WOI-TV will increase its power to 100,000 watts at noon Saturday.  This is the maximum allowed for a Channel 5 station.  The increased power will extend the station's effective range to a 100-mile radius, according to Keith Ketcham, chief engineer of the Iowa State college station.  Ketcham says this is about double the area now covered by WOI-TV.  The increased power will also make reception better than heretofore for everyone in the area, he says.  Two new amplifiers have been installed at the station's transmitter - one to amplify sound and the other to amplify the picture power.  Additions have been made to the antenna to increase radiation of the sound and picture waves.

WOI-TV SWITCHES TO CHANNEL 5 TODAY - WOI-TV was to sign on Channel 5 sometime this afternoon despite weather conditions which have been decidedly unfavorable to the station's changeover from Channel 4, it was announced this morning.  After working from the station's sign off time at 12 midnight through the night and this forenoon, the local engineers and Texas construction crew had most of the inside transmitter changes necessary for the switch completed.

The workers said "no thanks" to raising the new six-bay antenna, however, when a severe thunderstorm threatened and finally broke loose this morning.  The men work at elevations of 500 feet, and the equipment holds considerable attraction for the lightning.

However, the station officials now plan, weather permitting, to hoist the larger antenna Sunday which means that the station will in all probability be off the air part of the day.  It is considered about an eight-hour job to get the old antenna down and the new one in place.

When the station signs on tonight, it will still be operating with the three bay antenna.  This is not considered advisable for any long period of time, but it was thought it will be satisfactory for the limited period.  Keith Ketchum, chief engineer, and eight station engineers plus the Texas construction crew which specializes in tower work as well as two General Electric representatives and one RCA representative have engineered the change.  The station has GE transmitting equipment and RCA antenna equipment.

These men will have worked a straight 15 or 16 hours by this afternoon and after a short rest will begin again tonight at the signoff time to complete the job.

TROUBLE DELAYS WOI'S SWITCH TO CHANNEL 5 - WOI-TV was scheduled to start telecasting by noon or shortly afterward today after some unforeseen difficulties in hoisting the new six-bay antenna prevented the resumption of operations on the station's new Channel 5 Sunday night as had been expected.  The hoisting of the antenna at the transmitter four miles southwest of Ames provided a literal show for several thousands of people who drove out.  Some carried camp stools and binoculars and settled down to an afternoon of watching the trapeze-like work of the tower crew from Texas.

There were two hitches in the operation Sunday to throw off the planned time schedule.  First of these came when a universal joint of the winch broke.  This made about a three-hour delay in the start of hoisting the antenna while repairs were made.  Then when the 5½-ton antenna was finally raised, it swung over, crashed into the tower, and one of the middle bays was cracked.  Engineers and workmen went ahead and hoisted it anyway and got it in place at 6:30 p.m.  They decided to weld the crack after the antenna was hoisted.

That and finishing up details remained to be carried out this morning.  While the local station was off the air, many persons reported fair reception from a Kansas City station on Channel 4.

Weather was favorable for the changeover both Sunday and today though on Saturday the work was hindered by thunder and rain storms.  The station operated on Channel 5 for a few hours Saturday, using the old three-bay antenna.

The new antenna is expected to increase the station's power from 18,000 watts to 36,000 watts and will probably result in improvement in reception throughout the area, especially the fringe area, it was noted.