Harvey Radio Laboratories S-T For WFMI, Portsmouth, N.H.

As far as we know, the S-T equipment installed for WHEB Inc,. is the first to be operated in the 920 to 980-mc band.

WHEB, Inc, of which New Hampshire's Governor Charles M. Dale is president, operates FM station WFMI licensed for 20 kw on 107.3 mc.

The FM transnmitter is located on Saddleback Mountain an elevation of 1,180 ft., in Iine of sight to Portsmouth, N. H. at a distance of 21 miles. The elevation of Porstmouth is only 50 ft. above sea level. Saddleback, in Deerfield, is almost half way between Portsmouth and Concord, NH.

Power lines were run 8 miles to the FM transmitter site. in addition, a 50-kw. emergency plant was installed. However, the problem of getting programs from the studio presented difficulties. Preliminary estimates from the Telephone Company involved some 7 miles of new construction. According to general manager Bert Georges, the figures were very discouraging. Nothing was settled on this point until, in September, 1947, when the FCC assigned the new band to permanent S-T service.

The Harvey Radio Laboratories equipment went into experimental operation on March 25, 1948, just 120 days after the order was placed.

The receiver installation is in the control room of the two-story building on Saddleback Mountain, It is interesting to note that a 50-watt Kaar unit, operating on 152.87 mc, is used for two-way phone service with the Portsmouth studios. This is at the right, mounted at the left is a Browning FM tuner for picking up programs to be rebroadcast.

By way of contrast with this ultra-modern equipment, chief engineer Paul G. Lindsay likes to call attention to the fact that 20 ft. from the new transmitter house, there are some iron pegs still standing which, about 100 years ago. supported a reflectograph, used to signal from the mountain top to ships at sea!

May 1948 excerp from FM and Television article on S-T equipment.