WGPT TOWER ON TOP OF STONE MOUNTAIN

[gregg75]

The Christmas tree lights are shinning brightly on top of Stone Mountain once again.

Do you think that is the proper place to have an antenna? I know the park is commercialized,
but the rock itself isn't. Just because there is a history, does not mean it's right. I doubt
the tower is bringing in that much money anyway.

Would a tower be right on top of Mt. Rushmore? How about on top of the Statue Of
Liberty? Let's put one on the beach in Daytona. How about in the middle of Piedmont
Park? Is nothing in nature sacred?

 

[gregg75]

Make that WGTV.......... the brand is larger than the station.

 

[BarryATL]

There used to be a quirk in the law that allowed government organizations to use park land. The agency managing the park could not refuse. That is not the case anymore and both state and federal park services have been trying for years to remove towers from parks.

Kennesaw Park has had success. The tower is no longer on the top of the mountain.

As an added note, in some instances the towers were needed back in the day to give the airplanes a night marker for the mountain. Kennesaw Mountain was one of those mountains. Of course, that is no longer needed.

 

[Gregg]

An FM radio tower remains on top of Mount Washington, New Hampshire, the tallest peak among East Coast states. It serves WHOM 94.9, a Soft AC station based in Portland Maine that claims the largest signal of any FM radio station in North America, and also WPKQ, a country station based in Dover, NH.

WHOM started its history as a weather relay station, able to transmit the extreme conditions on top of Mt. Washington to a U.S. Weather Service office in Boston, about 140 miles away. A good FM radio can still pick up WHOM in the Boston area and its signal can be heard in five states and parts of Canada. Channel 8 WMTW used to also have its tower on the top of Mt. Washington, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Portland market and at one time the Burlington-Plattsburgh market and even Montreal, thanks to that high elevation. But Burlington in the 70s got its own UHF ABC affiliate and the population of the Portland suburbs south of the city increased making the Mt. Washington tower impractical. So it's only a radio tower now.

Going to the top of Mt. Washington, by cog railroad or twisting toll roadway (as well as a few hearty souls who hike to the summit) is part of New Hampshire tourism but I've never heard anyone say the tower should come down. The tower and utility building sit atop the summit (held down by giant chains due to the high winds) among the gift shop, snack bar and observatory.

Gregg
[email protected]

 

[kenglish]

If I remember correctly....to my teenage days, with the Sears crystal microphone and cheap turntable,...there was some kind of big deal about "restoring" Stone Mountain, and the fact that the new publicly-owned TV station was putting it's transmitter way up there was a great publicity stunt.
As a wannabee broadcaster, I really liked the idea. I guess it also made some sense, if they were going to have to put up aircraft obstruction lighting, and they were planning to build some sort of building and tramway up there.

 

[azumanga]

Channel 8 WMTW used to also have its tower on the top of Mt. Washington, serving as the ABC affiliate for the Portland market and at one time the Burlington-Plattsburgh market and even Montreal, thanks to that high elevation. But Burlington in the 70s got its own UHF ABC affiliate and the population of the Portland suburbs south of the city increased making the Mt. Washington tower impractical. So it's only a radio tower now.

The impracticalities of running a digital TV signal from the mountain had also led WMTW to abandon Mt. Washington, due to interference issues and potential reception problems in the Portland area.