Television digest with electronics reports (Jan-Dec 1953)
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6
GE SHIPPED 5-kw transmitter Nov. 21 to Guy Gannett newspapers’ newly-authorized WGAN-TV, Portland, Me. (Ch. 13), along with temporary 2-bay antenna, to be followed Dec. 20 with 20-kw amplifier. This pointed to race with hotelman Wm. H. Rines’ WCSH-TV (Ch. 6), which got 10-kw RCA transmitter in Oct., announced tests to begin Dec. 1. GE’s only other vhf shipment this week was antenna that went out Nov. 23 to complete installation of 5-kw KHOL-TV, Kearney, Neb. (Ch. 13).
Only new uhf shipment reported this week was 12-kw amplifier for WCAN-TV, Milwaukee (Ch. 25), which went on air Sept. 6; also reported was order for 100-watt driver for Dec. 4-5 shipment. Old orders shipped this week included 12-kw amplifiers to WKAR-TV, E. Lansing, Mich. (Ch. 60), and 5-bay antenna to complete 12-kw installation of WJHP-TV, Jacksonville (Ch. 36).
RCA shipped only one uhf this week — to WARM-TV, Scranton, Pa. (Ch. 16) — but reports 6 more vhf that have gone out: 10-kw last week to KWTV, Oklahoma City (Ch. 9), which has order for 50-kw later; 10-kw to WEAR-TV, Pensacola, Fla. (Ch. 3) ; and 25-kw units this week to KOA-TV, Denver (Ch. 4) ; WJDX-TV, Jackson, Miss. (Ch. 3) ; WSTV-TV, Steubenville, 0. (Ch. 9) ; WGCT, Greenville, S. C. (Ch. 4). Also shipped by RCA this week was 10-kw driver to WBAP-TV, Ft. Worth (Ch. 5), with 25-kw amplifier to follow shortly.
DuMont reports new order for 5-kw uhf from WFMZTV, Allentown, Pa. (Ch. 67), also reports 5-kw transmitter to be shipped shortly to new WNEM-TV, Bay City, Mich. (Ch. 5).
* * * *
In our continuing survey of upcoming new stations, these were the reports received this week:
KMID-TV, Midland, Tex. (Ch. 2), reports its 5-kw RCA transmitter is installed, plans Dec. 1 tests, goes commercial Dec. 6. Ownership interlocks with KWSO-TV, Lawton, Okla. Rep will be Taylor.
WGCT, Greenville, S. C. (Ch. 4), has transmitter and studio building all ready, 10-kw RCA driver on hand, 25-kw amplifier due for delivery this week, antenna due Nov. 30. Thus it hopes to begin testing by mid-Dec., go commercial Jan. 1 as NBC outlet. It’s result of 3-way merger under which Textile Bcstg. Co. is divesting itself of 5-kw WMRC (1440 kc), now silent, whose physical facilities are being taken over by KAKE. New ownership will comprise Textile Bcstg. Co. group headed by Robert A. Jolley, 39%; Roger Peace’s Greenville News-Piedmont (WFBC), 39%; Carolina Television Inc. group headed by Alester G. Furman Jr., 22%. WFBC (AM) gen. mgr. B. T. (Bevo)
Whitmire will be mgr. of new station, whose call letters may later be changed to WFBC-TV. Weed will be rep.
KFBB-TV, Great Falls, Mont. (Ch. 5), last reporting Dec. start with DuMont equipment, has experienced delay in antenna delivery, now plans “early 1954” debut, according to TV director LeRoy Stahl. Weed will be rep.
KWTV, Oklahoma City (Ch. 9), rushing to be second vhf in town, has RCA engineers due to arrive Nov. 30 to complete installation of newly-arrived 10-kw transmitter and 6-bay superturnstile. Gen. mgr. Edgar T. Bell says most of equipment is installed, tower will be completed within 10 days, target date is now Dec. 15. It’s scheduled to go on CBS, has base rate of $465, will be represented by Avery-Knodel.
