2-7-'24: Thieves somehow take 200-foot radio tower

[YeeHaa]

JASPER, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - A 200-foot AM radio tower in Alabama is gone, stolen without a trace.

WJLX’s AM station signal has been greatly impacted by the theft in Walker County.

Station general manager Brett Elmore said he remains hopeful that somebody will share information to help law enforcement find those responsible for the theft. Still, he said he is blown away by what happened.

“I have tried all weekend to figure it out, and I just can’t. I have been in the radio business, around it all my life and then in it professionally for 26 years, and I can say I have never heard of anything like this. I can say I’ve seen it all now,” Elmore said.

Thieves somehow take 200-foot radio tower

The station's general manager said he remains hopeful that somebody will share information to help law enforcement find those responsible for the theft.

www.actionnews5.com

 

[jeepyjguy1987]

This is too funny……

IRC reading on the site there is a member that does radio tower work, but cannot remember who..
He might enjoy this…

 

[HMP]

https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/who-done-it.158069/#post-2555062

Whodunnit?

Aaaaight.. Somebody 'fess up. Which one of you jokers has been down in Alabama here lately? 200' Tower

carolinafirearmsforum.com

 

[Pack72]

Police are looking for this man as a "person of interest".

 

[Pogue]

Well, an AM tower would come apart quickly because there’s no lines or antenna (besides lighting due to height.). The tower itself is the antenna.

You’d still need a jib pole but in 20’ sections you could have one down in 4 hours I bet. They’re only a couple feet wide so one person could easily handle the unbolting.

Or if they wanted the metal for scrap you could lay one down by cutting the guy cables pretty quickly. The towers aren’t even bolted to the ground. They sit on a pin

 

[Button Pusher]

They had to know what they were doing, you can't touch an AM antenna tower if the transmitter is operating, the transmitter gear was also stolen according to the articles. Most likely cut with battery powered saws. Typical AM tower on insulated base.

 

[Scsmith42]

A Rohn 25G is available in height up to 190' and uses 10' section lengths. It could easily be dismantled w/o a gin pole.

 

[Rob]

@1911gobang

 

[Jeppo]

As I posted in the other thread, it boggles my mind that ABSOLUTELY NOBODY (listeners, advertisers, staff, owner, chief engineer) noticed the station was off the air. It took the bush hogging crew to discover the theft. Must have been a very popular radio station. 😂

 

[ronn47]

As I posted in the other thread, it boggles my mind that ABSOLUTELY NOBODY (listeners, advertisers, staff, owner, chief engineer) noticed the station was off the air. It took the bush hogging crew to discover the theft. Must have been a very popular radio station. 😂

I thought I read that the AM station had been off for a while, but the FM was still on air.

 

[YeeHaa]

I thought I read that the AM station had been off for a while

 

[Button Pusher]

A Rohn 25G is available in height up to 190' and uses 10' section lengths. It could easily be dismantled w/o a gin pole.

Would be a bit difficult to separate if the tower was up for a number of years.

 

[Button Pusher]

I thought I read that the AM station had been off for a while, but the FM was still on air.

The AM station broadcast the same programs as the FM stations.

 

[Jeppo]

I thought I read that the AM station had been off for a while, but the FM was still on air.

The AM station broadcast the same programs as the FM stations.

It’s not unusual for one station to simulcast the programming of the other. But, that apparently nobody listens to the AM seems like reason enough for their license to be revoked.