In extreme weather, like, well, we're experiencing now, broadcast facilities often take hits.
That's just what happened to Findlay's WFIN/1330, which lost its 280 foot tower Tuesday during near-blizzard conditions in the Northwest Ohio city. The tower collapse took the station off the air.
Via its website, the station says it is hesitant to say when it'll be able to reconstruct the tower. But the message from WFIN says it is "in the process" of figuring out a way to return to the air on an interim basis.
Until then, the station is delivering extensive storm news and information not only on the Internet, but on sister classic hits outlet WKXA/100.5...
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
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3 comments:
The pictures seem to show that the tower simply folded over, which is much better than the entire tower falling off to a side. Glad to hear nobody was hurt.
How easily can stations obtain temporary licenses, or can they operate at lower specs than the active license and be legal (Johnny Morgan, maybe help?)?
I remember WPIC 790 in Sharon/Youngstown was running some odd antenna setup and low power during a tower reconstruction within the last year and a half or so (which they now sound really solid BTW).
The short FCC answer to broadcast stations using emergency antennas is...
do it.
The long one (for AM)
follows:
Bill Weisinger- WWES.com
www.SundayOldiesJukebox.com
Sec. 73.1680 Emergency antennas.
(a) An emergency antenna is one that is erected for temporary use
after the authorized main and auxiliary antennas are damaged and cannot
be used.
(b) Prior authority from the FCC is not required to erect and
commence using an emergency antenna to restore program service to the
public. However, an informal request to continue operation with the emergency antenna must be made to the FCC in Washington, DC within 24 hours after commencement of its use. The request is to include a
description of the damage to the authorized antenna, a description of the emergency antenna, and the station operating power with the
emergency antenna.
(1) AM stations. AM stations may use a horizontal or vertical wire or a nondirectional vertical element of a directional antenna as an emergency antenna. AM stations using an emergency nondirectional antenna or a horizontal or vertical wire pursuant to this section, in lieu or authorized directional facilities, shall operate with power reduced to 25% or less
of the nominal licensed power, or, a higher power, not exceeding
licensed power, while insuring that the radiated filed strength does not exceed that authorized in any given azimuth for the corresponding hours of directional operation.
No need for me to explain the legalities when the experts on such things have already said it all.
Uncle Bill's the antenna guru. I just defense white collar criminals. :-)
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