KPFK Los Angeles Transmitter History
Summer, 1959


Here we have some photographs of the original KPFK transmitter system at Mt. Wilson in the summer or fall of 1959. The following pictures show some of what was involved.

A big thanks to Steve Hawes, who found these photos a few years ago while moving. As far as anyone knows, these are the only existing photographs of the original installation.



The original building. Note the lack of fences or any kind of security. The site had a full-time caretaker who lived on the property. Directly to the left of the KPFK building is the KBCA (105.1 megacycles) transmitter building. That station is still there, and is still owned by Saul Levine.


A close-up of the KPFK building.


KPFK's technical staff. Steve Hawes on the far right.


A close-up detail of the above picture


The KPFK transmitter


Another view of the transmitter


Transmitter power supply rectifier tubes.


Transmitter internal wiring detail


More detail of the transmitter power supply



Various transformers



Mercury vapor rectifier section



Transmitter power amplifier



Driver cabinet


Transmitter power amplifier in operation



3 phase power coming into the building


Transmitter driver and power supply section



Variac transformer power supply


Transmitter exciter section in operation



Detail of Exciter section door


KPFK operates at 90.7 Mhz with 112,000 watts, 5900 feet above sea level and 5600 feet above Los Angeles, California.

For more about Mt. Wilson, check out my pages about the mountain here.


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© 2005 Broadcast Engineering Services of Bonny Doon