Glass-blocking the windows at the transmitter?

[spinjector]

Does anyone have any experience glass-blocking the windows at a transmitter site?

We have one of the old 50's art-deco AM sites with an addition that was put on at some time in the past for the cell carriers. All the rest of the site has glass block windows, but the new wing has a regular window pane above the entrance door. It seems silly to have that security vulnerability when all the others are so much more breakin-proof.

I was thinking of glass-blocking in that one window, or just covering it completely, or even bricking it up to match the rest of the building.

Any suggestions?

 

[Tom Wells]

Glass block is cheap compared to equipment replacement and cleaning up the mess after a break-in.
Drop-in modern windows are only cheap in construction time. These days that's all anyone looks at.
Doing it the right way takes more effort and time. Don't brick it up and lose that natural light.

 

[radiode]

We replaced the windows at the KGB/KPOP transmitter site in San Diego with glass block. It wasn't cheap, but did resolve some "issues". There are at least three different kinds: normal, (hollow), vandal-resistant, (also hollow, but thicker glass), and solid. Don't bother with the "normal" block if you have security issues. The vandal-resistant ones are pretty sturdy, but can be broken. Usually, any breakage will be limited to the outer layer. Solid glass block is remarkably tough and will shrug off pretty much anything anyone is likely to throw or shoot at them. Glass block is heavy, which may limit its use if you're talking about a frame building...

 

[RolfTaylor]

I have installed a few Glass Block windows. The local dealer pre-made a block of blocks the size of the window opening.

Pretty easy.

For a transmitter site I would add angle steel to make it hard(er?) smash the whole thing inwards.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

It's too bad boobytrapping isn't legal. That's the real cure.

 

[spinjector]

Yay! Boobies!

After reading everyone's posts, I think what the rest of the site has is the "extra thick" type of glass blocks. I recall the kind I've seen elsewhere such as in restaurants for "architectural fashion", and these are definitely much thicker. But I was surprised at hearing of completely solid ones. I don't recall ever seeing those.

I do like the idea of a "pre-fab drop-in". I'll have to take some measurements and call around and see if any places do that; it'd be quicker than mortaring it all in myself. Although it'd probably be a bear to lift it 7 feet in the air. I'm usually a one-man DIY show, so I think the project as a whole would be cheapest, simplest, and safest for me to mortar them in myself.

I'll have to see if the local Home Despot or Blowes has them on the cheap.

 

[ChiefEngineer]

that's Home Repo

Thye have the cheap blocks. The good ones make a heckuva noise when you break them.

The old RCA builds up through the 1950's used the old style big heavy brick glass windows. Stout. These are not at Home Repo and I don't know a good source.

 

[TomT]

Try a masonry supply co., or commercial concrete block supplier.

 

[Tom Wells]

that's Home Repo

Thye have the cheap blocks. The good ones make a heckuva noise when you break them.

The old RCA builds up through the 1950's used the old style big heavy brick glass windows. Stout. These are not at Home Repo and I don't know a good source.

I guess I've never even seen the cheap modern blocks then. In Chicago, you see many buildings with ground level/basement windows blocked up.
You also see where one miscreant or another has tried to break in, made a hole in one or two, then given up as they too strong.

Home Depot has the gall to call colored chunks of concrete paving "brick". A BRICK is a vitrified/semi vitrified piece of clay or clay-shale.
If it's not clay and not fired in a kiln of some sort, it NOT a brick! Sorry, as the town I grew up in made some of the finest bricks, seen all over the midwest, I had to let that out.