TX 1 is feeling disconnected . . .

After the drama of these past several weeks, this week's work on the GTR project seemed rather tame. The goal? To get TX 1 ready to be moved across the room to its new location. The wires that had to be disconnected were disengaged and the top of the unit is off, so now it is ready to be moved.

This week's project toward the ultimate goal of installing the new transmitters, is to move high voltage lines over so that there will be room for the Thompsons. It goes without saying that prayer will be greatly appreciated with this venture.

Excitement grows as the aspect of more workers to come out to help with the project continues to develop. John Norczk from Florida, will be flying in on Friday and staying for a month. Kevin Baker from Canada plans to arrive in October and will be staying on for several months. Others are also expressing interest in helping for which we are very thankful.

Above are several photos as part of our visual diary of the GTR project.

P-u-s-h it back, p-u-s-h it back, w-a-y back!

That was was the project over this past week. Adventuring where no others had gone before, the cooling radiator for TX 5 was moved outside the building and placed into a custom-made box.

The new transmitters which will be installed later this year, will require air-conditioning to keep them cool. It was felt that leaving the radiator inside (from the remaining TX) would cause too much heat to build up within the building. Because moving and locating this radiator outside had never been done before, the TWR engineers put their heads together with others outside TWR and came up with an ingenious plan:

The main radiator was put into an air pleuum with a 3000 CFM fan. This was set outside under a porch roof that protects the system from the weather. The pleuum was installed above the air-conditioner duct work to conserve space. The 3" steam pipe was then insulted (inside the building) to reduce the load on the air-conditioner. The condensate pipe from the radiator was attached to the existing pipe inside the transmitter.

Since the move, there have been some bugs that had to be worked out, but overall, the crew is very pleased with the project, and over the past few nights, the transmitter has not tripped off as it had been during the first few nights after the move.

The Disassembly of TX 4

In the hit TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the cast seems to delight in the gutting and removal of an old home that is going to be made over. As the show progresses, we see a new and better home being built. During the second week in August, the TWR crew had a similiar experience as they gutted and removed Transmitter Four in preparation for newer and better transmitters within the building.

You can imagine the fun they had as they tore into the TX, taking it apart and tearing it to pieces! Over a couple of days the TX was stripped of its' aluminum parts, while later in the week with the help of two volunteers Rick Guerrero and Rich Dahilig, the remaining portions of the TX were removed; steel parts gutted for recycling, and salvageable electronic parts sent to storage for later use.

Yet as the TX was being disassembled, I couldn't help but think how blessed the people who were present at its' dedication 28 years ago would have been. They would have prayed for long-life, dependability, and that it would serve its' purpose . . . to reach Asia for Christ so that lasting fruit is produced. Through the grace of God, TX 4 has done just that, and we retire it with joyful hearts.

"the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:23