End Round One

Zacarias Moussaoui
AP Photo

"America, you lost. I won," Zacarias Moussaoui said, clapping his hands as he was led out of the courtroom after the verdict of life in prison without parole was read. As the only person to be brought to trial for the attacks on 9/11, he definitely wasn't the "big man" he wanted everyone to think he was. This guy needs a capital L painted on his forehead for "LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSER." Al Qaeda "wannabe" is a better moniker.

I hate to say it, but this trial lends credence that everyone one of these "Al Kinda's" need to be weeded out in a military tribunal than in the public court spotlight. Moussaoui, whether to his credit or to his stupid dumb luck, used our court system as his personal bully pulpit to spew what ever came to his lips, whether it made sense or not and the fourth estate, hung on every unconnected word.

I feel sorry for U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema who had to ride herd over this circus. On one hand trying to keep decorum in the court, while on the other hand trying not to trample the rights Moussaoui had being a US citizen. Now for the jury in this case, I have but one thing to say to them, "What the hell were you people smoking in that jury room?"

I know it was tough sitting in that courtroom with that nut case day in and day out, but how he was raised has NOTHING to do with the crime he was charged with. I know he wanted to die to be a martyr for his God and Osama bin Laden, and that had to be considered, but I would have felt MUCH better had they said they couldn't sentence him to death because there wasn't enough evidence or he was being tried for the wrong crime or something like that, but because his father beat him and his mother left him? Sounds like jury tampering by the ACLU.

This is scary. Talk about afraid of sending the wrong message, the message that was sent in big neon letters to the terrorists was "You can plot and plan and be apart of the worst attack on US soil, kill 3000 plus people and don't worry, we won't kill you. We will feel sorry for you. We will have mercy on you."

This is a war people. World War 3. And I think we should start calling it what it is. The radical Muslim sec has declared war on everything non Muslim extreme, including people of their own religion who do not think the way they do. The enemy has no mercy. Has no other desire than to kill Americans and western living peoples and those who do not believe the way they do. To topple our way of life and turn us all into radical Muslims like them, whether we want to or not. No choice of freedom there. Look at Iran and you can get a sense of what bin Laden wants. End of story.

As Judge Brinkema told Moussaoui that he would "live a long life and then die with a whimper" is true. It is also true that this is just the end of the first round of a long 10 round prize fight where only our freedom and way of life is at stake. You would think more people would get it.

United 93

Excuse me while I get something off of my chest.

"The 9/11 hijackers are bastard cowards who took the easy way out. No mess, no fuss and no answering questions and no way for retribution. I hope all of their 72 virgins have syphilis."

Harsh? Damn straight. Muhammad Atta and his 18 thugs deserve even more than I can dish out. I have no doubt that even their God, Allah, condemned them all to Muslim Hell for that cowardly act. Of course I will celebrate the day that head Bastard Coward Osama bin Laden departs to the regions of Muslim Hell as well. If dying is such the "in thing to do in the Muslim terrorist world", you would think bin Laden would have been the first. I mean to hear them, they just can't wait for their 72 virgins. If bin Laden was a real man, he would come out of his cave on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border and fight. (Guess he remembers Tora Bora) But no, only a coward hides and gets others to do their dirty work. Bastard Coward.

Now my opinion has nothing to do with the just released United 93 film. I have had that opinion since September 11, 2001. The release of the film just gives me another opportunity to say it.

And on the subject of the film, yes, I have seen it. I saw it Friday night. I had mixed feelings about seeing it. At first I thought it was too early for such a film, and I had no desire to see it. But the more I thought about it and heard others who had seen previews of it, at the last minute, I decided to go. Now I have several DVD's of 9/11. In Memoriam, New York City, 9/11/2001 the HBO film and the French documentary film that aired on CBS, 9/11 and of course I think I have seen every A&E, Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel program on 9/11 for the past 5 years so I think I have gotten my fill and every angle of that terrible day. Now not that I want to forget that day, far from it. We need to remember the feelings we had that day, keep them close and perseverance until the extremists are gone. Too much and you become numb. DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

I saw Todd Beamer's father on a Friday morning talk show talking about how the families of United 93 want this story told now and how they are pleased with the outcome of the film and they desperately do not want us to become complacent. I later heard a radio talking head say he had seen an advanced showing and even though it was rated R and made you feel like you were on the plane, it handled the subject in such a way that it put many questions he still had into perspective and when you finished seeing the movie, you would be reminded why we have to get bin Laden.

