Wow! I'm an electronics engineer and ham radio operator myself (9Z4CLB), that was truly insightful and amazing. I love Indiana, been there a couple times (Muncie) to fly my turbine RC model helicopter.
Wow ..what a blast from the past..Spent alot of time at their factory and test range. Had the opportunity to with Tom Silliman on many projects , what a great guy and brilliant engineer. Glad to see Bill is still there and doing well. Thanks for the memories.
Started as a pirate in the late 60s through early 70s, got caught, had to get my license or go to court. Continued into the 80s but work commitments and health issues forced me to finish up. Still got my TS520S, FT7 and FRG7, but zero room for a station, let alone an antenna 😂 Mainly keyed, although voiced occasionally. Made all my own antennae, some of them looked terrible, some funny, but they all worked without a matcher, didn’t bother with a G5RV, made a crazy multiband dipole for general chat (80, 40, 20, 15 & 10) and a few yagis for DX (20, 15, & 10) Thank you for this video, but it made me blubber like a baby 😂😂😂. Absolutely fantastic, I could listen to you both for hours and I’m extremely jealous. Thank you for posting. Cheers, 73s from downunder. Former VK2PAE VK2XZ 🇦🇺📡 AR
What a treat, we just got our new ERI for KNXR in Rochester, MN. Crazy this got recommended to me. My phone must have heard me say ERI a lot today lol. They’re not cheap, but in this case it’s going 1000’ up, and that’s certainly not a place you want to skimp. Seeing this video does help justify the cost a lot. They have tons of stuff going on! The antenna is stored off company property in a secure building at the moment. I get what he says about how these things can sit around for a long time before they get installed. The feed line is coming from Germany and I have zero clue when it will get here.
That was a great tour of an amazing RF Jewellery factory. It was very vertically integrated. Everything in house. That was an enormous man cave and ranch. It's nice to see the farm behind the brand. Lots of senior polymaths working in this industry. Wizards need apprentices for the future generations. We're getting crusty.
I'm out of the broadcast industry now (worked more in satellite/fibre distribution) but I still keep an eye on things. I've taken a more personal interest in machining recently - I always found high power RF to be a fascinating intersection of industrial machining and the dark art of RF propagation, so this was great to see. Looks like they keep the carpenters busy there building test fixtures too. Would have been there all day asking questions! Thanks to you and Richard for the tour.
An amazing and very informative video! I've learned a lot of technical terms peculiar to broadcasting antennas. My initiation into communications was in tactical microwave systems. (Multichannel carrier systems.) I then worked in a mobile FM radio shop installing, repairing and maintaining about 300 mobile radios, 15 base stations, about 40 mobile/fixed stations and repeaters that extended our coverage between El Paso, Texas and Green River, Utah. Our antennas were simple base loaded whips and our equipment was RCA, G.E. and Motorola. Great job on the coverage of the tour@
Thank you and ERI for allowing the tour! What a brilliant guy he is! Place reminds me a bit of the gatesair factory. You should tour that plant some time, cool people too.
@@TheBroadcastEngineer @TheBroadcastEngineer They have classes. I was there for VAXTE training a few months ago there, I think the tour was part of the training. almost EVERYTHING from , cabinets, chassis, etc even filters, all made in house. Impressive facility and people. It was awesome to see employees we pestered along the way to take time to answer and explain questions from the group in detail. I also think BE is there in Quincy as well...
@@TheBroadcastEngineer Just buy a TX from them and get free classes 😁 lol Yeah I hear ya there! BUT with your growing channel, it might be worth reaching out, willing to bet they may be with open arms, if I was reading the vibe right. R&S would be cool too, but doubtful-ish? I was only at the MD office for them, the Germany facility would be wild to see.
Thank you...I come from 1970's broadcast radio technology and my ongoing ham radio fields, so anything discussing these topics is fascinating...wish I could have been along.
My first introduction to ERI was when I was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. They came and installed an FCC Required AM antenna. I was at the 'Antenna Farm' south of the actual air station. Till now I had no clue what went into that antenna. Great tour. Peace
I am absolutely fascinated by anything radio, TV, data, communication, and energy transmission. I just wish I figured out how much I love this stuff at a much younger age. I wonder if any one person has ever had a solid understanding of this entire field of knowledge...
