W6XAO Experimental Station…Now, KCBS

W6XAO Experimental Station…Now, KCBS

In 1931 famous California broadcast entrepreneur Don Lee was granted a license to begin experimental television broadcasts with station W6XAO in Los Angeles. The station later became KTSL, KNXT and is currently KCBS-TV. The ridge above the Hollywood sign, where Lee established his transmitter, is still known as “Mount Lee”. In the photo, this appears to be a “home made” Iconoscope camera. Don Lee’s name appears on the rear under the viewfinder. It was not common for stations to build their own cameras, but the schematics were available and a few very good engineers at a few of the early stations did this.

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