[AMRadio] News of broadcast preservation effort but not for gear unfortunately

[Robert Nickels]

On 2/24/2016 5:14 AM, Rob Atkinson wrote:
> Too bad the focus is on records and recordings and not equipment as well
All the above should be preserved.   While this may be more interesting 
to Rob and others in our area, the city of Pontiac in central Illinois 
features four free museums, including one on Route 66 history and 
another featuring the namesake automobile.   The museums are great, but 
to my surprise on the 2nd floor of the Route 66 museum which is in the 
old fire station, there's a completely restored 1960's vintage radio 
studio!   This is the result of one local man - the former owner of the 
local radio station - to preserve this history.   He's not a ham but 
shares the same passion for this gear -  I've exchanged email with him, 
and will paste his comments below:
---

"My name is Lane Lindstrom, I'm a broadcast engineer and was one of the 
former owners of the radio stations in Pontiac. I also collect way too 
much vintage radio station gear, from consoles, cart machines to 
transmitters. The display I put together was to replicate an AM station 
circa 1966. It started with the full restoration of the Gateway 5133 
console from 1957 and it progressed to that with the first run set of 
ATC Criterian cart machines made down in Bloomington at the time. The 
studio is functional and I have never gotten around to putting in a RPU 
transmitter so it could be used on the local radio station for shows 
about the museum. I think the only thing out of place is the Crown 
amplifier used as a monitor amp. The Gates amp was giving me problems 
after intalling and I never got around to pulling it out and repairing it."
---

It is a very cool display and I'd urge anyone making a trip through 
central Illinois to plan to spend some time in Pontiac.  Is anyone aware 
of any other similar broadcast displays, outside of dedicated radio 
museums?   I don't remember seeing anything like this even at the Museum 
of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, which is also more aimed at 
program content.

I've suggested in the past that it would be great if someone could set 
up a non-profit group that could act as a repository for old broadcast 
equipment as station owners would probably rather have even a small tax 
deduction than a large headache from having to dispose of the stuff.

73, Bob W9RAN