CMS:KRKO Broadcast Transmitter

This page is about specific transmitter in the Connections Museum Seattle. For the transmitter in general, see Western Electric Model 6-B.

KRKO Broadcast Transmitter at the Connections Museum

The KRKO Broadcast Transmitter is a Western Electric Model 6-B 1000 Watt radio transmitter used by the KRKO commercial radio station in Everett, Washington. It was donated by Cindy Hovdesven of Stanwood, Washington in 1997 and transported to the museum by Don Ostrand.

History

The transmitter was only only used by KRKO for a few years because it was so difficult to maintain. It was stored in a barn for several decades before it came to the museum. As part of the installation the top left panel was repainted and several painted wood replicas of missing internals were installed. Because it is so difficult to source or retrofit parts for this transmitter, it will likely never run again.

Display

Normally a Model 6-B would be used with two large motor generator sets for power, which are not part of this display. Radio announcers using this transmitter would have used Western Electric double-button carbon microphones which are exhibited elsewhere in our museum. There is a microphone on the front that was used for testing the speech amplifier.