. According to WKAB-TV’s Louise Pursley, all TVs being sold in area are equipped for both uhf and vhf. WEEK-TV, Peoria (Ch. 43), due in mid-January, tells us 100-watt GE job will be boosted by 12-kw amplifier in April, that AT&T has promised interconnection by April or May. With 1.7 kw ERP at start, it expects to put out good signal over 12-mi. radius, serving about 200,000 population. Tower is 432 ft. high, 546 ft. above average terrain. * * * * In our continuing survey of upcoming new stations, we had these reports from and about other uhf CP holders this week: KPIK, Los Angeles (Ch. 22), granted last week to John Poole, who operates experimental uhf KM2XAZ, has already ordered GE 100-watt interim transmitter for May delivery, to be followed by 12-kw in August and 50-kw later. Mr. Poole already has excellent building on Mt. Wilson, which Austin Co. will expand, and where U of Southern Calif ornia’s KUSC-TV (Ch. 28) is also expected to operate. WJLN-TV, Birmingham, Ala. (Ch. 48), which will be adjunct of WJLD and WJLN-FM, Bessemer-Birmingham, is ordering GE equipment, proposes to use present FM tower on Red Mt. in Birmingham, is altering transmitter building to accommodate TV, estimates delivery of equipment by next October, reports owner George Johnston, Jr. WEEU-TV, Reading, Pa. (Ch. 33) has begun construction of 362-ft. tower on Mt. Penn, has silenced its FM adjunct so that transmitter building can be altered to house TV also, expects to have GE equipment installed in time for mid-1953 start instead of previously reported May 15 target. WBKZ-TV, Battle Creek, Mich. (Ch. 64), granted to Detroit-Flint-Saginaw radio broadcaster John Lord Booth, scion of the chain newspaper family but not connected, with the newspapers’ management, is reported to have purchased the FM plant of WELL, Battle Creek, planning to enlarge it to house TV studios and offices and aiming to go on air in May. WHIZ-TV, Zanesville, O. (Ch.50) has had all TV equipment, except transmitter, on hand since last summer, has been demonstrating via closed circuit at county fairs in area, playing to more than 150,000. It plans to move radio to TV transmitter site, has already erected 500-ft. tower, plans to mount TV tower in January, hopes to get RCA transmitter in time for April 1 start. John E. Pearson Co. is national rep. Harrisburg’s WHP-TV (Ch. 35) reports transmitter building almost completed, expects RCA transmitter in latter January, tower up by Feb. 1. Its target date is April 1, says manager A. K. Redmond, but effort will be made to be nearer Feb. 1 if at all possible. Next TV Factbook — Pre-Print Orders Our semi-annual TV Factbook No. 16 will be off the presses shortly after Jan. 15, 1953 — containing basic data on all operating stations & networks (including rates) ; complete tabulation of applications for new stations, detailing principals involved, facilities requested, etc. (and starting new series of weekly Addenda); list of all new-station grantees (with reported starting dates) ; directories of TV set & tube manufacturers, transmitter & studio equipment makers, film & live program suppliers, community antenna systems, theatres equipped for TV, FCC personnel, legal & engineering consultants, etc., etc. One copy goes to each full-service subscriber. Extra copies, if pre-print orders for 20 or more are placed by Jan. 3, cost $1.50 each; single copies, $3.