BROADCAST TRANSMITTERS                          

DEDICATED TO THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF RCA BROADCAST TRANSMITTERS

Transmitter nomenclature used by RCA

Prefix

                                            TT         Television Transmitter                                  BTE    Broadcast Transmitter Exciter

                                            TTU      Television Transmitter UHF                         BTF    Broadcast Transmitter FM

                                            TTUE    Television Transmitter UHF Exciter            BTA    Broadcast Transmitter AM

Power level

The number following the prefix is the power level in kilowatts, except when less than 1 kW, in which case the number indicated the power level in Watts.  As an example: TT-30 would be a 30 Kilowatt TV transmitter, BTF-10 would be a 10 Kilowatt FM transmitter.  BTA-1 would be a 1 kW AM transmitter, BTA-500 would be a 500 Watt AM transmitter.

Series, Era or Line

The first letter following the power level number indicates the series, era or line, determined by when the transmitter was manufactured. (One exception to that rule was the last series of TV transmitters which had the letter code after the prefix!)   The first transmitters manufactured by RCA Broadcast were assigned the letter A and as the years passed, continued in alphabetical order there after.  As an example:  One of the earliest TV transmitters manufactured in the early 50's was the TT-2AH (a 2 kW A-Line).  The TT-25FH (a 25kW F-Line) was manufactured in the mid 70's.  The last transmitters manufactured were the G-Line series of TV transmitters with the prefix TTG (the exception to the rule)

Low band, High Band also known as Band I, Band III

VHF television transmitters had one final letter code to indicate if they were Low Band (Channel 2-6) or High Band (Channel 7-13).  As an example:  TT-25FL is a Television Transmitter, 25 kW, F-Line, Low Band transmitter.  TT-25FH is a Television Transmitter, 25 kW, F-Line, High Band transmitter.