Sunday, July 23, 2017

Construction of the Scientific-Atlanta 6-meter antenna

The first satellite antenna in Dane County!   We beat WHA-TV by about six months.   Our first services were:
  • Home Box Office (now HBO).
  • WTCG Channel 17, Atlanta (subsequently WTBS, now TBS Superstation).
  • CBN Christian Broadcasting System (subsequently CBN Family Station, then Family Station, then ABC Family Station, now Freeform).
A backhoe begins to dig a hole for the foundation


The completed foundation before backfill


Trench for two 4" PVC conduits to carry 
C-band signals to the control room



Erecting the support structure on the foundation.  
At right, the assembled dish, without feedhorn or LNA


Dish petals before assembly


Hauling a petal


Getting the petal into position


About half of the petals installed



Placing the last four petals


Placing the last four petals


The finished dish ready to be installed on the support structure


Starting to lift the dish


The dish airborne


Getting the dish into position to attach it to the support structure



Attaching the dish to the support structure


Ready to install the feedhorn and LNA


The feedhorn and LNA installed


The completed antenna.  Time to go inside the building and check the signal


The completed antenna


The completed antenna


The completed antenna


The completed antenna several months later in warmer weather

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Newspaper coverage

The Capital Times, Thursday, March 2, 1978


The Capital Times, Thursday, March 2, 1978


The Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, March 4, 1978


The Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, March 4, 1978


The Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, March 4, 1978

WCCA Sysems Newsletter