One week later and my "alone time" is about over. One week ago I was walking away from a situation that I wasn't too happy with, but knowing that it was in good hands and by the time I returned, it would be all fixed.
Well it is! All is well with the transmitter and the new analog transmitter is ready to be hooked up. Ross the Boss and his Sidekick Mike, have spent this past week getting the last details ready for the all out push to start on Monday.
After a week of sleeping, doing some light honey-does and a little time for me, I wish I had ANOTHER WEEK! All of the things that I could screwup at home only if I had the time! But who has time for all of that when there is plenty to screwup at work!
I am fired up about it and can hardly wait. Bring on Monday!!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Sunday, March 5, 2006
VACATION!
Vacation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation
Meant to be spent alone
How fitting are the lyrics of the 1982 Go-Go's song, "Vacation." Of course Belinda Carlisle was singing of taking a vacation and then failing in love and then having to leave to go back to her normal life, without her new found love. I guess I too have "fallin' in love" with this digital project and finding it hard to let go. After nine months of every day living with this project, I have been looking forward to this vacation, but then seeing what else is left to be done, not wanting to take it just yet. But if I don't get some relief, I know my physical as well as mental health will suffer. You can't stay under the pressure forever.
I have really enjoyed this journey. It brings back many a good memory from early in my career and it has been great to be in that mode. But now, it is time to "come back to the norm" of reality.
Testing of the digital transmitter hasn't gone as smoothly as I would have liked it, having all sorts of interesting failures from things as simple as loose screws to $35,000 tubes dying after only 3 weeks of use. And even as late as yesterday, just when everything was working and the literal last test was to be run, a power supply for a solid state amplifier quits working. Not the way I wanted to start my vacation with a transmitter down, but there are two strokes of luck that make this not as bad as it could be. Normally when you have a transmitter down, you keep at it until it is back working. If it isn't working, the station isn't making money so you aren't making money. In this case, the transmitter hasn't gone on air yet, and the factory rep is on site repairing the tube damage.
Our DTV transmitter cabinets in production at the factory in Canada
The transmitter is built in Canada, but they do have a US service center in Denver and when it came time to install it, the installers came from the Denver office instead of Toronto. Jim, Brian and Paul are all Americans and all have extensive resumes of UHF high power transmitter experience. Of course just about anyone has more than me since I have never dealt with a high power UHF television transmitter before. Half way through the install, the first problem showed itself.
Beam Supply One on the pad
One of the high voltage power supplies that make 35,000 volts didn't work when it was turned on. Because this supply is a third party vendor, we had to get a rep from the supply company come and repair the supply. That took a couple of days to get scheduled so Brian and Paul (Jim had already left) went back to Denver.
Damaged diode stack
Adrian from the supply vendor arrived a few days later and then replaced the damaged circuit boards. Then we had to schedule the transmitter manufacturer to return to complete the installation. The team of Jim, Brian and Paul were unavailable to return so Alex from the factory in Canada was sent.
Alex teaching us how to change a tube at the transmitter school in October in Canada
Alex is Rumanian and is quite knowledgeable. I would bet he has forgotten more then I have ever known! I met him on my two trips to Canada and he taught the transmitter school in October. He knows those boxes inside out and he had done the original testing of the transmitter at the factory. He spent the next week completing the installation and getting the transmitter ready for testing. He left and for the next two weeks all went well. Until....
One Tuesday morning I walked into the transmitter room and just about all of the warning lights on cabinet 2 were lit up like a Christmas tree. This isn't good at all. I tried to bring the cabinet back up and nothing. I see that the low voltage supplies are not running. I call the factory and talk to Srini, an Indian who has worked just about every place and every electronics company in his long and distinguished career. He sends some parts and the next day I put them in and they blow again. I call Srini back and he sends more parts and a circuit board along with some wire. I install the parts except the wire and it blows again. HHMM, there is something terrible wrong. It is decided to send someone to look at the situation since now things look like the tube may be in question.
