Engineer Electrocuted Making Repairs At WDMS

[tomservo]

It is with sadness that I pass along a report seen on the evening news today out of Greenville, Mississippi. Engineer Jerold Campbell died yesterday while working on the station's transmitter. More from AllAccess and WXVT TV.

My condolences to his family and friends.

 

[K4WRF]

Indeed a tragic senseless loss! Over the decades, I personally know of several of these instances and it usually involves someone who knows better or someone who had no experience or valid reason for attempting to fix or fiddle with something so incredibly dangerous. Several instances involved an inexperienced person being directed by someone over the phone resulting in disastrous consequences.There is not a month that goes by that I don't receive a call from someone wanting help resurrecting or fixing some old transmitter with advice over the phone; I refuse based on knowledge of what can happen. Most always involves being off-air and in a hurry to get it fixed. Both of the "C" and "H" manufacturers have settled law suits involving accidents that led to someones death. An old radio engineering friend from Georgia a number of years ago was trying to talk a non-engineer owner through locating a problem in a 1kW transmitter; contacted 2,800 volts and died.

A great quote I will never forget occurred many years ago when I was driving my grandfather to a family reunion, he said: "Slow down boy! I'd rather get to the party late rather than to Hell ahead of schedule!"

 

[RadeoEngineer]

I never did like the adjustments one has to make to the inside of an operating transmitter. Those controls could have easily been brought out to the front panel. Working on a problem box while hot can be done safely if you're very, very careful and know what bites, but I always hated having to do it alone.

 

[rfburns]

I never met Jerry but had heard of him thru radio folks in N. MS radio. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Watt - I know exactly what you mean about not giving repair advice over the phone. I did that once or twice and realized the kind of liability issues that could cause. Most folks understand - a few don't, but I sure feel better knowing I didn't accidently put someone at risk.

RFB

 

[jboyd]

Members...this is why I discontinued my field engineering service 20 years ago...you never know what kind of rigging, bypassing, etc. previous "engineers" have done...some that I have seen you would NOT imagine!. I seem to have existed fine without the trauma and risk....Tnx JBI

 

[the golden boy]

This takes me back to when my good friend was electrocuted in Greenville back in 1997 while working at WABG. So sorry to hear about this.

 

[Tom Wells]

I forget the name of the engineer...this was back in the 30s....but a well known and experienced broadcast engineer
was using a receiver with old fashioned hi-z heaphones that put 135 volts from plate of the last audio through the cans.
The headphones had a bare spot in the wiring, so he was at +135v. He was fine until he touched something at ground
potential, then it was lights out for him. At this point there was a BIG push to get everybody to couple headphones
through capactiors or use a transformer. I have to admit, I've used hot cans before.

My condolences go out to his friends and family.

Every day I am called upon to work in open 480 3 phase cabinets,
alone, in the middle of the night, becaue production is "so important". I may print out this new report and post it here
where I work. Sometimes it's 25kw voltage multiplier circuits that run up to 2kv, and I have to quickly find the failed cap or
mecury wetted contactor, and I haven't had the sightest luck convincing management that in such a situation, the LAST thing I need is to have some uninformed production manager yelling at me to get the thing back on line in a hurry.
More than once I've >almost< yelled back at them. Next time I think I will.....

 

[jovialjay]

An old radio engineering friend from Georgia a number of years ago was trying to talk a non-engineer owner through locating a problem in a 1kW transmitter; contacted 2,800 volts and died.

The station owner was Jim DeVan of WZAL in McDonough, Georgia. A nicer guy you could not hope to meet. Money was tight, and Jim was trying pinch his pennies. I knew the engineer involved, and this incident was terrible for him - I'm not sure that he ever completely recovered emotionally before he passed away a while back.

The station had two transmitters - a 2.5kw main and a 1kw auxillary. There was confusion regarding which transmitter was actually operating, which led to the accident.

Jim left behind a wife and two young children - a terrible tragedy. The community also lost its radio station, as nobody could've walked in Jim's shoes.

The funeral was at a large church, and there was not even standing room for all that attended. Quite a testimony to the type of fellow Jim was.

That was almost 20 years, but it seems like it was just last week.

 

[Radio West]

Let us not forget the tragic death of a radio pioneer from the 1920's by the name of Ralph Wilson Goddard. He was the Dean of the Engineering School at what would eventually become New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. The 1920's experimental campus radio station employed a Spark-Gap transmitter and was powered by a dynamotor. The station bore the call sign of KOB. According to legend, Dr. Goddard was electrocuted when he attempted to place two dynamotors in series to raise the voltage applied to the final stage of the transmitter. With one of the dynamotors operating with the case above ground, Dr. Goddard accidentally came in contact with the floating case and was killed. Though this is the story that is told, the actual cause of his tragic electrocution remains uncertain.

In the 30's, KOB was moved to Albuquerque, NM and through a number of frequency assignments was re-assigned to 770 in 1941 where it remains today as KKOB-AM. In memory of Dr. Goddard's early work in the field of broadcasting, the College radio and TV stations at New Mexico State bear his initials to this very day, those of KRWG FM and TV. One has to wonder if Dr. Goddard had taken a little extra precaution, what changes in the industry would have taken place through his work?

The tragic death of the contract engineer in MS serves as a reminder to those of us who work around broadcast transmitting equipment. Respect the transmitter, regardless of its size. Don't let some PD or GM pressure you into doing something in a hurry that could cost you your life. (If they do, find another client) A disconnect switch and a shorting stick can be your best friends! Develop a site safety plan including the location of all disconnects and circuit breakers associated with the transmitter(s) at your site and label them accordingly as items necessary to disengage in order to have power to the box completely removed before you go an even attempt to stick your hand inside a transmitter cabinet. As the roll call sergeant on Hill Street Blues used to say, "Let's Be Careful Out There"!