TV Broadcast Towers & Transmitters (photos, vids)

[El Gran Chico]

If you saw PBS's Frontline this week, there was a piece on tower climbing safety (or lack of it ). Mostly concentrated on cell phones but it did mention television a few times.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...-tower-deaths/

[Jase88]

^^^^
Having climbed towers myself, I've come to realize that safety really slows you down: I could climb a tower in a fraction of the time without using safety equipment. Though I never climb without using safety gear....

[Dave Loudin]

Here is video of WLS's analog antenna removal.

[BOUVAL]

One of the most impressive transmitting site in North America.

http://www.engineeringradio.us/blog/...nt-in-vermont/

http://www.fybush.com/sites/2009/site-090911.html

On this Web page, the antennas on Terry Mountain (the ones with guy wires) don't exist anymore.

http://www.necrat.us/wptz_protv.html
.

[wbooth]

In a prior career I managed Motorola owned Antenna Sites, one of which was the "Yankee Building" on top of Mnt Washington in NH. We had more issues there with wind and ice damage then any other site, not to mention the access was limited in the winter and when you did get in you might be there for a few days due to the weather.

[roger1818]

As announced in the OTA Station Status: Ottawa, Watertown NY, S. Colton NY forum, Frank Ryan tower in Camp Fortune, Quebec (near Ottawa) was replaced yesterday. A video clip can be found at CTV News - Historic local radio/TV transmitter tower taken down.

Some quotes from the accompanying print article:

The Ryan Tower on Camp Fortune, named after former 580 CFRA owner Frank Ryan, was taken down on Sunday after its receivers were transferred over to a new one.

The 65-year-old tower was one of the oldest radio towers in Canada and transmitted both radio and television signals since it went up in the 1960s.

and

The 38 metre tower was flown into place by a helicopter in 1961, as there were no roads to the top of the hill.

Ryan moved it from its place further down because the station changed frequencies from 560 to 580 AM, where it remains today.

[tvlurker]

I don't get this.

The tower that was installed in 1961 was for CFRA-FM, not AM. You can read the the Google News article from the Ottawa Citizen here.
The caption writer back then got things wrong, as obviously, what was being hoisted up was the antenna, not the transmitter, which no douubt was located at ground level.

This tower had nothing to do with CFRA-AM. according to the CCF history site, it moved from 560 to 580 in 1962, not 1961, and the AM antennas were always in the south.

1953
CFRA’s power increased from 1,000 watts day and night to 5,000 watts day and night, using three 288 foot towers on part of Lots 33 & 34, Concession 1, Nepean Township, Rideau Frontage.

1962
CFRA moved up the dial a bit – from 560 kHz to 580 kHz, and increased power from 5,000 watts day and night to 50,000 watts during the day and 10,000 watts at night. The station used four top-loaded 300 foot towers at a site located on part of Lots 1 and 2, Concession 1, Gower Township near Manotick.

from http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/i...d%3D456%26hist

1961
On December 15, CFRA-FM began broadcasting from the CBC’s Camp Fortune, Quebec transmitter site. Effective Radiated Power increased to 146,000 watts from an antenna height of 1,305 feet.

On December 18 at 6.00 am, CFRA-FM became CFMO-FM. All programming was separate from CFRA 580. The "FMO" in the calls: FM Ottawa. It was the first FM station to use separate call letters from its sister AM statiom.

Of course, it's not clear to to me that the CBC owned the Camp Fortune site yet. AFAIK, it acquired the site in the late sixties from Frank Ryan's estate, and that before that, TV and FM broadcast from a tower at the Lanark Street studios.

[HDTV101]

This is so cool

[Jake]

I am impressed. First the picture. And then that the forum was able to render it properly.

[Jase88]

So I'm scrolling and scrolling on my tablet, and then I see the goofy-acting dog. Made me laugh.

A little bit of everything on that tower...

[wbooth]

As a former tower site manager I see a lot of empty space that could be earning MONEY!

[roger1818]

Yes, a very impressive and funny photo! I would love to see the details of how it was taken. I suspect at least some Photoshop was involved.

[mrvanwinkles]

OMG. Where is the "You are Here" red arrow?

Climbing that tower would be like a Pilgrimage. A religious experience.

Say your prayers. Bring your religious trinkets.

Pray to your God for a safe journey. And safe return trip.

[MapMaker]

I'm sorry to be the naysayer, but the skeptic in me does not allow me to believe this "photo" that gives no location of the tower, no name of the tower owner, no idea of who took the photo, etc., etc.

I figure it must be located in either the Town of Strange, Ontario or in the Unbelievable Acres Botanical Park, Florida.

HDTV101, If this is a fraudulent photo, I'm afraid you may have unintentionally assisted by not giving us the source where you found the image.

[stecle]

I just happened to find this thread despite being a member here for a couple of years. I thought I was the only one who had a strange fascination with towers. My GF thinks I am weird as I strain my neck to look at all the towers when we are cruising down the Trans Canada.

We are quick to heap great amounts of praise on firefighters but there is a group of guys with big cojones that climb these towers. These guys risk their lives so that we can enjoy TV and Cell phones not to mention the numerous other services that these towers provide.

When a firefighter gets killed on the job, there is much attention around this tragedy. When a tower climber loses his life it doesn't even make the news. Not fair if you ask me.