Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

2 dipole antennas with reflectors (visual & aural), radiating directionally towards Denver from 25-ft. pole on Lookout Mt. A 3-bay superturnstile antenna is on hand, and RCA promises delivery of 2-kw amplifier by Aug. 1. * * * * So much for Denver — choicest new market in the country. How about other 17 granted last week? We queried all of them, already have replies from most. None is in shape KFEL was, but most think they'll be telecasting by year's end. The 4 other vhf grantees (in Denver, Spokane & Austin) would have no trouble at all — from equipment standpoint. And the 13 uhf permittees probably could make it — if they and FCC will be satisfied with initial low-power operations. But we expect some more prodigies, after seeing the KFEL-TV blitz — particularly in vhf. Some CP-holders are in absolute stew to get going. We have no word yet from KVOD, Denver, but from Spokane Chronicle's Dick Dunning we got report he feels there's "slight chance" to get his Channel 6 KHQ-TV on air by Jan. 1 — "if everything breaks in our favor." But problems incident to 35-kw GE transmitter, 5-bay antenna, 826-ft. guyed tower, new building — and the weather — may force deferment of debut until spring. Channel 4 KXLY-TV, 50% owned by Bing Crosby, reports only that it will begin tower construction at once. From Austin, Tex. , where Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's KTBC (she's wife of the U.S. Senator) got Channel 7, we learn that construction will begin within 60 days, and station may be on air by year's end. Its counsel even predicts "90 days" from now. Holding uhf CPs for Denver and Portland, Ore. , Empire Coil Co.'s Herbert Mayer says stations will be built simultaneously, should debut by Thanksgiving or, at latest, Christmas. Engineering consultant Ben Adler, who is also building some of the components, echoes this optimism. Here's word from other uhf respondents: Bridgeport, Conn. — Target date of Jan. 1, 1953, is set by WICC's Phil Merryman, who is trying to buy or lease equipment of NBC's famed "guinea pig" experimental uhf station there. An engineer himself, he doesn't claim date is certain. New Britain, Conn. — "We hope to be on the air during December, 1952," reports Peter B. Kenny, mgr. of grantee WKNB. "We expect to start initial construction on the transmitter site this month." Springfield, Mass. — "We hope to be on the air in 6 months," writes WSPR's mgr. Alan C. Tindal, "but there's still some question as to transmitter." And Economic Stabilizer Roger Putnam, of Springfield, who heads grantee firm, told us: "This thing caught me by surprise. I had no idea the FCC would act so quickly. I can't give a definite date because we're just starting to order equipment." * * * * York, Pa. — WSBA mgr. Walter Rothensies wires: "We have had our equipment on order for over a year, and RCA has assured us of fall delivery. Since our tower is already constructed and part of our building completed, we hope to start telecasting before the end of this year." Second York grantee, WNOW, gives no date, says merely "as soon as possible." Flint, Mich. — James L. Rubenstone, of Philadelphia, head of grantee corporation, says "we hope to begin operation late this fall, but this of course depends on the delivery of equipment." Youngstown, 0. — More cautious, perhaps more coldly realistic than other grantees, WKBN president Warren P. Williamson, a technical man, says his "best conservative judgment" is that "it will be the summer or fall of '53 before we get going." This is the way he looks at it: "We have had equipment ordered from RCA since before the freeze ; but about all they can deliver this fall is a 1-kw transmitter, and our CP calls for 10-kw. It looks to me like many stations may go into interim operation. We frown on this for fear such operation would not do justice to uhf and we might all wind up in the same situation as FM. Apparently RCA feels, however, that this is the way to best finance their transmitter development." We'll report as soon as possible on Denver's other vhf, and the other uhf grantees in Holyoke and New Bedford, Mass., Youngstown, Austin.