Originally Built in 1946 to house the KVER transmitter. This is now a shared tower site.
Calls: KFNQ (Originally KEVR > KING > KPTK > KFNQ)
Frequency: 1090Khz
Power: 50,000 watts Directional Day/ Directional Night
Owner: CBS
Letter from FCC changing call letters from KEVR to KING
First Station License with KING call letters.
Technical information from FCCinfo.com
Calls: KTTH (Originally KXA)
Frequency: 770Khz
Power: 50,000 watts Directional Day/ 5,000 Directional Night
Owner: Bonneville International Corporation
Technical information from FCCinfo.com
Click on any Photo to thumb through gallery
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- This is the KFNQ and KTTH transmitter site. Three towers make up the antenna array. The Building was originally built in 1946 for then KEVR on 1090Khz.
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- The Satellite dishes were originally used for KING TV, they are no longer in use. The KTTH 770Khz transmitter moved to the site in the late 80’s. There is a generator to supply power during power outages. Photo 1/15/2008
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- When I stoped by to snap some photo’s for the Tour, I found Jim Tharp (Bonnneville) and Arne Skoog (CBS) fixing the night 1090 Phasor. Photo 1/15/2008
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- This cabinet of parts splits the power between the three towers giving the station a directional pattern to the signal. Photo 1/15/2008
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- Arne Skoog doing what he loved. Working with RF technology.
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- KFNQ Night phaser. Photo 1/15/2008
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- The Blown up part from the phaser. 50,000 watts can have its way with parts. Photo 1/15/2008
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- KFNQ Night Phaser. Photo 1/15/2008
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- KFNQ Day phaser. Photo 1/15/2008
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- The Nautel now stands on the opposite wall where the original GE 50KW transmitter sat. The Nautel was purchased in the mid 90’s to be the main transmitter. It replaced the original GE transmitter which was then the backup to the MW-50 which replaced a 10kw stanby in the 70’s. The GE was removed when the Nautel was installed. Photo 1/15/2008
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- Looking behind the Nautel, red floor air grates leading to the basement where a huge blower pumped air through the tubes of the Huge GE Transmitter when it sat in the building. Now the Blower supplies a steady stream of filtered air for the Nautel. Photo 1/15/2008
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- Standing in the original 1090 transmitter room. On one side stands a Harris MW50A 50,000 watt transmitter that was purchased by then KING in the early 70’s to replace the original 50KW GE transmitter as the main transmitter. The MW50 was placed where the 10,000 watt backup transmitter sat. The Mw50 was used as the main transmitter from early 70’s until they bought the Nautel Solid state transmitter in the 90’s. Photo 1/15/2008
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- KFNQ Nautel NX50 purchased spring 2012. The 50KW solid state transmitter now sits where the MW-50 was. The actual metal frame of the MW-50 is still there. The Nautel is sitting inside of it. Photo 7/28/2012
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- From this rear view you can see the Nautel sitting insode the Old MW-50 frame. Photo 7/28/2012
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- Photo 7/28/2012
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- Tom McGinley guides a tour of the CBS 1090 plant. The day phaser is to his back. The rack in the background was for the old video link to KING TV with the night phaser behind it. Photo 7/28/2012
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- the main equipment racks for 1090 KFNQ. Antenna Monitor on the left. The door to the right leads to the 770 transmitter room. This photo is from. 7/28/2012
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- The main equipment racks for 1090 KPTK. Antenna Monitor on the left, remote control in the middle and audio on the right. The QEI Cat Link supplies audio over a T1 from the Seattle Studio. The door to the right leads to the 770 transmitter room. This photo is from 1/15/2008
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- Photo 1/15/2008
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- When 1090 Moved to Vashon they built a Building with a full shop, bathroom and a separate room with a bed and a broadcast console set up if the need arose to originate programming from the transmitter. Here you can see the Shop with cabinets of spare parts to ensure that the station can stay broadcasting 24 hours a day. Photo 1/15/2008
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- More spare parts. Photo 1/15/2008
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- The Tubes are from the Harris MW50 transmitter. The tubes on the bottom are the finals for the transmitter. Photo 1/15/2008
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- This somthing you don’t see nowdays at the Transmitter. Photo 1/15/2008
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- 770Khz 5kw Backup transmitter and equipment racks. Photo 1/15/2008
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- As you walk into the KTTH transmitter space the Harris Gates five and two rack are on the west wall. Main DX 50 is to my right. Photo 1/15/2008
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- This is the 770Khz DX50 Main transmitter. Photo 1/15/2008
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- Next to the transmitter is a rack holding the remote control, antenna phase monitor and antenna switching controls. Photo 1/15/2008
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- Originally the high voltage and modulator transformers for the 50KW GE sat here. When the Nautel transmitter was installed it opened up this space, which eventually became the home for KTTH 770. Transmitter on the left. Antenna phasing equipment on the right. Photo 1/15/2008
Extra Stuff:
See this Location on VashonMap.com or Google Maps (opens in new window)
* Built date refers to when station transmitter site was built on Vashon Island. Not the date the station license was issued.
Photos and Text by Steven Allen