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That was close!
Dramatic footage of WJOI/WNOR radio tower collapsing
into Chesapeake Bay. The station’s temporary AM antenna
is clearly visible (circled). Watch the video below. |
NORFOLK, VA, Mar
2019: The
salty ocean breeze that blows past the antenna tower of
WJOI Radio in Virginia finally won. Standing valiantly
beside the sea since 1973, the corrosion finally
compromised, and engineers told the owner that they had
no choice but to let it topple into Chesapeake Bay.
Demolition happened Saturday, September 14th.
See the video.
But keeping the 1230 AM WJOI signal on the air at 1/4
power during the next 4 months, while the replacement
tower is constructed, could have been a tricky and
expensive proposition. Saga Communications’ Tom Atkins
observes: “It was problematic to find a suitable
[alternate] location to operate WJOI-AM from
temporally.” But Atkins was able to leverage his
association with
Information Station Specialists to obtain the
company’s first production model of their new
HPR.0990 High Performance AM Antenna so they could
continue operations from the same site. |
"...the perfect
solution to continue operation...."
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Tom
Atkins, Saga Communications |
Attached to a
temporary mast lashed to the station’s transmitter
shack, the antenna is currently handling the 157 watts
of power, allowed by the FCC under a
Special Temporary Operating Authority (STA). The
newly designed antenna is unique in its ability to
handle hundreds of AM watts, while not requiring a
tower, an elaborate foundation or climbing-labor to
install. The savings to Saga Communications – both in
time and equipment costs – was significant compared to
other alternatives they had for maintaining the service.
States Atkins: “The HPR-0990, with its 300-watt power
handling capability and its efficient cost, was the
perfect solution to continue operation from the existing
transmitter location under an FCC STA while the new
tower is being constructed.” |
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The damaging effect of
salt air on metal – as illustrated above by a speed limit sign
near the WJOI antenna site. |
When WJOI’s new
broadcast tower is completed and power is restored to
630 watts, Saga Communications has the option to use the
HPR.0990 Antenna again, should it be needed as an
auxiliary.
The new HPR.0990 Antenna will allow an AM broadcaster to
utilize his main transmitter – at reduced levels – to
produce a much larger temporary coverage footprint than
would be possible with previously available whip
antennas, such as Information Station Specialists’
standard “ANXX” antenna, which is limited to 25 watts.
Yet, for some station owners, the lower capacity antenna
solution remains ideal. Example: In Atlanta, WYZE AM
1480 has been dark for several months, having lost
access to their licensed tower site. New owner New
Ground Broadcasting plans to begin operating soon on a
STA with 10 watts using a temporary kit provided by
Information Station Specialists that consists of a low
power transmitter, the ANXX antenna on a temporary stand
and a quick-deploy groundplane. The short-term operation
will commence from a building roof, adjacent to the
station’s newly acquired transmitter location.
Email here
to request more information about the HPR.0990 or ANXX
antenna solutions. |
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