Meetings

Photos from Our Visit to the iHeartMedia KGB-AM 760 Transmitter Site

Gallery

SBE Chapter 36 had its June 19, 2024 meeting at the KGB-AM (formerly KFMB-AM) transmitter site at the Santee border along highway CA-52. The meeting was timed to catch progress adding KOGO 600 to the site. Here are several photos of the progress. All photos by Gary Stigall.

Host and iHeartMedia Market Director of Engineering John Rigg starts the tour in front of the Harris DX-50 50kW transmitter for 760kHz first installed by Rick Bosscher when the former KFMB-AM site was moved to make way for the CA-52 freeway in 1991. Attendee John Wilkie is in the blue shirt.
John Rigg shows off the new Nautel 50kW transmitter for KGB-AM. The Harris DX-50 was installed in early 1991 when KFMB went from a two-tower array to a three-tower array and was able to increase nighttime power to 50kW from 5kW.
A portion of the new Kintronics custom 50kW 760 phasor cabinet.
John Rigg shows one of 15 antenna tuning units to match and filter as the KOGO and KGB-AM signals combine and radiate from the three site towers.
John Rigg showing one of three brown ceramic base insulators holding up the 300-foot steel tower. The gray circles form the AC current transformer used to feed the tower lights. The towers are directly connected to the radio frequency source, which can cause a serious injury or death to anyone touching one.
One of the legacy antenna tuning units for KGB-AM at the center tower.
Another view of the base of the center tower.
View of northern two towers at the KGB-AM site near Santee.
Outside the KGB-AM transmitter site at the well-attended SBE meeting, June 19, 2024. Many thanks to John Rigg of iHeart for hosting.
One attendee was Len Filomeo, a past KFMB employee who had worked in 1990 and 1991 to install the equipment at the site.