[BC] Early TV Audio Boards

[SHAFFER, RANDY L]

Dana replied -

>If I recall correctly, GE made several TV audio boards as well...


I have an old (8 ch I think) GE audio board that was in use in our Park City, Lancaster studio when I arrived in the early 80's.
It was modified to give double the inputs through a side switch panel.
I don't recall the model number, but it used a variable voltage on a lamp with a photo cell that in turn drove the 
audio level for each pot. The pre amp transistors were all socket mounted and it was a real nuisance with dirty
sockets causing noise and distortion....otherwise, since the pots drove voltage on the lamps, it eliminated the
scratchy dirty pot noise. You did get levels that would jump when you would get to a bad section on a pot.

I have it in storage right now, or I'd check the model number. The electronics took up half a rack and were
fairly easy to work on. My ex-chief gave it to me when he moved. It is a unique if not quirky board.

I've been out of circulation for a good deal of the summer so far. We are on the tail end (I hope) of a NexGen install.
I just poped in to see what I've been missing. 

Didn't Townsend buy out the Ampex TV transmitter business?
WSBA-TV in York had an Ampex. Later, I thought the exciter section was switched to 
Townsend. It ended up in the middle of the station parking lot after falling from a
forklift during a move to a new tower in the early 80's. (so I'm told) 
I would have pushed the thing. The Ampex had replaced an old RCA. I remember walking
through the middle of the RCA as part of our Cub Scout tour of the TV station. We were
warned not to touch anything. I can't imagine someone doing that now.

Randy Shaffer
Harrisburg, PA