KHOL-TV, Kearney-Holdrege, Neb. (Ch. 13), last reporting Nov. start, was due to get its 5-kw GE transmitter Nov. 24, now plans to turn on the test juice during first ten days of Dec., according to mgr. Duane L. Watts. It begins with filmed CBS & DuMont programs, gets interconnection next March. Hour rate will be $200. Meeker will be rep.
WBOC-TV, Salisbury, Md. (Ch. 16), has ordered RCA equipment for Jan. -Feb. delivery, plans tests March 1, 1954, goes commercial March 15, according to gen. mgr. Charles Truitt. Rep not yet chosen.
WHCU-TV, Ithaca, N. Y. (Ch. 20), Cornell U commercial grantee last reporting Nov. start, has had CP extended to next March and may not get on air until late 1954, according to gen. mgr. Michael R. Hanna.
WBTM-TV, Danville, Va. (Ch. 24), expects to begin tests Dec. 10 with 1-kw RCA transmitter, will go commercial by mid-Jan., reports program director Milton N. Adams. Rep will be Hollingbery.
WMIL-TV, Milwaukee (Ch. 31), last reporting Dec. start with GE equipment (Vol. 9:36), has stopped all construction pending FCC final decision on Ch. 6 allocation to Milwaukee area, according to gen. mgr. Jerome Sill.
WCIG-TV, Durham, N. C. (Ch. 46), which got FCC go-ahead last June when protest by applicant WSSB for Ch. 73 was overruled, hasn’t set target date, reports gen. mgr. John G. Johnson. It’s waiting to see how WTOBTV, Winston-Salem (Ch. 26), which began in Sept., fares in competition with vhf there which got going same month. WCIG-TV ownership interlocks with WTOB-TV.
WPAQ-TV, Mt. Airy, N. C. (Ch. 55), last reporting start sometime this fall (Vol. 9:12), has been delayed but is “still interested in completing construction” and has requested an extension of CP, according to gen. mgr. Ralph D. Epperson. Thomas F. Clark Co. will be rep.
“3-D TV” without any added cost or equipment to station is claim of Geneoscope Co., Bloomington, 111., which plans national distribution of its viewing glasses ($1.50) beginning Dec. 5. So far, one station — WEEK-TV, Peoria — has signed up to use “Geneoscope Video Technique,” with appropriate on-air announcements. System was developed by Mrs. Genevieve L. Fuller, who heads Geneoscope Co. and describes technique as combination of 3 factors: “Studio camera coordination with certain specific transverse speed travel in relation to the scene being televised, masking of TV receiver and viewing through optical arrangements.” She further describes system thus: “Geneoscope consists of a pair of glasses or lens, mounted in shadow boxes [composed so that] one eye sees the image a fraction of a second later than the other eye. When a character is in motion, or the camera scans a scene, the picture is in 3 dimensions . . .” She adds that present output of viewers is now “3,000,000 every 6 weeks and we hope to cover the trade in the coming year.” Mrs. Fuller says company is now negotiating with 18 eastern stations “and we will possibly put them all on the air at the same time.”
Increases to maximum transmitter power at moderate cost will be made possible by new 25-kw vhf tetrode now in production, aceoi-ding to GE officials. New tube, type GL-6251, with gain “in excess of 10,” is most powerful able to operate in all vhf channels, says GE. Only 5 kw is needed to drive a pair of the tubes, which can deliver maximum antenna input power of 50 kw. Therefore, lowpower stations now on air can increase power to top FCCauthorized levels by adding 2 of the new tubes in an amplifier stage, says tube dept, marketing mgr. Grady L. Roark. Heretofore, 5-kw stations have been required to add both a driver and an amplifier to reach maximum power. New tube and associated equipment are expected to be available first quarter next year, and GE will also offer new 50-kw transmitter incorporating new tube.
Low-priced studio vidicon cameras and equipment made by Dage Electronics, Beech Grove, Ind., are now in use by 37 stations, reports sales mgr. Dan Meadows. First installation of Dage’s new optical multiplexer with film camera (Vol. 9:46) has been completed at WCHA-TV, Chambersburg, Pa.