Updates anyone?
As of this moment, the entire WVUA network appears to be off the air: http://www.wvua7.com/content/wvua-update
As of this moment, the entire WVUA network appears to be off the air: http://www.wvua7.com/content/wvua-update
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Hope everyone made it through the storms okay
- Thread starter Chad-Stevens
- Start date
My prayers are with everyone in Alabama tonight.
WZBQ Tuscaloosa and WERC Birmingham are both doing wall-to-wall coverage of the storms. You can listen to them on the I Heart Radio app.
WZBQ Tuscaloosa and WERC Birmingham are both doing wall-to-wall coverage of the storms. You can listen to them on the I Heart Radio app.
This is really a tragic situation and there's talk that this might be the worst tornado outbreak in US history. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by these storms, and with those who are working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep radio and TV working in the aftermath.
I will say, though, I still managed to find at least one person who was more upset that Survivor wasn't on than cared about the weather situation.
I'm really surprised to hear about WAGG and WTXT. Neither was, as far as I know, in the direct path of any tornadoes. And this is a good reminder of how important an AUX site is, and how important it can be to have an AUX site at an alternate location. I see a lot of AUX listings in the FCC database that are just reduced facilities using the same TX site as the main station. That's a bad idea if the tower comes down. WTXT appears to be using the old WACT-AM/FM tower at I-359 and I-20/59. Again, I'm surprised it didn't come down considering the tornado went right by that area.
To my surprise, the Clear Channel in B'ham stations are still in "emergency mode" with everyone simulcasting the WERC-FM morning show and aftermath talk. Rick and Bubba are on WZBQ and WZZK now.
I will say, though, I still managed to find at least one person who was more upset that Survivor wasn't on than cared about the weather situation.
I'm really surprised to hear about WAGG and WTXT. Neither was, as far as I know, in the direct path of any tornadoes. And this is a good reminder of how important an AUX site is, and how important it can be to have an AUX site at an alternate location. I see a lot of AUX listings in the FCC database that are just reduced facilities using the same TX site as the main station. That's a bad idea if the tower comes down. WTXT appears to be using the old WACT-AM/FM tower at I-359 and I-20/59. Again, I'm surprised it didn't come down considering the tornado went right by that area.
To my surprise, the Clear Channel in B'ham stations are still in "emergency mode" with everyone simulcasting the WERC-FM morning show and aftermath talk. Rick and Bubba are on WZBQ and WZZK now.
I was watching ABC33/40's web stream yesterday afternoon. James Spann had a tower cam on the air from a location in Culman County. He proceeded to point out an LPTV tower that appeared to take a direct hit from one of the tornadoes and was no longer standing. Any details?
Sharon Tinsley of the Alabama Broadcasters Association here... please let me know of any stations off the air, damaged or otherwise. We would like to coordinate help for them if needed. Contact me at 205-982-5001 or [email protected].
Hope it's not too far off topic, but James Spann is the man. I've watched severe weather coverage from markets big (Atlanta, LA, Chicago), medium (OKC, Memphis, Nashville, Jackson, Montgomery, Huntsville) and small (Fort Smith, Tupelo, Greenwood) and none of them hold a candle to Spann. Or really any of the B'ham weather folks. They're all a cut above.
Not only does Spann possess a dictionary mind of places and locations in central Alabama but he is always mindful of the radio simulcasts and goes to some lengths to read aloud and describe visuals for the radio audience. One thing his crew almost never has to do is use the computer to figure what streets or neighborhoods they're seeing on screen. That comes from being a part of the community you play to.
There's a lesson there for voicetracked-from-oblivion radio, too. I think most people know when the person on the radio wrongly pronounces names, like Inverness (in Mississippi, it's in-VER-ness) or in lower Alabama, Beatrice (Bee-AH-trice), so it pays to be a local with local knowledge of the area. Like when the Weather Channel says that Pratt City is a suburb of Birmingham, when it's really part of Birmingham and much more urban than suburban. Or the time Dan Rather mentioned Sylacauga and said it "Sill-ah-COO-gah".
Not only does Spann possess a dictionary mind of places and locations in central Alabama but he is always mindful of the radio simulcasts and goes to some lengths to read aloud and describe visuals for the radio audience. One thing his crew almost never has to do is use the computer to figure what streets or neighborhoods they're seeing on screen. That comes from being a part of the community you play to.
There's a lesson there for voicetracked-from-oblivion radio, too. I think most people know when the person on the radio wrongly pronounces names, like Inverness (in Mississippi, it's in-VER-ness) or in lower Alabama, Beatrice (Bee-AH-trice), so it pays to be a local with local knowledge of the area. Like when the Weather Channel says that Pratt City is a suburb of Birmingham, when it's really part of Birmingham and much more urban than suburban. Or the time Dan Rather mentioned Sylacauga and said it "Sill-ah-COO-gah".
I notice that in more than one of the videos from the tornado chasers, the guys* are playing a radio station that was simulcasting ABC33/40.
I heard Spann mention the simulcast network, "including the big blow torch signal of WZZK". Nice hat-tip to the Cox folks there.
*always seems to be guys, but that's another story.
Paul E. Burt, CE
Alert FM
Zach said:
Here is the video from ABC33/40 ... tower disappears around 1:59, just before the feed is lost.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ54lwbGUMM
I'll guess that the website isn't updated because the office building it was in was probably damaged, being in downtown Cullman.
And here is a video of the WCQT tower on the ground, also courtesy of ABC33/40
http://www.alabamawx.com/?p=47143
Skip to 3:45.
http://www.alabamawx.com/?p=47143
Skip to 3:45.
PTBoardOp94 said:
WCQT's studios are /were located in First Baptist Church, located across from the Cullman County Courthouse. Both received extensive damage during the storms.
WKUL FM is about a mile from the Courthouse...is WKUL FM still on air?
-Travis
Zach said:
If I'm not mistaken, the WAGG tower was actually taken down Wednesday morning by the first line of storms that blew thru. I had heard thru the grapevine on Wednesday morning that "a radio tower at the B'ham Fairgrounds" was down, but I couldn't find any conformation.
Those towers have been at that location forever. I wonder if those are physically the same towers dating back to the WSGN days?
quick scan across the dial here in NW madison county, only thing I'm noticing missing is WVNN-FM. no idea if they got damage or just don't have a generator running. WAFF 48 also lost their doppler radar in East Limestone when it took a direct hit, the base tower is still there but the dome and everything inside is gone without a trace.
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