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So who gets flooded out

R

radiosaur

WHBQ AM and 680 could be underwater if the forecast holds. Maybe WDIA...The Brunswick tower isn't necessarily safe, either.
 
Grapevine said:
Doesn't the Flinn compound flood when there is a light drizzle?
Click to expand...

It didn't used to. That building was built when Sam Phillips owned the stations. Sam knew the Nonconnah was in his back yard and had the building constructed on a raised foundation, designed to be slightly above the water line during "the big one". Water frequently collected in the back yard but never came inside that I knew of. But I DO remember standing in a control room, looking out on water was WAS close to the building! I wonder if Sam and his engineers got it right since we're apparently at or very near record flooding, close to the all-time records set during the great flood of 1937.

Sam was a very shrewd operator who was a fan of all things technical and engineering. At the time, his AM transmitted from a tower north of downtown, just off 51. He was working the FCC for power and tower change to a new stick he put up in the back yard. Anytime the creek would spill over into the back yard, that station had a GREAT signal for an AM at 1430.
 
Yes, yes and yes.
 
Hot 107 already has tons of water under their tower. The Transmitter is raised on stilts and could only be accessed by a boat right now. They were off the air some last week likely due to loss of power. Radio Now was off and on during the same period. They are just a mile away.

How high is the ground 730's new site is on? Seems like it would be very likely to flood if not already.
 
I'm told the tower bases at WDIA (elevated 18') are underwater for the first time since 1954. They're trucking in a portable transmitter and hope to have 1070 back on the air from the WREC site today or tomorrow.
 
I looked at WLRM's tower site and it looks OK according to the map even through there is probably water all around there.
 
WDIA is still off the air. All the others are on at this time.

WDIA is streaming along online but KJMS's HD2 is off also so DIA has no terrestrial signal at this time.
 
WGSF/1030 was off late this afternoon.

One might expect more shoes to drop. The most recent maps, for example, show WREC in the potential flood zone.

DE
 
Zach said:
Speaking of signals, how does the flooding affect the stations? They go off the air, lose coverage, gain coverage…?
Click to expand...

Actually, as Tyno said, it could be all three. If an AM station suddenly found their array on saturated ground and/or standing water, it would actually enhance coverage. If, however, the water crosses the base insulator or gets in the transmitter building or tuning houses, expect drastically reduced coverage…such as zero.
 
WDIA is back up. But, the signal is VERY light. Obviously, they have fashioned something temporary. I'll have to see if they file any STA apps.

DE
 
I'm hearing WHBQ-AM, WREC, WCRV, and WMFS-AM (680) near Star City on the ham transceiver this morning. Localized noise levels are very high though due to low humidity.
 
Hot 107 was off again this morning.

DIA is weak and with a nice loud hum but they got it back on the air so you have to give them credit for that.

I did not check this morning but last night KWAM was also off and the same for 1030 also.
 
Well, I was knocking on doors handing out evacuation notices today, and it just so happened my list of homes was in the Watkins / 51 / Northaven area. WHBQ's transmitter seems to be in no danger, but if it does go off they may not be able to get to it. There is only one way to it right now. WDIA may be a total loss. Couldn't get close enough to see.
 
As one would expect, WDIA has filed an STA request. The pertinent text on the app reads:

* * *
THE WDIA LICENSED TOWER ARRAY HAS BEEN INUNDATED BY RECORD SPRING FLOODING OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE TRANSMITTING EQUIPMENT HAS NOT BEEN DAMAGED; HOWEVER, SUBMERGED TOWER BASES AT THE SITE MAKE TRANSMISSION AT THIS LOCATION IMPOSSIBLE.

WDIA REQUEST [sic] SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO OPERATE WITH AN EMERGENCY ANTENNA CONSISTING OF AN ELEMENT IN THE LICENSED ARRAY OF CO-OWNED WREC MEMPHIS, TN WITH 1,250 WATTS BOTH DAY AND NIGHT. IT IS PROPOSED TO USE TOWER 2, FURTHER IDENTIFIED BY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1051770 OF THE WREC FACILITY LICENSED VIA BP-20091204AAP AS BL-20100513ALV.

BY UTILIZING THIS TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT WDIA WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

BY SEPARATE APPLICATION WERC WILL FILING TO OPERATE NON-DIRECTIONAL WITH REDUCED POWER DURING THE TIME WDIA IS UTILIZING AN ELEMENT IN ITS ARRAY.

* * *

WREC has also filed an STA request. Here is the pertinent text:

* * *

THE WDIA LICENSED TOWER ARRAY HAS BEEN INUNDATED BY RECORD SPRING FLOODING OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND IT IS OPERATING USING ONE ELEMENT IN THE WREC ARRAY.

WREC REQUESTS SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO OPERATE ITS LICENSED ARRAY NON-DIRECTIONAL WITH 25% (1,250 WATTS) OF AUTHORIZED POWER BOTH DAY AND NIGHT.

THE PUBLIC INTERESTS ARE SERVED BY BOTH WDIA AND WREC CONTINUING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

* * *

For those keeping score at home, 1250W is 25% of 5 kW; 25% of total power is the most a station may use when operating out of licensed specifications via an STA. That is all.

DE
 
I would think it would be fairly easy given this is a declared disaster area for WREC to get approval to run 5 KW ND 24 hours. Not that they have any live coverage at night, but just sayin’
 
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