NIST Radio Station WWVB


WWVB Photo Gallery

See & hear: WWVB
Home Page Photo
Gallery 1 Photo
Gallery 2

The antenna. The antenna for WWVB undergoes regular maintenance, as well as periodic upgrades. These photos were taken during a major upgrade which took place from 1997 to 2000.

Tower

View from top of one of WWVB's towers

Repairs

Installing a new insulator

Repairs

Making repairs to the 60 kHz antenna

Repairs

Making repairs to the 60 kHz antenna

The transmission line. A 50 Ohm transmission line connects the 60 kHz transmitter in the broadcast house with the antenna. The transmission line begins on huge spools, and is buried in a shallow trench.

Spools

Spooled transmission line

Trench

Preparing to unspool 50 Ohm coax. transmission line

Trench

Transmission line laid in trench; helix house in background

Covering trench

Covering 50 Ohm
transmission line

Rigid line

Preparing rigid transmission line

Variometer installation. With the 60 kHz antenna, the transmission line must be matched to the antenna though a coil called a variometer.

Beginning

Helix house after old equipment was removed

Middle

Helix house modifications

End

Near completion of helix house modifications, white down lead yet to be connected to the antenna matching equipment

New equipment. Construction of the new 60 kHz transmitters.

Transformer

Placing new 500 kVA power transformer

Power amplifier

Transmitter power amplifier unit

Control unit

Transmitter control unit

Amplifier

Transmitter power amplifier unit with tubes removed

Assembly

Transmitter assembly

Assembly

Transmitter assembly

Installation

Installing a transmitter

Retired equipment. The following are the old 60 kHz transmitters and antenna matching transformer.

Transmitter

Old 60 kHz transmitter

Transmitter

Old 60 kHz transmitter

Variometer

Old antenna tuning variometer