Need some tower help

[upstate29651]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

G

 

[thathoustonradiogeek]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

G

No idea about the TV Tower, but, with a little help from Radio-Locator and Google Maps, I can tell you that the 3 tall towers are, from west to east:

KROI 92.1 (formerly KRTS)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.29889,+-95.23639+(KROI-FM)&om=1

KHTC 107.5 (formerly KLDE; KTBZ; etc)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.28778,+-95.23139+(KHTC-FM)&om=1

KOVE 106.5
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.30000,+-95.11111+(KOVE-FM)&om=1

I hope that helps.

tHRG

 

[Mediafrog+]

IIRC, Daystar's KLTJ/22 (digital 23) is on the same tower as KHTC.

 

[CW]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

G

No idea about the TV Tower, but, with a little help from Radio-Locator and Google Maps, I can tell you that the 3 tall towers are, from west to east:

KROI 92.1 (formerly KRTS)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.29889,+-95.23639+(KROI-FM)&om=1

KHTC 107.5 (formerly KLDE; KTBZ; etc)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.28778,+-95.23139+(KHTC-FM)&om=1

KOVE 106.5
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=29.30000,+-95.11111+(KOVE-FM)&om=1

I hope that helps.

tHRG

IIRC the Frienswood tower was the original TV 8 tower (1000+ft) and later 47/48 moved on it before the move to the 2000ft sticks...I dont think anyone is active on the Friendswood tower right now.

As for the tall towers, 107.5 is on the 2000ft tower to the furthest south...the 2000ft just north of it has the UHF licensed to Bayton (Telefutra IIRC) as well as a non Comm FM on the stick...the 1200ft tower to the NE of the 2000ft ones is 106.5's tower....and I havent seen the new 92.1 tower site....been to the old one enough times.

 

[Mediafrog+]

the 2000ft just north of it has the UHF licensed to Bayton (Telefutra IIRC)

Azteca America KAZH 57 (licensed to Baytown) moved their transmitter to the Missouri City farm about four years ago. They used to be on one of the Alvin area sticks.

Telefutura KFTH 67 is also in MC.

 

[upstate29651]

Thanks for the info y'all. How about what appears to be an old TV tower in Alvin itself? That's not where KACC is...is it?

G

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Thanks for the info y'all. How about what appears to be an old TV tower in Alvin itself? That's not where KACC is...is it?

If that's the one I think it may be ... was an old UHF station (16?). Initially KMSC (later KLYX) would have been on that until they moved to top of One Shell Plaza in 1972. KLYX became KMJQ...not sure if they still run from OneShell or have moved in the decades since.

I would suspect that is only "TV" tower in Alvin, though.

 

[TexasTuner]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

IIRC the Frienswood tower was the original TV 8 tower (1000+ft) and later 47/48 moved on it before the move to the 2000ft sticks...I dont think anyone is active on the Friendswood tower right now.

Actually, that was the original channel 11 tower, when it was KGUL-TV back in the 1950s. KGUL was orignally licensed to Galveston, but realized even then, that it was in their best interests to cover as many folks in Houston as possible.

Texas Tuner

 

[thathoustonradiogeek]

Actually, that was the original channel 11 tower, when it was KGUL-TV back in the 1950s. KGUL was orignally licensed to Galveston, but realized even then, that it was in their best interests to cover as many folks in Houston as possible.

Texas Tuner

Can anyone give the coordinates to that particular tower? I want to "google" it.

 

[CW]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

IIRC the Frienswood tower was the original TV 8 tower (1000+ft) and later 47/48 moved on it before the move to the 2000ft sticks...I dont think anyone is active on the Friendswood tower right now.

Actually, that was the original channel 11 tower, when it was KGUL-TV back in the 1950s. KGUL was orignally licensed to Galveston, but realized even then, that it was in their best interests to cover as many folks in Houston as possible.