By Thursday, Denver Jim returns and he starts his testing. By lunch he has determined that indeed the $35,000 tube has died and a new tube will need to be sent in to replace the bad one. Friday the tube arrives and is installed with no problems. Denver Jim comes back to the site on Saturday to finish the testing and then pack up his gear to leave on Monday. As he is running the last test, he notices that cabinet 1 was not at full power.
Moments before the power supply failure. Full power and all is well!! Well maybe not. We will know about it in a few moments.
After checking, one of the power supplies that operate the low wattage driver amplifiers had quite! Well, Cabinet 2 with the new tube is working perfectly and now Cabinet 1 is down!! Is there no end to all of this?
Well that is why we test. These things happen and if they have to happen, let them happen now. Denver Jim and I joked about how the reliability of this transmitter isn't very good and his response was even HE was beginning to wonder! Everyone at the manufacturer are great to work with and that helps that when these things happen, everyone can laugh and not get too stressed out. In reality, Denver Jim helped design many of the circuits in this transmitter so he knows it pretty well. Of course, it meant that I would be gone when he finally gets it back up next week, and that makes me sad, but I have no doubt that it will be up and running before he leaves.
I know in my heart I need this break even though we are about done because when I get back we have to get the new analog transmitter on the air.
The second half of the analog transmitter in the test bay at the factory in Canada in October
Ross the Boss has been prepping this transmitter while I have been working with the DTV transmitter and he just about has it ready to begin the installation. Luckily this transmitter doesn't use tubes but solid state transistor type devices, and is much simpler in design.
And the same half of the analog transmitter in the analog transmitter room the other day awaiting my return to begin the installation
The other half of this transmitter is in the other building on the air. My picture avatar for this blog is me standing in front of that half of the transmitter taken last April.
First half of the new transmitter in the old transmitter building last April
We have to move that half over to the new building, combine the two into one and then go on the air. It doesn't sound like much, but if we want to get this on the air by the end of March, we will have to be in full gear thinking clearly since we are installing this transmitter and not the manufacturer.
When that is done, it will be a mixed emotion day. Joy that both transmitters are installed and the project will "officially" be over, even though residuals will continue for months to come as we continue to flesh things out, and sadness that it is "officially" over.
I always enjoy going to work, but the last 9 months have been a continuous high. Vacation is a time for recharging and I will try and recharge my batteries this week, but I can't deny, I can't wait for NEXT Monday, when I return to work!!
Now how do I put it all out my mind for one week??!!
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation
Meant to be spent alone
How fitting are the lyrics of the 1982 Go-Go's song, "Vacation." Of course Belinda Carlisle was singing of taking a vacation and then failing in love and then having to leave to go back to her normal life, without her new found love. I guess I too have "fallin' in love" with this digital project and finding it hard to let go. After nine months of every day living with this project, I have been looking forward to this vacation, but then seeing what else is left to be done, not wanting to take it just yet. But if I don't get some relief, I know my physical as well as mental health will suffer. You can't stay under the pressure forever.
I have really enjoyed this journey. It brings back many a good memory from early in my career and it has been great to be in that mode. But now, it is time to "come back to the norm" of reality.
Testing of the digital transmitter hasn't gone as smoothly as I would have liked it, having all sorts of interesting failures from things as simple as loose screws to $35,000 tubes dying after only 3 weeks of use. And even as late as yesterday, just when everything was working and the literal last test was to be run, a power supply for a solid state amplifier quits working. Not the way I wanted to start my vacation with a transmitter down, but there are two strokes of luck that make this not as bad as it could be. Normally when you have a transmitter down, you keep at it until it is back working. If it isn't working, the station isn't making money so you aren't making money. In this case, the transmitter hasn't gone on air yet, and the factory rep is on site repairing the tube damage.
Our DTV transmitter cabinets in production at the factory in CanadaThe transmitter is built in Canada, but they do have a US service center in Denver and when it came time to install it, the installers came from the Denver office instead of Toronto. Jim, Brian and Paul are all Americans and all have extensive resumes of UHF high power transmitter experience. Of course just about anyone has more than me since I have never dealt with a high power UHF television transmitter before. Half way through the install, the first problem showed itself.
