{"id":30864,"date":"2018-02-15T15:29:43","date_gmt":"2018-02-15T19:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=30864"},"modified":"2018-02-15T15:29:43","modified_gmt":"2018-02-15T19:29:43","slug":"cbc-1940s-transmitter-finds-new-home-in-old-jail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/cbc-1940s-transmitter-finds-new-home-in-old-jail\/","title":{"rendered":"CBC: “1940s transmitter finds new home in old jail”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Some of you might recall our story about this 1940s RCA transmitter<\/a>–here’s is the follow-up:<\/p>\n

(Source: CBC<\/a> via Mike Hansgen)<\/p>\n

\n

The massive transmitter is being moved from the former RCI site to the former Dorchester jail<\/h3>\n

Bill Steele is a collector of odd things. A year ago, for example, he bought the site of the last double hanging in New Brunswick.<\/p>\n

His latest purchase is less morbid but also a rare find: a massive 1940 shortwave transmitter that once broadcast Canada’s stories around the world.<\/p>\n

The transmitter was installed around the end of the Second World War and used until the 1970s. The Radio Canada International site outside Sackville continued to broadcast, but the 50 kW transmitter, five metres long and 2\u00bd metres wide, was decommissioned and used as a showpiece.<\/p>\n

The RCI property was bought in February 2017 by Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc., which had no use for the non-functioning equipment and put it up for sale.<\/p>\n

Steele couldn’t help himself.<\/p>\n

“I like weird and unusual stuff,” he said. “That’s why I’m putting it in my jail.”<\/p>\n

He bought his jail \u2014 now a gym and bed and breakfast \u2014 last year as a retirement project. Guests bunk in a decommissioned jail cell.<\/p>\n

The jail built in the 19th century was where the Bannister brothers of Berry Mills were hanged for murder in 1936, the last double hanging in the province.<\/p>\n

Steele’s enthusiasm for historical objects is infectious even when he talks about the paperwork that comes with his latest purchase.<\/p>\n

[…]Steele is hoping anyone with stories about the transmitter will share them with him on his Dorchester jail Facebook page, because, as Steele is the first to admit, this isn’t his area of expertise.<\/p>\n

“I’ve never touched a shortwave radio, but look it, I’m going to have the biggest one in Canada.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to view at the CBC website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some of you might recall our story about this 1940s RCA transmitter–here’s is the follow-up: (Source: CBC via Mike Hansgen) The massive transmitter is being moved from the former RCI site to the former Dorchester jail Bill Steele is a collector of odd things. A year ago, for example, he bought the site of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,305],"tags":[29,3422,631,1827,30],"class_list":["post-30864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","tag-cbc","tag-mike-k8rat","tag-radio-canada-international","tag-rca","tag-rci"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-81O","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":30410,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/cbc-news-picks-up-story-about-sale-of-rcis-1940s-rca-transmitter\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":0},"title":"CBC News picks up story about sale of RCI’s WWII era transmitter","author":"Thomas","date":"January 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"After posting a story last week about finding a home for the old RCA transmitter at the former RCI Sackville site, I was approached by CBC reporter, Tori\u00a0Weldon, who recently put together this piece: (Source: CBC News) 'It's like Frankenstein's lab': Massive 78-year-old transmitter for sale Mi'kmaq group hopes it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Door-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Door-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Door-1024x682.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3817,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/06\/cbc-news-rci-looking-for-sackville-transmitter-site-buyers\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":1},"title":"CBC News: RCI looking for Sackville transmitter site buyers","author":"Thomas","date":"June 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Just posted by CBC News: \u00a0a breaking news item which focuses on the\u00a0closure of the Sackville RCI transmitter site and reveals the fact that site owners are now looking for buyers. During my recent visit to the Sackville site, I spoke with their Transmission Operations Technologist, Marcel Cantin; we both\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/1-IMG_1986-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":30334,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/want-a-gorgeous-1940-rca-50-kw-shortwave-transmitter-from-the-rci-sackville-station\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":2},"title":"Want a gorgeous 1940 RCA 50 kW shortwave transmitter from the RCI Sackville station?","author":"Thomas","date":"January 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Amanda Dawn Christie who contacted me this morning regarding a message she received from\u00a0Marc Goldstein, who is seeking a home for a beautiful piece of international broadcasting history. Marc writes: We have been dismantling equipment at Radio Canada in Sackville, New Brunswick since July of last year.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Inside.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Inside.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/1940-RCA-Transmitter-Inside.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3202,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/radio-canada-international-to-end-shortwave-broadcasts-sackville-to-be-closed\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":3},"title":"Oh, Canada: Radio Canada International to end shortwave broadcasts, Sackville to be closed","author":"Thomas","date":"April 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is another sad day for international broadcasting. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has announced sweeping cuts that will eliminate 650 jobs over the course of 3 years. In a strategic plan called, Same Strategy, Different Path, they specifically outline their cuts of shortwave and satellite transmissions which will also\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/CBCbuilding-300x168.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3335,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/rci-listener-comments-carry-common-theme\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":4},"title":"RCI listener comments carry common theme","author":"Thomas","date":"April 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"On RCI's Listener Letters and the RCI Action committee's website, you can read listener reactions to the looming RCI cuts. To their credit, I've noticed that RCI programs (like The Link\u00a0with Marc Montgomery) are continuing \"business as usual.\" I've noticed no degradation of their content or quality.","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/TheLinkRCI.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3217,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/04\/the-link-talks-about-the-cuts-at-rci\/","url_meta":{"origin":30864,"position":5},"title":"The Link talks about the cuts at RCI","author":"Thomas","date":"April 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"In this interview with Levon Sevunts, producer for RCI's The Link, we get a little more insight into the impact of these cuts at Radio Canada International. One notable quote from the audio interview:\u00a0Sevunts states rather bluntly, \"RCI is getting out of radio altogether.\" RCI's last day of broadcasting will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/TheLinkRCI.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30864","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30864"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30864\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}