Fabulous custom made broadcast equipment....Pinnacle of broadcast transmission products...These dudes know what the game is about....I'm an Amateur Radio op 'n make some unique stuff I need so I know what he's talk'n about....a fantastic facility with highly skilled staff.....Bravo!! This is a specialized science unto itself...these dudes produce some of the most specialized RF equipment I've ever seen.....Working in this science, I appreciate what I'm see'n here
What a fantastic facility with some of the most capable people....There are only a few of us on this planet who understand this technology...Excellent video on 'yer facility and capabilities in engineering and production of these broadcast transmission products
Fascinating for sure! I totally understand, appreciate, and respect all of the engineering, manufacturing, testing, and precision that goes into all of these amazing products that deliver TV and radio signals to the public all around the world. Thank you so much for this inside look.
So, I just have to say this has been very helpful! I like to help educate my kids when we drive by certain things, so they’ll have more awareness of their environment and how things work in society. Needless to say, this was very eyeopening and makes us feel grateful for the technology that we have around us; which makes enjoying our entertainment possible.
Great video! I can only dream of ERI coming to my rescue here with a mast! I’m chasing companies that are demolishing towers but never get anywhere. Bill was great, a man of knowledge of his field. Thanks for your videos they are so relevant to me right now as my station is starting out. 🙏
In the 90's I was working in Grand Cayman and worked maintaining Radio Cayman (the government station) and the non government station. At the time that was 2 FM stations, and the government station had an AM station, and a low power transmitter on Cayman Brac. The transmitter on Brac was the only solid state transmitter at 200 watts.
Probably the best video I'll watch all day, A lot or engineering and work goes into the antennas so we can watch Gilligan's Island and listen to rap music. Amazing stuff.
Awesome. I have never seen what my bays look like up close. When the tower guys were replacing a feed line after a lightning strike they offered to let me "ride the hook" to investigate them and like no no we engineers stay on the ground for good reasons. I hope they were kidding. Antennas are some dark arts I am only beginning to learn. It amazes me 20kw is putting out 100kw after the antenna through the magic of gain.. I think a couple of ours are ERI but not sure I would have to check the records.
Very interesting, an incredible tour indeed, thanks. It would have been good if you had asked him what was the typical loss between the TX input ports and the antenna output port on the 5 and 8 channel combiners.
All I need from you professor is the specification for a 4 element flat side beam antenna for 11 meter, please and thanks, watching from Jamaica west Indies !!.
Greetings from Europe. Last time I checked radio stations around here were about 50 to 100kW, TV goes into MW range. Maybe in Central Europe things are different because it's so packed compared to fringe areas and most of the USA.
100KW is probably what in the US we call Effective Radiated Power. Transmitter power times antenna gain. The station I worked at had a TV transmitter output of 25KW peak but the ERP was 316KW peak.
Just wondering were everyone is? Was this filmed on a holiday or maybe at lunch time? I think ive seen 4 people working so far and im halfway through the video. Anyway this is fascinating to me as a ham radio operator, this stuff is on a whole nother level from anything I play with.
It was around lunch time on a Friday. Plus, Bill mentioned that people are moved around the facility based on the work so they may not have people at all stations all the time.
Toda una enciclopedia en antenas El Ingeniero , me imagino que, si no todas las estaciones de radio grandes, la gran mayoría tienen una antena hecha por el. Mis respetos y admiración larga vida para El.
Interesting. On the other-hand, being simply an amateur operator, except for the large diameter coax and its accessories I don't know what I am really looking at antenna wise. To me VHF & UHF are small antennas. These things seemingly called rototillers are huge. My curiosity is peaked...
@24:20 "I'm not holding you up am I?" is the question every production owner or manager asks continuously. That last glance @25:21 says it all "Get off your butt and get to work!"
Wow, I drive through Chandler every day on my way to Evansville.... I wonder if they need a computer engineer for anything. Do they do anything with microcontrollers?
It would have been nice to actually see antennas being built instead of a walking tour of the factory areas and all kinds of parts. Title is very misleading.
Haha! So many shiny objects there. The difference is mainly because of polarization and frequency. The higher the frequency the smaller the antenna. Polarization basically determines the shape.
