When a station is off air, losing money and audience, what you do NOT want to hear from the building manager is this: “We’ll need to hire movers and get rental equipment up to the site to move that transmitter, before you can put the new one in.”
This suggestion will not be well received by station personnel who are anxious to restore broadcast service. The engineer (you) may need to jump in and move that box rather than wait for movers.
What solutions have you found for moving a transmitter out of the way? Here are some of mine.
1. Think like an Egyptian. When building the pyramids, they manipulated big stones by placing them on rollers.
I use Schedule 80 water pipes that have been cut to length to fit through doorways but are still long enough to go across the frame of whatever is being moved.
To get things started, I use a pry bar on one end of the heavy unit and raise it just enough to fit the first pipe under it. Pry it forward a bit to insert a second pipe section, then a third.
Now the unit can be moved. As you do so, place fresh rollers in the direction of movement.
If a crane is to be used later, the rollers will provide space for straps to be slid under.
(Pushing away from a wall can be useful here too. Just be sure the person pushing is leaning against a framing member, not mere sheet rock.)
2. Friction is NOT your friend. Traveling over rough surfaces like roofs or bare ground can be difficult. Bring along plywood or OSB sheets to make the path a little smoother.
When sliding a heavy unit into a truck, place a moving blanket under it to ease movement later. Whenever possible, before starting the move take out any replaceable amplifier modules and power supplies, but note their location in the unit as well as the steps you took to unwire components, so you can reassemble later.
3. Bitter cold CAN be your friend. When moving heavy equipment in sub-freezing temperatures, the best method I have seen is metal sheets. Place them on the ground to chill, then spray them with a little water. The resulting icy surface is slick. Use care! But I have seen pretty large generators slid into position using two people with pry bars with this technique.
4. Speaking of ice, here’s a technique for delivering a generator or even a pre-fab building that is to be placed using a crane. To be able to remove the straps from underneath, place bags or blocks of ice on the outside edges of the platform where the unit will set. Once the crane has placed it, remove the straps and let the melting ice do the final placement!
This is one of those times when a wise engineer will find at least one other person to join them at the site, preferably someone muscular.
Industrial safety protocols apply. Lift belts, heavy gloves, long pry bars, big dollies, heavy ropes, big tools and bins for parts can make the seemingly impossible happen.
Here is an example of what can happen if a station waits for movers to do the job. Shown in the first photo is a new GatesAir GX5K rack-mounted transmitter, on the air in the transmitter pod.
Just down the way sits the nice old Harris Z5FM transmitter. It’s been waiting for several months for building managers to get movers and haul it down to the warehouse. If the engineer had waited for movers, the station might still be off the air, maybe permanently.
We want to know your tips and tricks for transmitter replacement survival. Send your e-mails to [email protected].
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