Texas Tuner

You sure about that? Found this on another site that says otherwise:
"Also KHOU Channel 11 started in Galveston as KGUL Channel 11. Channel 11 moved to Houston (Allen Parkway) in 1960/61. That is why Dan Rather was able broadcast "almost" live from Galveston during Hurricane Carla, while the other guys could only make reports over the phone or radio. KHOU was still able to transmit from their Galveston studio during the storm. The studio building is still standing on the corner of 45th and Video Ln. The transmitter tower located off Highway 6 on Tower Rd. in what is now Santa Fe behind the new Santa Fe High School. The tower was removed last year (2005) but the small transmitter building is still standing."
--------------------------------------------------------------
The tower you are referring to may be the tower they moved to as KHOU....the Dewalt tower that 11 was on for decades was not built until the mid 60s so the tower in question is not the original KGUL tower but maybe the original KHOU tower?

 

[CW]

Thanks for the info y'all. How about what appears to be an old TV tower in Alvin itself? That's not where KACC is...is it?

If that's the one I think it may be ... was an old UHF station (16?). Initially KMSC (later KLYX) would have been on that until they moved to top of One Shell Plaza in 1972. KLYX became KMJQ...not sure if they still run from OneShell or have moved in the decades since.

I would suspect that is only "TV" tower in Alvin, though.

Noone has been active from One Shell since the Sr Road tower was built in the 80s....(except in emergencies and then only two stations iirc have aux equipment on Shell...the master antenna there has been falling apart for so long, it cannot handle much).

 

[thathoustonradiogeek]

No one has been active from One Shell since the Sr Road tower was built in the 80s....(except in emergencies and then only two stations iirc have aux equipment on Shell...the master antenna there has been falling apart for so long, it cannot handle much).

Is this the building in question?
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=1shellplaza-houston-tx-usa

I've always wondered about that mast. If that thing is in such bad shape, shouldn't it be taken down?

PS: Senior Road info from the site linked above: http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=seniorroadtower-houston-tx-usa

Erroneously stating the Construction end date as 2001.

"The tower acts as home to 9 FM stations, 3 TV stations, and 15 two-way and paging companies."

Which TV stations? Curioser and Curioser...

 

[rageradio]

Isnt KPTY on One Shell?

 

[jd]

Folks, from what I recall hearing the tower in question near Alvin (off FM 528) was constructed in the mid 60's for independent Channel 16 in Galveston and it was not used by any other TV station. But it definitely was home to KLYX Clear Lake City (now KMJQ) for a few years beginning in 1969. By that time the TV station had gone dark. I'm not sure of their call letters, but somehow I'm thinking they were KVVV or something similar.

 

[rageradio]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVVV-TV

 

[CW]

Isnt KPTY on One Shell?

I believe they are on the Chase bldg or one of the other TALLER bldgs downtown...One Shell is a shorty at only ~750ft now...(it USED to be the tallest bldg in downtown when it was built which is why the master antenna and the TV26 antenna is up there).

 

[CW]

Folks, from what I recall hearing the tower in question near Alvin (off FM 528) was constructed in the mid 60's for independent Channel 16 in Galveston and it was not used by any other TV station. But it definitely was home to KLYX Clear Lake City (now KMJQ) for a few years beginning in 1969. By that time the TV station had gone dark. I'm not sure of their call letters, but somehow I'm thinking they were KVVV or something similar.

KNUZ-TV ???? No wait that was 39's 1st occupant which went dark long before the current 39 came along.
I THOUGHT the tower off 528 (just east of Alvin right?) was KUHT's original tower until the move to 2000footer in Mo City then 48 used it for a while before their move to the big sticks and the freq swap.

 

[CW]

No one has been active from One Shell since the Sr Road tower was built in the 80s....(except in emergencies and then only two stations iirc have aux equipment on Shell...the master antenna there has been falling apart for so long, it cannot handle much).

