Do you remember?

The Cetec Sparta 603 and 605B were on display at the NAB convention in 1977. Both models used a 3CX3000A7 tube in the final amplifier. The transmitters boasted features such as an automatic power control, vacuum-variable capacitors in the driver section, a solid-state, direct-FM 680 exciter with automatic frequency control, full metering of important parameters, tally light fault locators and an automatic recycle. The 603 and 605B were capable of 3kW and 5kW respectively.

In and ad from 1977, Cetec Sparta bragged that it was the only transmitter manufacturer to make both AM and FM solid-state transmitters.

That was then

This photo of the air studio for WTAQ-AM, LaGrange, IL, appeared on the cover of Broadcast Engineering in November 1969. At 1300, the WTAQ call letters indicated that the station served the "towns along the Q." The "Q" was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad.

The U-shaped layout was designed to handle both talk shows and "standard DJ programs" as the article details. The solid-state console (another bragging point for 1969) had four pots, with inputs set up for six microphones, five telephone lines, two turntables and a cart machine.

The walls were covered with ¼" thick, veneer plywood, perforated every ½". The space between the inner and out walls was filled with fiberglass insulation.

A single cart machine was mounted in the cabinet just behind the operator. A remote machine control box is to the right of the console and the telephone line selector is on the left. The two microphones are Electro-Voice 666 models.

Today, the station on 1300 is WRDZ.

Can you identify the console or the turntables? E-mail us at beradio@primediabusiness.com and tell us what you think they are.

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Source: The World DAB Forum, August 2001