Beam Supply One on the padOne of the high voltage power supplies that make 35,000 volts didn't work when it was turned on. Because this supply is a third party vendor, we had to get a rep from the supply company come and repair the supply. That took a couple of days to get scheduled so Brian and Paul (Jim had already left) went back to Denver.
Damaged diode stackAdrian from the supply vendor arrived a few days later and then replaced the damaged circuit boards. Then we had to schedule the transmitter manufacturer to return to complete the installation. The team of Jim, Brian and Paul were unavailable to return so Alex from the factory in Canada was sent.
Alex teaching us how to change a tube at the transmitter school in October in CanadaAlex is Rumanian and is quite knowledgeable. I would bet he has forgotten more then I have ever known! I met him on my two trips to Canada and he taught the transmitter school in October. He knows those boxes inside out and he had done the original testing of the transmitter at the factory. He spent the next week completing the installation and getting the transmitter ready for testing. He left and for the next two weeks all went well. Until....
One Tuesday morning I walked into the transmitter room and just about all of the warning lights on cabinet 2 were lit up like a Christmas tree. This isn't good at all. I tried to bring the cabinet back up and nothing. I see that the low voltage supplies are not running. I call the factory and talk to Srini, an Indian who has worked just about every place and every electronics company in his long and distinguished career. He sends some parts and the next day I put them in and they blow again. I call Srini back and he sends more parts and a circuit board along with some wire. I install the parts except the wire and it blows again. HHMM, there is something terrible wrong. It is decided to send someone to look at the situation since now things look like the tube may be in question.
By Thursday, Denver Jim returns and he starts his testing. By lunch he has determined that indeed the $35,000 tube has died and a new tube will need to be sent in to replace the bad one. Friday the tube arrives and is installed with no problems. Denver Jim comes back to the site on Saturday to finish the testing and then pack up his gear to leave on Monday. As he is running the last test, he notices that cabinet 1 was not at full power.
Moments before the power supply failure. Full power and all is well!! Well maybe not. We will know about it in a few moments.After checking, one of the power supplies that operate the low wattage driver amplifiers had quite! Well, Cabinet 2 with the new tube is working perfectly and now Cabinet 1 is down!! Is there no end to all of this?
Well that is why we test. These things happen and if they have to happen, let them happen now. Denver Jim and I joked about how the reliability of this transmitter isn't very good and his response was even HE was beginning to wonder! Everyone at the manufacturer are great to work with and that helps that when these things happen, everyone can laugh and not get too stressed out. In reality, Denver Jim helped design many of the circuits in this transmitter so he knows it pretty well. Of course, it meant that I would be gone when he finally gets it back up next week, and that makes me sad, but I have no doubt that it will be up and running before he leaves.
I know in my heart I need this break even though we are about done because when I get back we have to get the new analog transmitter on the air.
The second half of the analog transmitter in the test bay at the factory in Canada in OctoberRoss the Boss has been prepping this transmitter while I have been working with the DTV transmitter and he just about has it ready to begin the installation. Luckily this transmitter doesn't use tubes but solid state transistor type devices, and is much simpler in design.
And the same half of the analog transmitter in the analog transmitter room the other day awaiting my return to begin the installation
The other half of this transmitter is in the other building on the air. My picture avatar for this blog is me standing in front of that half of the transmitter taken last April.
First half of the new transmitter in the old transmitter building last AprilWe have to move that half over to the new building, combine the two into one and then go on the air. It doesn't sound like much, but if we want to get this on the air by the end of March, we will have to be in full gear thinking clearly since we are installing this transmitter and not the manufacturer.
When that is done, it will be a mixed emotion day. Joy that both transmitters are installed and the project will "officially" be over, even though residuals will continue for months to come as we continue to flesh things out, and sadness that it is "officially" over.
I always enjoy going to work, but the last 9 months have been a continuous high. Vacation is a time for recharging and I will try and recharge my batteries this week, but I can't deny, I can't wait for NEXT Monday, when I return to work!!
Now how do I put it all out my mind for one week??!!
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