I'm not sure I see the point of running electric wire through PVC conduit, when the wires are just as conductive. Unless, of course, they put RF chokes in the electrical wiring, and/or hide it behind Eccosorb.
I'm an electronics hobbyist but never really cared for microwave/RF/etc. What I do find extremely interesting though is that most of the filters and tuning devices are really nothing more than precisely designed and shaped empty volumes. I swear it's witchcraft!
If you didn’t watch it you didn’t hear about how they’re made. This isn’t a “I’m going to instruct you on how to build your own antenna using the proprietary secrets of ERI.” There’s lots of videos on how to make antennas out of measuring tape and bailing wire on the ham channels.
That man is a walking radio encyclopedia
As a ham radio operator that was antenna's at a whole other level. Great tour and nice to see "made in the USA".
Indeed! That was a side comment my host made on the tour. That area of Indiana is one of the last major manufacturing areas in the country.
Wow! I'm an electronics engineer and ham radio operator myself (9Z4CLB), that was truly insightful and amazing. I love Indiana, been there a couple times (Muncie) to fly my turbine RC model helicopter.
The most valuable is this person with a great wealth of knowledge. Never saw any Antenna manufacturing company before. Thanks,
Wow ..what a blast from the past..Spent alot of time at their factory and test range. Had the opportunity to with Tom Silliman on many projects , what a great guy and brilliant engineer. Glad to see Bill is still there and doing well. Thanks for the memories.
Started as a pirate in the late 60s through early 70s, got caught, had to get my license or go to court. Continued into the 80s but work commitments and health issues forced me to finish up. Still got my TS520S, FT7 and FRG7, but zero room for a station, let alone an antenna 😂 Mainly keyed, although voiced occasionally.
Made all my own antennae, some of them looked terrible, some funny, but they all worked without a matcher, didn’t bother with a G5RV, made a crazy multiband dipole for general chat (80, 40, 20, 15 & 10) and a few yagis for DX (20, 15, & 10)
Thank you for this video, but it made me blubber like a baby 😂😂😂.
Absolutely fantastic, I could listen to you both for hours and I’m extremely jealous.
Thank you for posting.
Cheers, 73s from downunder.
Former VK2PAE VK2XZ
🇦🇺📡
AR
What a treat, we just got our new ERI for KNXR in Rochester, MN. Crazy this got recommended to me. My phone must have heard me say ERI a lot today lol.
They’re not cheap, but in this case it’s going 1000’ up, and that’s certainly not a place you want to skimp. Seeing this video does help justify the cost a lot. They have tons of stuff going on!
The antenna is stored off company property in a secure building at the moment. I get what he says about how these things can sit around for a long time before they get installed. The feed line is coming from Germany and I have zero clue when it will get here.
That was a great tour of an amazing RF Jewellery factory.
It was very vertically integrated. Everything in house. That was an enormous man cave and ranch.
It's nice to see the farm behind the brand.
Lots of senior polymaths working in this industry. Wizards need apprentices for the future generations. We're getting crusty.
ERI just made us a custom FM 1204-1CP-DA antenna and finished the installation last Monday! Was quite a project! Great bunch of guys/gals!
Nice! Yeah they are great!
This video felt like a professional TV show. Very well done!
Thank you! I’m trying to improve the storytelling aspect of my videos.
I'm out of the broadcast industry now (worked more in satellite/fibre distribution) but I still keep an eye on things. I've taken a more personal interest in machining recently - I always found high power RF to be a fascinating intersection of industrial machining and the dark art of RF propagation, so this was great to see. Looks like they keep the carpenters busy there building test fixtures too. Would have been there all day asking questions! Thanks to you and Richard for the tour.
The whole tour was about 2.5 hours. There was so much that we talked about.
An amazing and very informative video! I've learned a lot of technical terms peculiar to broadcasting antennas. My initiation into communications was in tactical microwave systems. (Multichannel carrier systems.) I then worked in a mobile FM radio shop installing, repairing and maintaining about 300 mobile radios, 15 base stations, about 40 mobile/fixed stations and repeaters that extended our coverage between El Paso, Texas and Green River, Utah. Our antennas were simple base loaded whips and our equipment was RCA, G.E. and Motorola. Great job on the coverage of the tour@
when the guide is that much knowledgeable, you know the business is legitimate and respect worthy 👏
Thank you and ERI for allowing the tour! What a brilliant guy he is! Place reminds me a bit of the gatesair factory. You should tour that plant some time, cool people too.