Well it does just that. The whole movie does not take place on the airplane, but you see how things lead up to the point of the hijacking and what the passengers are thought to have done and how the people on the ground handled it. While there is some language and some blood, it is quite tame compared to what you might see on television.

To me the strangest thing is that the movie never names the people on the plane. They interact with each other just like you would see on a real plane flight. It is very conceivable that we the public now know more of the names of the passengers on United 93 than they did. If you know the story, it is very easy to spot who is who. Todd Beamer is one of the first people you recognize on the plane with his rugby shirt that you see him wear in many photos. Greensboro native Flight Attendant Sandy Bradshaw can't be missed either with her name embroidered on her uniform.

These people knew they were going to die and if that was going to happen, they intended to go out fighting and not be the lambs to the slaughter. No one panicked, they all focused on what had to be done. Of course we all know that, but the movie really drives that point home. I have always said if I was in that same position, I too would want to have some say in the time and place.

In the past when I have discussed with military people I know about Flight 93 and all have said that they are proud of what the passengers of United 93 did. It showed how the "citizen solder" was indeed an American concept and far from dead and no matter what they did as solders, would never measure up to the bravery and decisive measures the passengers took. Several have said that in their eyes, the passengers of United 93 are the true hero's in the War on Terrorism, not them and they are proud to serve the American people because of United 93's sacrifice.

Go see this movie and more importantly, don't let their sacrifice go in vain. Never forget 9/11.

Ah, the Mundane.

Analog transmitter operating on the air


Several weeks into the new tower on line and I am finally starting to get into the groove of routine and mundane. I know that sounds like life has gotten boring and all, but not really. I loved doing this project, but it was time for it to come to a close. The mad rushes to make deadlines and such are over and I am NOT missing that. My days are now completing and tying up the loose ends, something that will be going on for months, and that is not bad, that is the way it is.

The details are always the longest items to finish up, but are important. Something else that is important is getting out of work on time for a change. The wife is loving that. After being a construction widow for 10 months, she is glad to see me coming in at decent hours and not thinking about what else needs to be done. (Well I still think about it even if I don't say anything.)

Equipment racks in the analog transmitter room being installed in March

With a new facility you always have little problems that drive you up a wall. They take time away from other things that I should (and want to) be doing, that Ross the Boss expects me to be doing as well. The HVAC has been one of those.

After several weeks of the temperature oscillating up and down in the analog transmitter room and the mechanical and software people out several times, it looks like an economizer module is either not turning on quick enough or not shutting off fast enough or coming on when it isn't suppose to. The engineers at the HVAC company get to figure that one out with the HVAC manufacturer.

Another real puzzler is a video issue on the analog side that isn't a break up, but like someone is turning the brightness level up and down. I am hoping it is just a receiver issue but since it only happens at 7:30 in the morning on certain mornings of heavy fog, it could be a microwave path issue, or it could be a transmitter issue that the early morning moisture is somehow getting into the transmitter building. The backup microwave path doesn't seem to be effected so the microwave path doesn't seem to be the issue since both frequencies use the same transmit and receive antennas. Of course as long as there is no fog, all seems to work well. Strange.

These issues will be resolved, and they usually are small things that really throw the cogs out of whack, but these are the real posers of the biz and I guess why I like this type of work so much. It is always a mystery. Ah, the mundane!! I LOVE IT!

The Calm After the Storm

Done. Finished. Complete. No more.

The new tower project is now done. Of course there are always little things to do, but as far as milestones, they are all done. The analog transmitter is on the air and looks and sounds good. The stress is easing and life is now getting back to normal. Wednesday last week we had a visitor to the site.

Wilbur is a retired engineer that is widely known and respected around the state. I really do not know him, even though I have seen him a lot lately since he sold us the tower, but Ross the Boss has known him for 30 years. Wilbur has built two 2000 foot towers in 20 years, at the same site. He knows his transmitter sites.

