KKOB 770 Tower Collapse

[K.M. Richards]

Unless things have changed since last year, none of the Albuquerque Cumulus stations operate in HD.

Now that you mention it ... I had forgotten that.

 

[uncle don]

Line-of-sight matters more to FM than AM anyway.

My use of the phrase, "I'm line of sight" meant that I can see the still standing AM tower from my back yard.

 

[Doctor_Technical]

Freak incidents like this wouldn't have been the last straw for a KKOB a decade ago. These days, though, they just might be.

I've not seen any mention that KKOB is the PEP (Primary Entry Point) station for New Mexico. FEMA might step in with help in rebuilding it.

 

[K6JHU]

I also don't see an STA for them but then my ability to navigate the FCC database is rudimentary at best.

 

[Mark Roberts]

I also don't see an STA for them but then my ability to navigate the FCC database is rudimentary at best.

I wouldn’t expect to see one until Monday at the earliest. The situation is so obviously beyond KKOB’s control that the Commission staff is unlikely to be sticklers for process as long as a request is eventually filed. There may have been a phone call or an e-mail from Cumulus explaining the situation, with the STA application to follow.

Kudos to KKOB for getting 770 back on the air so quickly!

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I wouldn’t expect to see one until Monday at the earliest. The situation is so obviously beyond KKOB’s control that the Commission staff is unlikely to be sticklers for process as long as a request is eventually filed. There may have been a phone call or an e-mail from Cumulus explaining the situation, with the STA application to follow.

Kudos to KKOB for getting 770 back on the air so quickly!

i ...believer...verbal STA's are done in extenuating circumstances.. plus, you have 10 days to notify 30 days to file... whern youre operating outside licensed parameters and need an STA

 

[xmtrland]

If KKOB is a PEP station. FEMA will want it rebuilt exactly as it was. Being a PEP station may be one of the reasons they were back on so quickly considering what happened. FEMA may even be helping with any FCC STA paperwork and approval.

 

[uncle don]

KKOB is on the list of PEP stations.

 

[davideduardo]

Here, from the International Radio Club of America, is another picture:

 

[radiofan2023]

Does KKOB still have the 230 watt nighttime only booster?

 

[K6JHU]

Still licensed, but in Santa Fe.

 

[radiofan2023]

Still licensed, but in Santa Fe.

Thanks, will that be affected by this tower collapse or not?

 

[alok]

I'd think WABC would be happy, as was mentioned earlier in thread WABC and KKOB (was KOB in early days) was at it years ago.
I'm sure today it is no longer a concern since AM has been forgotten by many.
Had this happened years ago WABC would, as I said be happy.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I'd think WABC would be happy, as was mentioned earlier in thread WABC and KKOB (was KOB in early days) was at it years ago.
I'm sure today it is no longer a concern since AM has been forgotten by many.
Had this happened years ago WABC would, as I said be happy.

Indeed. The original combatants in the 770 battle are long gone from radio.

Somewhere, though, the people in charge at ABC Radio back then are looking down on all of this ... and laughing hard enough to dislodge their halos.

 

[Kent]

Somewhere, though, the people in charge at ABC Radio back then are looking down on all of this ... and laughing hard enough to dislodge their halos.

I'm sure the irony of the two of them being owned by the same company for about 15 years would've floored them, too. Had they been able to work out a deal in the 70's, the KOB/WABC conflict could've been mutually and amicably resolved.

 

[uncle don]

Paperwork was filed today with FCC for a STA to operate KKOB using Tower 2 (usually for night signal directional) at 50% licensed power day, 25 % night nondirectional while a new tower is constructed to replace the destroyed tower.

 

[yeoldeschool]

20 years ago yesterday, the AM tower was struck by a hot air balloon that got stuck. TODAY, a hot air balloon hit the tower, causing it to collapse.

Balloon Crashes into Radio Tower; Balloonists Okay, Tower Collapsed - ABQ RAW

Albuquerque - Around 8:55 AM, a call came into 911 about a balloon crashing into the KKOB radio tower near 2nd St NW and Diers Rd. NW. The exact address is 10511 2ND ST NW. Twenty years ago on Thursday, the Smokey Bear balloon also crashed into this tower. The balloonists that hit the tower

abqraw.com

Another fun fact: The Balloon Fiesta was started to celebrate the 50th anniversary of (K)KOB in 1972!

What in the heck? Does anybody remember the KHJ tower demolition video from 11 years ago? (Hint: the soundtrack.)

It's almost like AM towers and balloons are mortal cosmic enemies or something!

 

[AbqAnonymous]

It's almost like AM towers and balloons are mortal cosmic enemies or something!

I don't if this is the case everywhere but locally most of the major FMs and nearly all of the television stations are on Sandia Crest. The FMs that are not on the crest are located in other areas outside the city. The AM towers are scattered around the city and this could be the case in other places as there are usually "antenna farms" where a lot of a markets' TV and FM broadcast towers are located often at the highest elevation. AM towers seem to be located in areas closer to the population which might make them more susceptible to accidents with balloons or small aircrafts.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't if this is the case everywhere but locally most of the major FMs and nearly all of the television stations are on Sandia Crest. The FMs that are not on the crest are located in other areas outside the city. The AM towers are scattered around the city and this could be the case in other places as there are usually "antenna farms" where a lot of a markets' TV and FM broadcast towers are located often at the highest elevation. AM towers seem to be located in areas closer to the population which might make them more susceptible to accidents with balloons or small aircrafts.

And AM towers often have to be in a specific location or small area so that their directional pattern will cover the market as well as possible.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I don't if this is the case everywhere but locally most of the major FMs and nearly all of the television stations are on Sandia Crest.

And that's also why all the translators are on Sandia. 250 watts at that elevation is roughly equivalent to a full Class A FM.