I would love to do that! It’s a little off from my east coast base of ops but I might be able to make it happen. I need to find an in there.
@@TheBroadcastEngineer @TheBroadcastEngineer They have classes. I was there for VAXTE training a few months ago there, I think the tour was part of the training. almost EVERYTHING from , cabinets, chassis, etc even filters, all made in house. Impressive facility and people. It was awesome to see employees we pestered along the way to take time to answer and explain questions from the group in detail. I also think BE is there in Quincy as well...
Training classes mean I have to pay them for it. If I can get them to sponsor a video… 😉
@@TheBroadcastEngineer Just buy a TX from them and get free classes 😁 lol Yeah I hear ya there! BUT with your growing channel, it might be worth reaching out, willing to bet they may be with open arms, if I was reading the vibe right. R&S would be cool too, but doubtful-ish? I was only at the MD office for them, the Germany facility would be wild to see.
Thank you...I come from 1970's broadcast radio technology and my ongoing ham radio fields, so anything discussing these topics is fascinating...wish I could have been along.
My first introduction to ERI was when I was stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. They came and installed an FCC Required AM antenna. I was at the 'Antenna Farm' south of the actual air station. Till now I had no clue what went into that antenna. Great tour.
Peace
(The stuff in that plant...) I started in radio more than 50 years ago and also worked in TV. Saw very little outside the studios. Fascinating. Kudos.
Thank you so much for doing this interview/tour. It is really hard to find videos like this online. Great video!!!
I’m trying to do more of these! Hopefully I can do more factory tours soon.
Fascinating tour Bill.
Never considers how those towers and antennas where produced thank you . New sub here greetings from Australia .
Greetings and thanks for watching!
Really incredible to be able to see this stuff, what a fantastic facility and human firehose of RF information…
He had so much information that I couldn’t fit it in to the video!
Excellent tour and video. Thanks for doing it.
Thank you for watching!
I understood about 2 in 10 words in this video, but still enjoyed it very much.
I am absolutely fascinated by anything radio, TV, data, communication, and energy transmission. I just wish I figured out how much I love this stuff at a much younger age. I wonder if any one person has ever had a solid understanding of this entire field of knowledge...
Fabulous custom made broadcast equipment....Pinnacle of broadcast transmission products...These dudes know what the game is about....I'm an Amateur Radio op 'n make some unique stuff I need so I know what he's talk'n about....a fantastic facility with highly skilled staff.....Bravo!!
This is a specialized science unto itself...these dudes produce some of the most specialized RF equipment I've ever seen.....Working in this science, I appreciate what I'm see'n here
It’s amazing to see all the various steps and how much hard work, time and effort goes into building these complex structures. Thanks for the tour.
Thank you for watching! I enjoy hearing from viewers like you.
What a fantastic facility with some of the most capable people....There are only a few of us on this planet who understand this technology...Excellent video on 'yer facility and capabilities in engineering and production of these broadcast transmission products
As an electronics engineer I find this very interesting!
As a ham radio operator, this is some interesting stuff.
Fascinating for sure! I totally understand, appreciate, and respect all of the engineering, manufacturing, testing, and precision that goes into all of these amazing products that deliver TV and radio signals to the public all around the world. Thank you so much for this inside look.
Learned a lot watching this excellent video,keep it up thanks Cheers
О! Знатный дядька! Могучий! Монстр антенной техники! Мое уважение! Эх - вот бы где работать! Всю жизнь мечтал!
It was great to see where all the RF Magic happens. ERI designed the TV and Radio Antenna on top of the Empire State Building in New York City.
So, I just have to say this has been very helpful! I like to help educate my kids when we drive by certain things, so they’ll have more awareness of their environment and how things work in society.
Needless to say, this was very eyeopening and makes us feel grateful for the technology that we have around us; which makes enjoying our entertainment possible.
I’m glad it’s helpful. 😘
Eye opening from the EE side!
Great video! I can only dream of ERI coming to my rescue here with a mast! I’m chasing companies that are demolishing towers but never get anywhere.
Bill was great, a man of knowledge of his field.
Thanks for your videos they are so relevant to me right now as my station is starting out. 🙏
Thanks for watching!
