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Matt Blaze@federate.social to Photography@fedia.io · 7 months ago

KNBR (AM 680) Antenna, Redwood City, CA, 2024

fedia.io

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KNBR (AM 680) Antenna, Redwood City, CA, 2024

fedia.io

Matt Blaze@federate.social to Photography@fedia.io · 7 months ago
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25
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  • cross-posted to:
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]

KNBR (AM 680) Antenna, Redwood City, CA, 2024

Very tall pixels at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/54131419266

#photography

  • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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    7 months ago

    The taller tower (550 feet) at right is the main KNBR antenna, built in 1949. It employs an unusual “pseudo-Franklin” design; it’s actually an array of two antennas stacked atop one another. The 400 foot lower section is insulated from the ground. The upper 150 foot section is insulated from the lower section. The large (50 foot) diameter “capacitance hat” at the top (reminiscent of the Parachute Jump at Coney Island) electrically lengthens the top section, saving 250 feet of additional height.

    • cpm@spore.social
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      7 months ago

      @[email protected]
      that’s awesome

    • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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      7 months ago

      This distinctive stacked dual antenna arrangement is used to lower the radiation angle of the antenna, concentrating transmitted power to the “ground wave” and reducing energy that would otherwise be sent upward into the sky.

      The smaller (300 foot) freestanding mast in the background left is not in current use. It can be used as an emergency spare antenna for KNBR during maintenance of the taller main antenna.

      • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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        7 months ago

        The antenna is in the final approach and takeoff flightpath for SFO airport’s runways 28L/R (and 10L/R), and so the site has special markings to warn pilots of a collision hazard. In addition to the usual tower lights and red/white paint, 3-dimensional “HAZ” warnings were installed around the field. These are easily visible in areal photos; see, e.g., https://earth.google.com/web/@37.5471204,-122.23429544,0.73120256a,577.14725587d,35y,0.01179999h,0t,0r/data=CgRCAggBQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA

        • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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          7 months ago

          Also, important safety tip: you can get closer to this tower without clearly trespassing or jumping fences than any other 50KW broadcast antenna I’ve ever seen. I measured a field strength of over 80V/m a bit outside the antenna fence, which is an incredibly strong signal (though still within the OSHA limits at the frequency involved).

          Resist any temptation to jump the fence and climb the (energized) tower. You’ll be electrocuted as soon as you touch it.

          • Zoarial94 :donor:@infosec.exchange
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            7 months ago

            @[email protected] With towers over 200ft, the FAA requires lights on the top, and these towers can make the systems that power and monitor the lights act very funky. I never had the pleasure, but I worked with people who did.

            • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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              7 months ago

              @[email protected] yeah, they make special tower light monitoring systems specifically for AM radio stations. Also, maintaining the lights is definitely a job I Do Not Want.

              • Zoarial94 :donor:@infosec.exchange
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                7 months ago

                @[email protected] I was remote lighting support for the field, and I loved it. The field techs, however, really have it rough.

      • Eleanor Saitta@infosec.exchange
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        7 months ago

        @[email protected]
        So what you’re saying is that the smaller tower is in alternating current use?

        I’ll get my coat

    • Iris Young (he/they/she) (PhD)@neuromatch.social
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      7 months ago

      @[email protected] how does the capacitance hat work?

      • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
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        7 months ago

        @[email protected] Oh god, it’s complicated.

        The basic idea is that the radiated current in a vertical antenna approaches zero at the end, and so is not fully efficient. By extending radials outward, you’re allowing additional current to flow to the end of the vertical section by providing a capacitive path to ground (between the radials and the ground).

        Modeling this is not for faint of heart.

        • Iris Young (he/they/she) (PhD)@neuromatch.social
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          7 months ago

          @[email protected] that was a surprisingly intuitive description of something I definitely am not prepared to understand.

    • Kevin@ioc.exchange
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      7 months ago

      @[email protected] incredibly interesting. Thank you

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