This is the main transmitter for Alice. It is a Broadcast Electronics FM-20B. This transmitter was installed in September of 1994 replacing a McMartin BF-25K that was being used as our standby transmitter. There is only one tube used in this transmitter, a 4CX12000A, to make 20,000 watts of power.
As you look at the transmitter in this picture, you can see three cabinets. The first cabinet closest to you contains the power supplies for the transmitter. The second cabinet contains the final power amplifier and metering for monitoring all of the operating parameters. The third cabinet contains control circuitry, the low level radio frequency amplifiers and the exciter. The exciter is the part of the transmitter that actually makes the FM signal that you hear on the air. The rest of the transmitter is just a big amplifier that boosts the low power of the exciter (around 10 to 50 watts) up to 20,000 watts.
Questions or comments about the tour?
Updated 01/22/99
KCBS-KLLC ENGINEERING DEPT