Fantastic report. I felt like I was there.
Fascinating.
Thanks for this wonderful informative video 👍
In the 90's I was working in Grand Cayman and worked maintaining Radio Cayman (the government station) and the non government station. At the time that was 2 FM stations, and the government station had an AM station, and a low power transmitter on Cayman Brac. The transmitter on Brac was the only solid state transmitter at 200 watts.
A lot going on there , but still a very clean shop environment . This is not happenstance . It's a positive reflection on great management .
This video was fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
Great tour of a cool facility. Thanks!
Awesome tour. Nice to see where the products are built. Say hi to Tom!!
I didn’t see him on the tour. Maybe he was out on vacation or on a job site.
Thanks Bill for sharing you knowledge and time I enjoyed your enthusiasm very much that is a very impressive business you have there.
Probably the best video I'll watch all day, A lot or engineering and work goes into the antennas so we can watch Gilligan's Island and listen to rap music. Amazing stuff.
I'll bet that place smells awesome!
Very manly smelling. Like a machine shop.
ERI builds a UHF Highpower Trasar with a Faulty Vpol dipole that is a PO junk that is still sold to unsuspecting users..
Fascenating history,,,,,
great video!
So much info right there
Awesome. I have never seen what my bays look like up close. When the tower guys were replacing a feed line after a lightning strike they offered to let me "ride the hook" to investigate them and like no no we engineers stay on the ground for good reasons. I hope they were kidding. Antennas are some dark arts I am only beginning to learn. It amazes me 20kw is putting out 100kw after the antenna through the magic of gain.. I think a couple of ours are ERI but not sure I would have to check the records.
Aweome video thanks
If that Channel 13 antenna is from where I think it came from, I watched a lot of Saturday Morning Cartoons off of that antenna.
Very interesting indeed. I want to work there!👏🇨🇮
Forgot to mention, subbed!👏🇨🇮
Very interesting, an incredible tour indeed, thanks. It would have been good if you had asked him what was the typical loss between the TX input ports and the antenna output port on the 5 and 8 channel combiners.
They're like chefs cook to order
Omg I love 💕 this.
"World-traveling tower crew member" would be pretty cool job! (25 min. point)
Amazing...
cool stuff I would love to see A AM Brodcasting antenna factory.
Love your Video.
All I need from you professor is the specification for a 4 element flat side beam antenna for 11 meter, please and thanks, watching from Jamaica west Indies !!.
Impressive
Greetings from Europe. Last time I checked radio stations around here were about 50 to 100kW, TV goes into MW range. Maybe in Central Europe things are different because it's so packed compared to fringe areas and most of the USA.
100KW is probably what in the US we call Effective Radiated Power. Transmitter power times antenna gain. The station I worked at had a TV transmitter output of 25KW peak but the ERP was 316KW peak.
@@securitycamera8776 (Transmitter power - Line Loss) * Antenna Gain
Just wondering were everyone is? Was this filmed on a holiday or maybe at lunch time? I think ive seen 4 people working so far and im halfway through the video. Anyway this is fascinating to me as a ham radio operator, this stuff is on a whole nother level from anything I play with.
It was around lunch time on a Friday. Plus, Bill mentioned that people are moved around the facility based on the work so they may not have people at all stations all the time.
Great video, thank you for the insights 😍
At 4:11 what are those weirdly shaped parts used for? 🙂
Those are the FM rototiller antennas themselves.
@ Aah thx 🙏
But what is the reason for using that shape? Does it allow for circular polarised signals to be transmitted? 🙂
@nusermane1076 Exactly!
@@TheBroadcastEngineer Perfect, thanks! 🙂
So interesting !
Toda una enciclopedia en antenas El Ingeniero , me imagino que, si no todas las estaciones de radio grandes, la gran mayoría tienen una antena hecha por el. Mis respetos y admiración larga vida para El.
Interesting.
On the other-hand, being simply an amateur operator, except for the large diameter coax and its accessories I don't know what I am really looking at antenna wise. To me VHF & UHF are small antennas. These things seemingly called rototillers are huge. My curiosity is peaked...
@24:20 "I'm not holding you up am I?" is the question every production owner or manager asks continuously. That last glance @25:21 says it all "Get off your butt and get to work!"
