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KGO Off The Air...

BossRadioDJ

BossRadioDJ

From reports, KGO was off the air for about 90 minutes this morning, starting around 7:30 AM. From KGO's Facebook page:

Tuned in this morning but can't hear our broadcast? We're having transmitter problems. Our engineers are working on it. You can still listen to us online, though!

Then, a bit later...

Okay. We were off air again briefly, and now we're back on. I think our transmitter is hooked up to a Clapper.
 
On, but with obviously reduced power just after 11 AM...
 
Sounds like Mickey is getting his revenge.

I don't think this has ever happened before...they've always had backup systems galore.

Jerry Gordon KNUU Las Vegas
 
I can't remember this ever happening, either, although I haven't been around as long as Jerry. He's right, they have backups on backups and hot switchovers, etc. Hmm?
 
It wasn't transmitter problems it's what we like to call "A random on air furlough"
to save it's parent company money..it's just a joke so hold your comments!
 
SFStatic said:
I can't remember this ever happening, either, although I haven't been around as long as Jerry. He's right, they have backups on backups and hot switchovers, etc. Hmm?
Click to expand...

There are a few points in any AM transmission system that are usually not redundant.

First is the antenna tuning unit (ATU) which matches the transmitter output to the antenna. For directional systems, this includes the phaser which controls the current and phase output to each tower. There are many components, and the failure of many of them could reduce power, cause a mismatch that makes the transmitter go off, and similar things.

Second are the coax cables from the transmitter building to the antenna or antenna system. Arcing, a gas leak in pressurized lines, accidental digging on the property, etc. can prevent RF getting to the towers.

Third are the towers themselves. Besides going horizontal, lightening damage to insulators, etc., can cause the tower to not take the RF load.

Fourth is the transmitter building... things like flooding, loss of AC, structural damage, accidental triggering of a fire extinguisher system, etc. can put a station off.

I have probably missed some of them... but AM stations don't have backup directional systems, and the few that have an auxiliary single tower don't always have automatic switching to them.

These events are very infrequent, so a station could go for its entire life... decades... without any such failure.
 
OK David....but I still think it's Mickey's karmic revenge.....the timing is too perfect.


Jerry Gordon KNUU Las Vegas
 
JEREMIAH said:
OK David....but I still think it's Mickey's karmic revenge.....the timing is too perfect.
Click to expand...

I guess that's like the feeling among ER doctors, firefighters and cops that a mere mention of "... it's sure slow today" is a guarantee of a major demand on their services!
 
Did KGO survive the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake? I know some radio stations went off the air due to the earthquake.
 
I've got a copy of the Chron from that day, I think it mentions that two of the towers got hit pretty bad, I'll see if I can dig it up
 
travisl5678 said:
I've got a copy of the Chron from that day, I think it mentions that two of the towers got hit pretty bad, I'll see if I can dig it up
Click to expand...

I believe the outermost two towers lost their upper portions... one folded on itself, the other fell off. IIRC they got back on with reduced power into the inner tower which I believe is rigged for non-directional mode as a backup. I don't know how quickly they got back on, though.
 
David E:

sure the upper portions of the towers fell off.....but won't you even entertain the thought of
Mickey's Karmic energy making it happen. There was no earthquake this time.


Jerry Gordon KNUU Las Vegas
 
Madmansam said:
Did KGO survive the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake? I know some radio stations went off the air due to the earthquake.
Click to expand...

You're kidding us, right, Sam? Forget the towers...Planet Earth could suddenly collapse upon itself and go flat...and KGO would still be on the air, reporting the whole thing as it happened and talking to survivors...or at least looking for them.
 
There were some stations that were hit really hard though, the only ones I ca think of right now are KALW(I think it destoryed there studios) and KOMY down south (which was much closer to the epicenter)
 
rickradio said:
Madmansam said:
Did KGO survive the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake? I know some radio stations went off the air due to the earthquake.
Click to expand...

You're kidding us, right, Sam? Forget the towers...Planet Earth could suddenly collapse upon itself and go flat...and KGO would still be on the air, reporting the whole thing as it happened and talking to survivors...or at least looking for them.
Click to expand...
LOL!
 
Madmansam said:
rickradio said:
Madmansam said:
Did KGO survive the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake? I know some radio stations went off the air due to the earthquake.
Click to expand...

You're kidding us, right, Sam? Forget the towers...Planet Earth could suddenly collapse upon itself and go flat...and KGO would still be on the air, reporting the whole thing as it happened and talking to survivors...or at least looking for them.
Click to expand...
LOL!
Click to expand...

KGO was off the air for at least an hour or two after the Loma Prieta earthquake. I don't know that there were transmitter problems - maybe it was just lack of electrical power. I was returning from Marin County, and needless to say, I wanted to hear about it. KCBS was still on the air (on generator power, I assumed), and provided excellent coverage with Jan Black (Ms. Ronn Owens) anchoring.
 
Lkeller said:
KCBS was still on the air (on generator power, I assumed), and provided excellent coverage with Jan Black (Ms. Ronn Owens) anchoring.
Click to expand...

Anybody remember who anchored the news coverage on KSFO that evening, 21 years ago today?
 
Nope, but Matt Cates and I anchored on KKIS, after I killed the music at 5:05, and we stayed all news until midnight. For the 1st few minutes, 990 am was the only station on either band that was on the air. We had an airborne reporter, Debi Kennedy doing play-by-play, since CBS was off and couldn't use her. Also, I sent out the GM and sales manager with cell phones in Contra Costa to report, and we had staff monitoring the scanners. Both CBS and KNBR had to jump through hoops to get things going at their studio sites, in addition to KGO's problems at their transmitter site, as did a number of other stations. It was a crazy time. KKIS got donations from listeners and sent 5 semi loads of emergency goods to Watsonville the following week.
 
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