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WPEN AM Tower topples

Q

qtpieislit

Apparently strong winds associated with today's storm bent in half, or generally toppled one of 950/WPEN's 3 towers in Overbrook park. This is one of Philadelphia's oldest existing AM antenna sites. It even predates the road that runs right through the antenna site separating the three tower array. WPEN recently increased daytime power to 25,000 watts and has a CP for an upgrade to 43,000 watts. They once held a CP for 50 kW daytime but would have had to build a new 6 tower antenna site. That was abandoned for the current CP. WPEN's 21 kW nighttime is diplexed with 860/WWDB in Norristown to accommodate the power upgrade instituted in the mid 90's.
 
Good thing they simulcast on FM and have basically given up the idea that anyone will listen to 950.

What's the point of all the construction, now that they've started up the simulcast? Are they planning to flip it to something else, or to sell it?
 
I heard it WAS NOT one of WPEN's towers, but a 75 foot portable cell-style
tower on a trailer stored on the property. I think they used that when they
were doing site surveys and Phil Galasso did field strength tests a few years
back. Anyone know about that ?
 
aindik said:
Good thing they simulcast on FM and have basically given up the idea that anyone will listen to 950.

What's the point of all the construction, now that they've started up the simulcast? Are they planning to flip it to something else, or to sell it?
Click to expand...

they cant sell 950 there is a loophole that prevents them from doing that
 
Sam Lit said:
WPEN update: Yes, it was a tower down at the WPEN site - but not one of WPEN's three massive towers. It was a Cricket cell-on-wheels tower that was up at about 75' before it got folded in half by the wind. Thanks Matt Bartlett for the update!!

Those are called COWs. Cellular on wheels, used primarily for special events.
Click to expand...

Hmm.... I wonder if it was really the wind or some local punks who did it. There was a similar case of COW-tipping at a radio site in Florida a couple years ago:

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/cow-tipping-excuse-doesnt-fly-4-arrested/
 
Mike said:
they cant sell 950 there is a loophole that prevents them from doing that... i remember hearing this on the radio racket
Click to expand...

Hmmm, what's The Radio Racket?
 
Mike said:
they cant sell 950 there is a loophole that prevents them from doing that... i remember hearing this on the radio racket
Click to expand...

Can someone explain this "loophole"?

I can't imagine why they would be prevented from selling (if they wanted).



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