Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Post by **NECRAT** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:06 pm

KOKC (Long known as KOMA 1520) in Moore, OK's three tower array was razed by a tornado earlier today.

One half of one tower remains standing. In one errie picture, you can see the sidemarker lights still lit on the one half tower.

The site was three fairly closely spaced Blaw-Knox towers.

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/ ... n-tornado/

Post by **rockmanac** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:59 pm

I was just coming to post this. KWTV tweeted out a pic.

https://twitter.com/LacieLowry/status/5 ... 80/photo/1

Jim Sofonia · Post by **Jim Sofonia** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:07 pm

Might work as a Top Loaded antenna.
Have they tried getting back on the air.

Deep Thought · Post by **Deep Thought** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:40 pm

Those were 181 degrees tall...two thirds (120 degrees) would work fine. Problem is getting the top bit off before it brings the whole thing down.

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:34 pm

NECRAT wrote:In one errie picture, you can see the sidemarker lights still lit on the one half tower.

In 1970, KFAB here in Omaha lost two of three towers to a tornado. Story was that when the engineer on duty couldn't keep the transmitter on he looked outside and there was a beacon flashing on the ground not too far from the back door. I don't know how long it took them to get back on the air but since they still had one complete tower an ATU was carted over to that tower to restore some level of service until the two downed towers could be replaced. (ATU had to be substituted because the standing tower was the one with normally the least antenna current so the ATU wasn't as beefy as the others.)

That surviving tower stood another 35 years or so until it was dismantled and replaced with a guyed tower like the other two were. All 3 had been Truscon self-supporting towers.

Post by **NECRAT** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:50 am

Deep Thought wrote:Those were 181 degrees tall...two thirds (120 degrees) would work fine. Problem is getting the top bit off before it brings the whole thing down.

According to a news report, it is going to be taken fully down. They're using it as an STA tower for now.

http://www.koco.com/news/engineers-rig- ... d=13187451

BigRed · Post by **BigRed** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 2:13 am

That would appear to truly be a "folded unipole"! ;>)

HadYourPhil · Post by **HadYourPhil** » Tue May 26, 2015 8:29 am

Any followup? I would think by now all three towers are up, etc...

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Thu May 28, 2015 9:23 pm

: 1520 KOKC from above

This is Google Earth's latest image. After the damage; before cleanup.

Post by **NECRAT** » Fri May 29, 2015 2:40 pm

If you look carefully you can see the transmitter building is also badly damaged.

Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

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Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)

Re: Historic AM array destroyed by a Tornado (3/25)