Great video, however, I'd love to see a more in-depth on how antennas are actually made as stated in the title.
interesting vedio. Thanks
4:38 GOD. GUNS. COFFEE. 😄
Plumbers of a fluid much more exciting then water .
I'd love to work for a company like that. Enthusiasm and pride in product seem to infuse the guide!
This is so cool I’m not to far from there I’m in Kentucky
Wow, I drive through Chandler every day on my way to Evansville.... I wonder if they need a computer engineer for anything. Do they do anything with microcontrollers?
They might. They have so much going on there.
call em up. I'm sure they still have good old paper applications
Our church where granted a LPFM permit by the FCC we need some advice about what will be the best antenna for our church station
Your engineer should be able to specify one that fits in your budget (if it’s not explicitly stated on your license).
Thats where all the dark magic happens
Hahahaha
I want him to be my grandpa!
Wow
thats not too far from me they are just east of Evansville IN
And in this area we add the prefabulated amulite.
Hahahahahahaha
I want to see how they make telescoping antennas. You know, the ones that always broke when you crashed a model airplane you spent 100 hours building.
Ha! I didn’t see any evidence of those there.
Newburgh - used to be a factory, then "used to be a restaurant..." Not many people around. Anywhere. (~30:00)
Looked touristy
2000 ft self supporter blows my mind
That's what I said, I think he meant 200 because there's no way what is in that picture is 2000 ft.
2 1000 ft self supporters
@@dsmreloader7552 I don't even think that picture was taken from 1000ft.
Bravo ! Very well done tour !
Thank you so much for presenting this tour.
73
sbf
wow and zamzam water
The pricing of this better be equal to medical instrumentation and procedures
It would have been nice to actually see antennas being built instead of a walking tour of the factory areas and all kinds of parts. Title is very misleading.
Thanks for your feedback.
does Broadcast Engineeringing and Antenna Engineering makes a good living with a very high salary in the United States?
Depends on what you're considering a high salary... not necessarily. But comfortable enough.
So I'd be the guy running around touching everything.😉😆.
Why do people differentiate FM antennas from all others.?
I am guessing because of the polarization and frequency of FM a broadcast vs TV.
Haha! So many shiny objects there.
The difference is mainly because of polarization and frequency. The higher the frequency the smaller the antenna. Polarization basically determines the shape.
Was he saying rototiller?
At what timestamp?
@@TheBroadcastEngineer I'll have to go back and look, but he said what sounded like rototiller several times throughout the video.
@woodhonky3890 ahh yes. Rototiller.
@@TheBroadcastEngineer Sorry to bother you, but what is it? Forgive my ignorance.
@woodhonky3890 no worries! The rototiller design is one of their circularly polarized FM antennas.
I'm not sure I see the point of running electric wire through PVC conduit, when the wires are just as conductive. Unless, of course, they put RF chokes in the electrical wiring, and/or hide it behind Eccosorb.
I'm an electronics hobbyist but never really cared for microwave/RF/etc. What I do find extremely interesting though is that most of the filters and tuning devices are really nothing more than precisely designed and shaped empty volumes. I swear it's witchcraft!
@@mspeir Right? It’s magic!!
It's like plumbing
Why is he carrying a tripod?
Because I thought we’d have some stop and talk points and he offered to carry my tripod. We ended up walking the whole time.
Way above my pay grade, but interesting
what happens when an electrical engineer is crosstrained as a welder??😶
They build antennas and towers.
They have nobody working in the factory. This is not a believable tour. We actually saw nothing.
@@leonvanderlinde5580 It was a Friday around lunch time. Plus in the video Bill mentions that people are moved around the 99 acre campus.
They call them self's a antenna company! I didn't see and coat hangers, aluminum foil or rabbit ears.🤗
Hahahaha!!
I saw an 8 Bay FM antenna in Tucson AZ. Not a Great Idea to use so many bays near mountains.... That horizontal beam will multipath with 8 bays.
All that was is a factory tour, not much about how they are made. Please correct your title.
If you didn’t watch it you didn’t hear about how they’re made. This isn’t a “I’m going to instruct you on how to build your own antenna using the proprietary secrets of ERI.” There’s lots of videos on how to make antennas out of measuring tape and bailing wire on the ham channels.