A natural result of growth in the broadcasting industry is that the number of ideal transmitter sites is reduced while their costs continue to increase. Finding a good site where three-phase power distribution is available can pose a real problem in some areas.

Transmitter site selection often becomes an economic comprimise of many factors, some of which are beyond the scope of this writing. However, judging from hundreds of interviews and conversions with station owners and engineers, a consensus view is that most siting issues fall into the following list:

• Availability of utility three-phase power
• Land lease or purchase cost
• Site Accessibility
• Potential Interference

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Availability of Three-phase

Virtually all broadcast transmitters rated 5 KW and larger require three phase power input. Equipment designers prefer three-phase because its rectified output has much less ripple than single-phase and requires less filtering to produce a clean DC output. However, in the real world, three-phase just does not exist everywhere and utility companies may not be willing to supply it within a reasonable cost or time frame.

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Land Cost of Transmitter Sites

Antenna farms or other developed sites where power is already available can be very expensive. By contrast there may be attractive undeveloped areas or inexpensive BLM leases which would be ideal sites if three-phase where available.

Interference

This becomes a critical issue whenever locating near existing stations. The availablity of three-phase power must be weighed against the added cost of circulators, traps, grounding systems, special antennas and other costs incurred to eliminate interference.

Site Accessibility

Even low cost sites which have three-phase and are interference free may be reluctant or unwilling to grant unlimited passage on private lands and roads. The availability or cost of access rights can drive up the price of an otherwise attractive site.

Final site selection may require a compromise on one or more of the above points. But it is unlikely that a site without three-phase could be seriously considered even if that choice were highly ranked in every other category.  There are three alternatives which the owner can consider where three-phase power is not available. They are:

1) Request a utility line extension,

2) Install on-site power generation equipment,

3) Use a Phasemaster® Type T – three phase converter designed specially for broadcasting equipment as seen at National Broadcasting Association events and mentioned in past publications.