WMTW engineer Marty Engstrom, who filed quirky weather reports from the summit of Mount Washington for nearly four decades, dead at 86

[newsbot2]

Martin Engstrom, 'Marty on the Mountain' - a Maine Legend Has Passed Away

For 38 years we knew what was happening on Mount Washington thanks to 'Marty on the Mountain'.

wjbq.com

 

[Mikey Radio]

RIP for sure. "Marty on the Mountain" was truly a legend. He got the gig as an engineer and then they told him he'd also be responsible for writing and being on the air to broadcast a weather report from the transmitter site atop the mountain during their morning newscast. He had a bit of an odd accent and drawl when he spoke, and they told him he needed to smile more, so he typically delivered his reports in deadpan fashion, then flashed a sudden, bright smile at the end.

If memory serves me correctly, not long after he retired the transmission site he once lived at for days at a time and broadcasting from was nearly abandoned or became a backup, and then not long after that, the entire facility caught fire and burned to the ground. it's still a bit of a tourist attraction to go up on the mountain near where the transmitter facility once stood, and look out at the scenery both in the distance and below, especially during certain times of the year.

 

[Oldie919]

Over the years I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking to Marty.....as a broadcast engineer and a Ham radio operator.
We chatted several times at the old Channel 8 transmitter...I used to hike up Mt. Washington 3 or 4 times a year, and I often took a 2 meter HT with me....I could check and see if Marty was at the transmitter site before I arrived on the summit.
If Marty wasn't there, usually Willie Harris (W1HQZ) was "at the helm"!!
Another ham friend, Al Oxton (K1OIQ), worked for many years at the Mt. Washington Weather Observatory.
Marty had a HUGE following.....and will be sorely missed....
RIP......and 73, for now......
WA1NBI

 

[boiseengineer]

If memory serves me correctly, not long after he retired the transmission site he once lived at for days at a time and broadcasting from was nearly abandoned or became a backup, and then not long after that, the entire facility caught fire and burned to the ground. it's still a bit of a tourist attraction to go up on the mountain near where the transmitter facility once stood, and look out at the scenery both in the distance and below, especially during certain times of the year.

When WMTW went digital they moved closer to Portland at a shared site.
The WHOM and generator building burned when the generator overheated allegedly due to the air vents not being cleared of ice.