Don Borchert: Pioneer Broadcast Engineer, Educator, and Antenna Visionary

When reporter Barry Adams of the Wisconsin State Journal and and photographer Mike DeVries of the Cap Times did a great piece on the Madison Community Tower last month, one thing was missing: mention of Don Borchert, longtime Wisconsin Public Broadcasting chief engineer, and the man who conceived and oversaw development of the 1,423-foot antenna cluster on the far west side. The Community Tower, which is owned and operated by the UW, is known in the industry as a "candelabra" and allows multiple users (4 TV stations, several radio stations and others) to share space on a single tower instead of each operating a separate large antenna tower.  The resulting visual pollution and land use impact reductions can never be measured, and the Madison community owes Don Borchert many thanks.

Don's other major contributions can be more easily enumerated: the thousands of fellow TV and radio engineers he helped educate with over twenty years of Broadcasters' Clinic, an annual conference/trade show he ran (I served as his UW faculty factotum) for Midwest members of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, and the growth of Wisconsin Public Broadcasting to the robust statewide system we enjoy today.

When I first worked with Don on Broadcasters' Clinic in 1980, he asked me if I had ever heard of an antenna candelabra.  Luckily, the previous year I had proposed building two of them to make TV news coverage of New Jersey easier for New York and Philadelphia stations, so I was able to pass Don's muster. Subsequently, he taught me a lot about how to run a conference, build a loyal cadre of professional colleagues, treat exhibitors, and manage people.

Don Borchert died on August 3rd, at 83. His obituary is here.  A celebration of his life will be held this afternoon at the Esquire Club at 4 pm.  May his memory be for a blessing to his family and friends.

- Barry Orton