FCC spectrum repacking and more

 

Two examples of broadcast infrastructure projects
engineered by Rick Zach & team.

NH-1/Binnie Media in Concord NH.  This was a build-out of a 100-year-old school from demolition and asbestos mitigation to live media center with 14 studios (radio, TV, web distribution)

Rick Zach was employed as Chief Engineer for Television.

 


The final result in keeping with respecting the neighborhood environment.

 


The building needed new windows, heating, plumbing, electrical, parking areas and ADA compliance
in order to receive an occupancy permit.  The most important critical-path item was the ADA-compliant elevator.

 

 

Newsroom before

 

 

Newsroom during construction

 

 

Newsroom completed

 

 

 

News TV studio before

 

 

News TV studio during (note the double studded walls)

 

TV News studio now with cameras and pedestals

 

 

TV News studio on the air

 

 

 


TV News control room, mostly with Ross switchers, routers & distribution systems.

 


All audio was by Gates Air.  Because both TV and radio shared the same audio infrastructure,
TDM-based distribution was used from area to area.  The system was 100% distributed with no central switching fabric.
AES digital and analog were used at at the network edges.

 

 

The start of the rack room wiring

 

 

Technology staging and test area 20 miles away during building construction

 

 
 

 
Most system design was performed off-site, as-built documentation was updated on-site.

 

 

All cables were pre-labeled with a unique number, source and destination. Then tested.

 

 

After this project was completed, Rick was transferred back to WBIN-TV in Derry, NH
to install a new TV transmitter and other projects.

 

 

TV master control was located 20-miles away in Derry, NH. 
The facilities were connected by IP-based fiber using completely redundant carriers and technologies.

Outbound distribution to head-ends and the transmitter were facilitated by using both microwave and IP-based fiber.

 

 

  <-- Click to see the final product

 

 

 

 

2- WCVB-TV news department conversion to HD

This project needed to be completed while the existing standard definition facility was kept on the air.  This project was a fresh build-out in a new studio for TV news.

Rick Zach was Chief Engineer of WCVB.

 


The set was built in Florida, then shipped to Needham, MA

 

 

All electronic systems were installed by in-house staff.

 

 

 

 

The weather systems were all by WSI using three distinct operating locations

 

 

The control room used four robotic cameras as well as sets for both TV-News and Chronicle

 

 

The previous SD control room was gutted down to the concrete floor and the layout was rotated 90-degrees

 

 

Completed on schedule.
 

 

A genuine team effort!

 

email: rickzach @. comsultne.com        mobile:  603-703-4740   FAX:  603-782-4006
RF Comsult of NE, LLC          296 Dockham Shore Road             Gilford, NH  03249

 

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