[time-nuts] WWVB funding cut (was: Re: NIST FY 2019 Budget Would Eliminate WWV and WWVH)

Ruslan Nabioullin rnabioullin at gmail.com
Mon Aug 20 22:45:06 UTC 2018


On Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 6:27 PM, Bob kb8tq <kb8tq at n1k.org> wrote:
> At least based on conversations with people who have done it …. The electric bill for a
> high power transmitting setup is a bit exciting. After that, maintenance on the antennas
> cost more than one might think. It actually can be hazardous ( = I know of a friend who lost
> a crew member doing it). The cost of the transmitters themselves and maintenance of the
> solid state versions …. pretty far down the page.

Professional commercial multi-kW MF--HF transmitters (tube, from the
70s--80s) can be had for almost free (some will donate for free---just
pay freight shipping, which isn't that expensive---I've had my
microwave klystron transmitter units, each one of mass = 1,200 lb.,
shipped via freight, naturally, in addition to the other microwave
transmitters that I have).  And for the decommissioning operations
that aren't into donating and wish to get paid for the scrap cost,
just have them mass the unit and pay whatever the metal scrapper
would've paid them.  And regarding the power bill, of course it need
not be operating 24/7---just come up with a rational schedule (taking
into account tube figures, propagation modelling, and the budget),
publish it on the website, and enter it into one's SCADA software.  I
would've done it myself (multiple transmitters, in fact, not just one
HF frequency), but I'm doing METI, satellite TT&C, and Internet
infrastructure (HF--mm wave) instead, all nonprofit, and moreover am
permanently relocating out of the nation.

-Ruslan

-- 
Ruslan Nabioullin
Wittgenstein Laboratories
rnabioullin at gmail.com
(508) 523-8535
50 Louise Dr.
Hollis, NH 03049




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