TEMPLE UNIVERSITY NEWS

Rats Nix WRTI-FM Radio;
Transmitter Must be Hung

December 17, 1952

By GENE GELBER
NEWS Staff Reporter

"Rats," said the professor.

"What," said James A. Gimbel, WRTI-FM Chief Engineer.

"Rats," repeated the professor, "that's why. You can't put a transmitter there because of rats."

Gimbel looked concerned. The University was granted a ten-watt educational FM channel by the Federal Communications Commission and now it was the chief engineer's job to find a place to put the transmitter.

The transmitter, as big as the average water cooler, had to be placed somewhere in Conwell Hall because the antenna is located on the roof of that building.

"It seemed the best place to put the transmitter would be in the psychology laboratory on the twelfth floor of Conwell Hall," Gimbel said. "When I made the proposal, I was told by Hughbert Hamilton, head of the laboratory, that the presence of the transmitter might upset his experiments on rats. Short wave was being used on the rats in the experiments and the FM waves might change the results.

Gimbel left grumbling something about maybe the rats are waiting for television.

Then Gimbel thought about putting the transmitter in the elevator shaft of the building be he later decided that the high-powered lines might cause interference.

Next it occurred to the engineer that the fire escape in Conwell Hall would solve the problem. This was overruled because of the fire hazard it might cause.

Gimbel thought. He searched the building for a possible place. As his plight became more acute he began to show signs of wear.

Then with apparent clairvoyance of a mystic he conceived the idea of building a shack on the top of Conwell Hall to house the transmitter. After a short investigation, he discovered that the shack would have to be heated because the cold weather would affect the operation of the machinery. Gimbel abandoned the idea due to the expense of building it.

"By this time," said Gimbel, "I was ready to chuck the whole station. But alas," he continued, "we already had the license."

Time for the installation approached. Gimbel couldn't sleep. The transmitter had to be put somewhere on the twelfth floor on Conwell. The only available space on that floor that might be used was in the records room. When he asked if he could see a small part of the room for the equipment he was told, with regrets, that there was no floor space available.

Gimbel went to John B. Roberts, head of the Radio Department, and sighed that his efforts have been for "naught," Roberts comforted the engineer and went to the Buildings and Grounds office with him. There they were told again of the rats and the lack of floor space.

Roberts thought of hanging not himself but the transmitter. He made the proposal to Wallace P. Wetzel, head of building and grounds. Wetzel, agreed the transmitter could be hung in the records room in the twelfth floor of Conwell. This wouldn't take up any floor space.

Today the transmitter hangs over filing cabinets and now WRTI-FM will be able to send its educational programs over the air waves.

The last time Gimbel was seen it was reported he was buying rat-traps.