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Lightning strikes WMBB-TV, knocks out audio (video included)


ProButtonPusher

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It seems those 1,000 foot towers make excellent lightning rods, and it's always a great thing when they're 10-20 feet behind your station. My station has been hit several times, once it litterally destroyed (as in, they were in pieces) our surge protectors and fried a lot of microwave equipment. Most times it's "harmless" in terms of what it does, if the surge protection system is good. I will say, I've been outside the building when lightning has hit our tower, and it is the most frightening sound you'll ever hear.

In WMBB's case, their tower is actually 25 miles northeast in Youngstown. The "tower" that was hit was most likely their (and WPGX's) microwave tower that picks up their satellite dishes (out in Majette) and transmits the signals of WMBB and WPGX to their respective towers. It also has WMBB's cam on it as well as an osprey's nest (that may or may not still be there). It's only about 100-150 feet tall, and on the opposite side of the building from where the news studio is. Still, that's the closest call I can remember.

 

Either way...It looks like WMBB took a big hit by this...at least technically.

 

I do remember a lightning strike that happened New Year's day 2006 at WTVY that hit their Power Doppler ball and fried their weather computers. I remember their meteorologists having to use pre-produced weather graphics and the camera shooting a computer monitor for forecasts.

In WMBB's case, their tower is actually 25 miles northeast in Youngstown. The "tower" that was hit was most likely their (and WPGX's) microwave tower that picks up their satellite dishes (out in Majette) and transmits the signals of WMBB and WPGX to their respective towers. It also has WMBB's cam on it as well as an osprey's nest (that may or may not still be there). It's only about 100-150 feet tall, and on the opposite side of the building from where the news studio is. Still, that's the closest call I can remember.

 

Either way...It looks like WMBB took a big hit by this...at least technically.

 

I do remember a lightning strike that happened New Year's day 2006 at WTVY that hit their Power Doppler ball and fried their weather computers. I remember their meteorologists having to use pre-produced weather graphics and the camera shooting a computer monitor for forecasts.

 

 

 

funny--I was just out at Majette today--WMBB has a doppler ball that I didn't even knew existed (I guess they dont use it anymore because they have Titan)

funny--I was just out at Majette today--WMBB has a doppler ball that I didn't even knew existed (I guess they dont use it anymore because they have Titan)

 

Titan is just an end-user weather computer system, not a doppler system in and of itself. It can be used both with an in-house doppler or with the NOAA/NWS doppler return.

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