By: Cory Edwards.

To handle the very complex, intricate installation of their new Dielectric spectrum repack antennas, Tulsa, OK market stations KWHB-DT and KGEB-DT both enlisted the help of DTVPros—a specialist in RF system planning and implementation services for the broadcast TV industry, based in Carthage, Texas.

Under the auspices of its Owner Jim Heard, DTVPros planned and coordinated the installation of their antenna systems on the roof of the tallest building in the CityPlex Towers office complex in South Tulsa, OK.

KWHB-DT—a Family Broadcast Corporation station that is moving from UHF Channel 47 to UHF Channel 16—chose a Dielectric TFU GTH Series UHF broadband slot antenna, which features an electrically center-fed design for superior frequency response across one or more channels. Designated as a repack phase 2 station, KWHB will begin operating on channel 16 in April 2019.

KGEB-DT—an independent station owned by Oral Roberts University—chose a Dielectric THV Series high-band directional antenna for its move from UHF Channel 49 to VHF Channel 12. This repack phase 0 station began broadcasting from channel 12 in September 2018. Both stations also chose our tunable waveguide filters, and HELIAX flexible transmission line from CommScope.

Since KGEB already had an antenna on that CityPlex rooftop, that existing system needed to be removed before its replacement could be installed. Making the project even more challenging for DTVPros, the existing mounts for that antenna system no longer complied with modern building, windload, and design codes. So before the new antennas could be installed, this support structure also needed to be removed before the arrival of all the new RF equipment.

The new 5,000-pound steel antenna mounts, specially designed by Hodge Structural Engineers of Evansville, Indiana, were taken up to the roof by the building elevator, and installed several days in advance of the antennas’ arrival. After evaluating the site, DTVPros determined that a helicopter lift would be the best way to carry away the existing antenna and mount systems and hoist the new antenna systems up to the roof of this 60-foot skyscraper.

To accomplish this daring helicopter lift and installation safely, and without any disruption to the busy metropolitan area below, DTVPros partnered with GTI America, a specialist in tall tower broadcast work, to help manage the time-sensitive installation.

For more on how GTI America managed the helicopter services and installation of the massive RF systems, Click Here for Part 2 of this blog: “GTI America Installs Dielectric Repack Antennas for Tulsa stations KWHB and KGEB.”