Looking for HO Radio station towers

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi I would like to install a three tower radio station like we have here in NJ like the WABC AM station. I can’t find any models. Any ideas?

2

Several year’s ago, I made 3 Flatcar load’s of Radio antenna’s.

Try using this…

https://plastruct.com/product-category/structural-shapes/open-web-trusses/

Other than scratch-bashing them yourself, I dont see any other way of getting them. I dont believe there are any kit’s of radio tower’s.

I do recall that Lionel made a ready to use tower of some sort…

3

Train Cat makes brass etched towers as well as great signals.

The owners wife passed and I’m not sure if he’s there at this time. His kits are outstanding quality and detail.

http://www.traincat2.com/

Check the menu on the left side of his web sight “Radio Towers”.

I made my own radio tower about 20 years ago from brass ladder stock.

Here is a link to my blog about my radio tower.

4

Like locos and rolling stock, vintage is always better.

5

Some images: https://www.google.com/search?q=ho+scale+radio+tower&client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjjsfqcnNnaAhXst1kKHaYjDpgQsAQIJg&biw=1323&bih=693

A Busch item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Busch-Transmitter-Mast-With-Red-Blinking-LEDs-5965-HO-Scale/152980782986?epid=2254908446&hash=item239e5d7f8a:g:914AAOxyOalTZVne

A BLMA item: https://www.amazon.com/blma-models-scale-radio-antennas/dp/b000z5wfj4

Build it yourself video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r271UYWgPc0

6

These are great! Thanks. I model HO so I don’t think the Lionel would have worked anyway.

7

Thanks Maxman,

I like the Bush tower but I think I can build it for a lot less.

8

If you wanted to make a tower out of metal, you could find an old RF signal generator and actually use it to autentically broadcast a signal from from the tower. Simply connect the “hot lead” from the signal generator to the tower, and the other lead to ground and you’re a radio station owner.

If you had to use plastic for the tower, I should think you might be able to run a thin wire up the center and let it be the antenna. Not quite as authentic as using the actual tower for the radiator.

You could record record music and voice, giving your layout a set of call letters, run ads for your local model businesses, etc., and feed it through the RF signal generator. Have an AM radio playing in the room with programming from your layout radio station.

We’re talking AM here, not FM. FM is a different breed of cat.