Many changes took place at the WDAZ transmitter site during early 2005. Since that time we have been broadcasting with a Harris Platinum Series Transmitter. The original RCA TT25-DH transmitter that was installed in 1967 was maintained as a backup transmitter, until WDAZ made the switch to digital HDTV broadcasting in February of 2009. Before the new Harris was installed, the building contained an RCA TT-11AH transmitter that was used as a backup from 1986 to January 2005. Originally the new Harris was configured to broadcast an analog television signal. It was designed to be easily converted to digital when the time came. For a few years WDAZ was broadcasting a low power digital TV signal that covered our city of license, Devils Lake, ND. A transmitter was installed at the WDAZ studio in Devils Lake, and began broadcasting in the summer of 2003. It was known as WDAZ-DT Channel 59. Due to an oversight at the FCC, they assigned WDAZ-DT to the same frequency spectrum which was scheduled to be used by the North Dakota Telephone Company for mobile phone communications at the same time. After talks between the FCC, WDAZ, and NDTC it was decided that WDAZ-DT 59 would go dark. Because WDAZ is a satellite station of our bigger sister station WDAY-TV in Fargo, we were not required to simulcast both full power analog NTSC and digital HDTV.
If something goes wrong with the transmitter, I'm right here to fix it. When everything is operating properly, I keep busy with preventive maintenance and area beautification. I occasionally get called to perform maintenance work at the studio in Devils Lake. WDAZ and local PBS affiliate Prairie Public Television came to an arrangement that allows me to work for them when needed. PPTV has a number of microwave transmitter sites in northeast North Dakota. They also maintain the area NOAA radio transmitters. It is sometimes quicker to call me than send someone from their studios in Fargo or Minot, ND for equipment repairs. During the autumn and winter months WDAZ is very busy producing sporting events at UND. When they get really shorthanded I might get called in to help out. So far I've done video playback or was an audio board operator at some hockey and football games. A few times I have even been a courtside cable puller. I'm willing to at least try anything. The newsroom has used me for a Live Van operator on a number of occasions.
Up until May of 2004 I did regular part-time maintenance work for PPTV. They leased building and tower space from WDAZ. On Wednesday, May 12th, 2004 this area had a bad freezing rainstorm. The end result here was the tower getting coated with thick ice. Over the next three days the outside temperature warmed and the ice fell. The average size chunk was about 4 feet long. Many were between 8 to 10 inches thick. Some were the size of basketballs or watermelons. The noise they made while falling to the ground sounded just like jets flying overhead. On Thursday the 13th, the transmitter building received a number of holes in the roof. Water poured in and shorted out much of the equipment. Prairie Public Television, KGFE ended up with the majority of the loss. Besides losing a transmitter to water, their transmission line going up the tower and antenna were badly damaged by falling ice. Their final total was a loss of approximately $750,000. Late on Saturday it was finally over. Crews were called in right away to survey and repair problems caused by the ice. Thankfully WDAZ stayed on the air the entire time. KGFE channel 2 never returned. Because TV stations were upgrading to digital broadcasting, it wasn't cost effective to rebuild out here at that time. They instead decided to concentrate on building new tower sites near Minnewaukan, ND and Euclid, MN to cover northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. In the autumn of 2008 the ice was at it again. This time the transmitter building was spared, but the house I live in was hit by a number of large ice chunks. The roof sustained a lot of damage including rain gutters being torn off, and three major holes. One hole went completely through and the ice landed on the living room floor. I was sitting on the sofa at the time! Never a dull moment around here...
I've had a few other "fun" jobs over the years. Before Channel 8, I worked in an aluminum foundry's machine shop. I was just out of college with lots of bills to pay. It was hard work, but a lot better than sitting around waiting for job offers. From high school until I moved to Petersburg, I worked part-time in a Crookston, MN pet store. Starting in 1991 up to 2006 I was a part-time pyrotechnics technician for Rich Brothers Interstate Display Fireworks Company from Sioux Falls, SD. In 2006 Rich Brothers sold off the display fireworks part of the business.
I have felt very fortunate working for WDAZ. The people in the company are some of the best co-workers a guy could have. The TV business can have its moments of stress, but I have plenty of time to pursue hobbies and things I enjoy. Some of which include film photography, vintage audio equipment, Jeeps, computers, and of course fragging noobs in online games!
on February, 17th 2009
name in the credits
of Minnewaukan, ND