Is this the building in question?
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=1shellplaza-houston-tx-usa

I've always wondered about that mast. If that thing is in such bad shape, shouldn't it be taken down?

PS: Senior Road info from the site linked above: http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=seniorroadtower-houston-tx-usa

Erroneously stating the Construction end date as 2001.

"The tower acts as home to 9 FM stations, 3 TV stations, and 15 two-way and paging companies."

Which TV stations? Curioser and Curioser...

To dismantle it would cost way tooo much....The 26 antenna is still on top of it....so why take it down if it is still structurally sound? As an antenna, it would cost more than its worth right now to repair. When I said falling apart, I meant actually as far as integrity and operating..it leaks at the seals and other things that do NOT allow it to radiate like an antenna should....but its in no danger of falling, etc.

Sr Road has TVs on 20 (it was on the original Sr Rd tower before the FM antenna was mounted or rather attempted...20 had to go off the air everytime the winch pulled something up the tower during construction...and the last time, they didnt come back on), 33 (49s satellite station;LPTV) and probably another LPTV (43 maybe?)

 

[TexasTuner]

Can someone help me identify who is on the TV tower in Friendswood, as well as the three tall towers south of Alvin?

IIRC the Frienswood tower was the original TV 8 tower (1000+ft) and later 47/48 moved on it before the move to the 2000ft sticks...I dont think anyone is active on the Friendswood tower right now.

Actually, that was the original channel 11 tower, when it was KGUL-TV back in the 1950s. KGUL was orignally licensed to Galveston, but realized even then, that it was in their best interests to cover as many folks in Houston as possible.

Texas Tuner

You sure about that? Found this on another site that says otherwise:
"Also KHOU Channel 11 started in Galveston as KGUL Channel 11. Channel 11 moved to Houston (Allen Parkway) in 1960/61. That is why Dan Rather was able broadcast "almost" live from Galveston during Hurricane Carla, while the other guys could only make reports over the phone or radio. KHOU was still able to transmit from their Galveston studio during the storm. The studio building is still standing on the corner of 45th and Video Ln. The transmitter tower located off Highway 6 on Tower Rd. in what is now Santa Fe behind the new Santa Fe High School. The tower was removed last year (2005) but the small transmitter building is still standing."
--------------------------------------------------------------
The tower you are referring to may be the tower they moved to as KHOU....the Dewalt tower that 11 was on for decades was not built until the mid 60s so the tower in question is not the original KGUL tower but maybe the original KHOU tower?

I'll do some checking...the original KGUL-TV signed on as a Galveson station back in 1953...they had a shorter tower than the old one that's out at Alvin today..it was around 545 feet or so. I've got some old TV Factbooks from that time and will post what I find shortly.

Texas Tuner

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Noone has been active from One Shell since the Sr Road tower was built in the 80s....(except in emergencies and then only two stations iirc have aux equipment on Shell...the master antenna there has been falling apart for so long, it cannot handle much).

Just to offer a perspective from out-of-market .... I was completely blown away on my last visit to HOU (couple years ago) to see that antenna farm to SW off the toll road, as I recall. I had no idea that structures like that could even be constructed and it really blew my mind. Guess it's necessary with the terrain being so flat ... in my neighborhood we just look around and find a mountain, and jam a fairly short stick on the top of it. The down side, of course, is that getting to the TOP of the mountain can be tricky in certain weather....although it gives all the engineers a great excuse to buy a macho SUV and ding the station for at least part of the cost!!

One year a station I worked for was proud as all daylights they bought a new generator with a big herkin' tank that would last for days ... intent being to carry them though the stormy days when propane could not be delivered to top of the mtn. They were almost giddy when a big snowstorm hit not long after ... only to realize with complete horror as the snow fell, turned to ice, closing off the access to transmitter for propane trucks .... that no one had actually ORDERED any propane for that brand spankin' new tank and that brand spankin' new generator. Ironically, station was off the air for 6 days!!!