This just in to the Sam Horn Newsroom: Ice topples 4 towers in Scranton/WB

[Sam Horn 78]

 

It's been confirmed to me that the two towers broadcasting the analog signals of WNEP (ABC, Local TV) and WVIA (PBS) came down early this morning from the ice and wind storm.

 

Unconfirmed is the status of the analog towers of WYOU (CBS, Nexstar) and WBRE (NBC, Nexstar). Both analog broadcasts were knocked off the air this morning, but I've received no reliable word as to the status of the towers. I *have* been told that both towers had a "significant bow" to them, so it's very possible they toppled as well.

 

More to come...

[Sam Horn 78]

Yes. The "WOLF Family" (WOLF/WSWB/WQMY) are currently the only operational analogs in market.

 

ETA and clarify: I should say that WOLF, WSWB, and WQMY are the only operational full-power analogs in market. There are shit loads of class A's and translators.

[mattw783 0]

Here's the latest...as of 6pm Sunday

 

WNEP's analog tower fully collapsed this morning as a result of wind and ice. According to news reports, the tower collapsed sometime around 7:00 AM ET. The tower also damaged the transmission building and their doppler radar dome. WNEP's digital tower, currently leased to WOLF (Fox 56) for analog with a small digital antenna built on top of that, was not damaged. WNEP's digital signal was restored at around 2pm ET and all programming was temporarily moved to WNEP 16-2 to feed to cable and satellites. Dish Network, Comcast, and Service Electric are comfirmed to have signal and they are streaming live on the web at wnep.com until signals are restored.

 

WBRE (NBC), WYOU (CBS), and WVIA (PBS) were also affected. WVIA is running only analog off a secondary tower. The guy wires to their tower were snapped and the tower partially collapsed as well. WBRE is up and running after power was restored to their tower, which is located several hundred feet away from the rest of the towers.

 

From reports on NEPA-HDTV.com, WYOU's tower is not damaged. However, guy wires from WNEP's tower cut down a power pole that supplies power to the transmission building. Officials are currently saying it may be 3-4 days until the signal is fully restored. Comcast subscribers in Williamsport area (central PA) are currently receiving WTAJ from Altoona until signal is restored from WYOU. Service Electric customers are receiving a digital feed directly from WYOU. DirecTV customers are receiving KYW from Philadelphia as a substitute signal.

 

Engineers say the Fox and PBS towers are stable but dangerous as guy wires are strewn all around those towers.

 

http://local.wnep.com/wn/photos.php?id=63697

Tower Collapse Image

http://local.wnep.com/wn/photos.php?id=63699

Transmission Building Damage

 

Scranton/WB Antenna "Farm"

 

Sources:

http://www.wvia.org

http://www.wnep.com/Global/story.asp?S=7503525

http://www.nepa-hdtv.com/showthread.php?p=4869#post4869

http://www.nepa-hdtv.com/showthread.php?p=4866#post4866

[Sam Horn 78]

Thanks for the details, Matt. I posited to my engineer friend that it may have only been a power failure that took WYOU and WBRE off the air.

 

I'm being told that WVIA's tower is a total loss, while you're saying it only partially collapsed. Any clarification on that on your end?

[Weeters 1917]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but according to the tower image, WNEP's doppler is on their transmitter building. In the photo above, there is half a round white thing left. Is their doppler out of commission too?

[newsie 11]

I would assume that's their doppler.

[mattw783 0]

Sam, according to WBRE, WVIA lost a "large section" of their tower. I've heard reports from NEPA HDTV's forum that they lost about 300' from the top of their tower.

 

Edit to add: WVIA does not have a total tower collapse because WVIA-FM (housed on the same tower) is still broadcasting.

 

http://pahomepage.com/content/fulltext/?sid=fa9c39068f5b4423565cbba7f7d6fcb9&cid=22546