BDR Picture Page
Some pictures of interest. (Do you have a good shot? Please share it!)

Mugging it up

At our Lunch Gathering in 2010, we gave out a bunch of coffee mugs (other beverages are certainly allowed). Although we ran out of the large size, a lot of folks said they really liked the BDR mug. We invited pictures from the field.

		No, this isn't a bacon float - or any known beverage. Alex Hartman just decided the mug was a great place to put his bacon.   On the other hand, when we asked for picture of him with the mug, he replied: "Hehe... I ate most of it already. :)"

Curt "Cowboy" Flick sent this one.

The BDR mug is on the right - and a sort of self-portrait (?) on the left. (He is a cowboy, after all!)

Eric Adler at WSKG keeps his close to his work, so he doesn't run out of caffine.

Others mentioned the mug was nice to have around, especially in the morning.

Clark Novak of Axia Audio submitted this shot. He writes: "Mornings are ugly. Coffee makes them better. " Thank you, Clark for the picture. Anyone else with a BDR "mug shot?" (Let us know!)

Setting Up a Studio on the Fly

[September 10, 2011] The remnants of Hurricane Irene have brought flooding and other problems all up and down the East Coast. News reports have shown flooding in many cities. Of course, some radio stations just go off the air when the power dies, or the water comes. Some that stay on merely keep the automation going, to the commercials will play. 

WEBO, Owego, NY took a higher approach - literally.

When the power went out, WEBO got the generator going. When their studios in downtown Owego were flooded, WEBO did not stop broadcasting - nor turn on the automation to cover the hours.

<<<< This week     ^^^^^^ In drier times!

Instead, they borrowed a camper and took it to higher ground at their AM transmitter site, where they set up and have been broadcasting for days, gathering information and telling the community what they need to know. Most of the broadcast gear was saved from the studios, except for the UPSs and computers that sat on the floor.
 

pictures courtesy of WEDO, News Radio 1330

As seen above, staff and guests crowded into the camper and kept up the information flow.

It was no accident that owner Dave Radigan and his family were awarded the "Small Business of the Year Award" in January 2009. Their bottom line is the community.

By the way, the downtown studio has significant water damage. So, the station will be in the camper for a while ...

A Unique Product

This product was introduced in the mid-1960s to address a particular problem. Can you remember the product name and what unique ability it had?

The answer is at the bottom of this page.

Revisiting Memphis after the Flood

June 2011

WDIA, Memphis, TN

As with all floods, eventually the water recedes. Then starts the process of cleaning up and getting transmitters back on the air. The following information and pictures were supplied by the kind folks at WDIA as they show some of the the aftermath of the flooding - and why it is important to do a full inspection of the entire transmission system at any station before powering back up.

One of the things that might surprise you, for example, is to know that the insulators that were contacted by the water did not fare so well. For example, in this picture at tower 1, every insulator that was touched by water shattered!

  
ATU #1 after the flood. But take a close look at the insulators. Every one shattered from stress after contact with water.

That came from only three inches of water (see below for the picture when the water crested). And was attributed to water getting past the glazing and into the interior of the standoffs. With more water, the effects were more dramatic.

Now, here is a look into another ATU - one that was under six feet of water.

Here is a look back at the flooding that reached its peak in early May:

  
                                                               Photos Courtesy: Gary Condrey, CC Memphis

WDIA Tower 1 on 5/5/11. No, it is not shunt fed.
And ... they expected almost three more feet of water after this picture, before the crest.
How did it look at 47.75 feet? Oh my!

It looks like WDIA only got a couple of inches of water in the #1 ATU, probably enough to ruin the contactors but not much more. Most of the rest of the ATU's remained above the water but the station will not be able to be sure until the waters recede to allow access - which will take 3-5 weeks.
 
If that were not enough, the mosquitoes are having a good time this year.  

 Also in Memphis - KWAM ... on 5/6/11 with the river at 46 feet.  
  
      As the water made its 47.75 foot crest, water nearly took over.
 
Photos Courtesy: Gary Condrey, CC Memphis

[The full story of the Dickinson, ND disaster recovery is now here]

Just one of the stations creamed by the Tornados

WYTH, Madison, GA

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