It was gratifying to hear him say he was impressed with our new site, but the comment that really struck me was when Wilbur said that I must be really enjoying the new site. I told him that I hadn't really had time to do much but work.

On Thursday afternoon, the transmitter rep was finished and gone. I had the analog transmitter running into the station load as I finished up some of the details to get ready to put the it on the air the following day. I had to run over to the old site and pickup some equipment to take over to the new site. As I pulled up to the fence and got out to unlock the gate, I looked up at the old tower. Something that I used to do every time I went before the project. I realized that for the last year or so, I hadn't been doing that as I came over to the site, usually because either the gate was already open or I was in a hurry to retrieve something and get back to the new site and I had gotten out of the habit. But this time something caught my eye that I was not used to seeing. It was the new tower along side the old tower. For the first time I REALLY looked at the two towers and instantly saw the 44 years difference in them. The different design and construction styles over that time span were evident. Then I had a revelation. For the first time in 10 months, the site was quiet, no type of construction. There was none to be done. No meetings to go to, no decisions on what color something needed to be or where something needed to go or decide on how to modify something so it will work with the rest of the project. None. Nada. Just the birds singing and the cars going by out on the road.

Then Wilbur's words came back to me. So I stood there and just let it all soak in. For the next 30 minutes, I just walked around the old site thinking about what I was doing 6 months ago; a year ago; 18 months ago. I was amazed at how quickly it put me in a different (and better) state of mind. For the first time in over a year, the stress just seemed to evaporate. After my little respite, I picked up the stuff I needed and then went back to the new site, in a new state of mind.

Mentally, that was the end of the project for me. The clicking into a different state was very noticeable and was a milestone of its own. Of course, no one cares when I think the project is over, only when the bills stop coming in!

Vacation! Part Deux

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!!

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??!!

As my past flashes before me....

With everything going on to finish this transmitter project, I haven't had much time to do much of anything but work much less to blog. But I had an interesting thing happen to me this past week that wasn't work related. Well just a little, but it really wasn't. You will see.

I had to put my truck in the shop for some work that I should have gotten done months ago, but I kept saying that the project would be over soon and I would have the time to do it right since I needed my ride to get me to and from work, no matter what. Well I just couldn't wait anymore so I borrowed a vehicle from work to use for the day, that turned into 3 days, but that is another story. The vehicle that I got was a news vehicle that has seen better days and will be traded in soon for something else. It is a Ford Windstar that is logoed from hell, just like all station news vehicles.

This van used to be Unit 10 in its hey day, but it is now called the "Batmobile". I have no idea why and it seems no one really knows why it is called that either, but there is a sticker that says "Batmobile" on it where the old number 10 on the back window was. It is pretty beat up with a fairly large dent in the front passenger side bumper with more dents all over and white paint peeling off the body and it only has 135,000 miles. Those news people are very rough on vehicles. Jack rabbit starts and screeching stops and running at 100 miles an hour all of the time.

Anyway, on day two I am driving from the station down to the transmitter and I am stopped at a light when I catch something in my proliferal vision. I turn my head to the left to catch 2 girls in their mid twenties in a Camero waving like crazy at me. I smile and wave back as the light changes to green. I learned a long time ago that when you are traveling in a rolling billboard (even a POS rolling billboard), you NEVER do anything that would piss people off to complain back at headquarters, so if a smile and wave makes them happy, you smile and wave.

In a mile or so another light stops me and again I catch something in my proliferal vision. It is the same 2 girls again waving at me. I again wave back and smile and turn my attention back to the light. Then I hear a horn honk. It is those same girls, still waving and now motioning as they are laughing. HHMM, looks like POSRB (POS rolling billboard) has started a bet with the girls. Can they get POSRB to pull over for who knows what? The light changes and I keep on moving towards the transmitter as the Camero starts to fall behind and then finally turns off down a side road.

Well, I am a married man, it is during working hours, I am in a very well marked vehicle and I need to be somewhere else, like right now and I am a little long in the tooth to be playing games with these girls. I know there is NO way they are interested in me for me, just the person driving the POSRB. Been there, done that YEARS ago in my college days when working part time for a radio station. I have seen the look before.

But it was a nice diversion during a very hectic time.