Video of WOR tower demolition

[g4tut]

Video of former WOR transmission towers being demolished

Three giant radio towers alongside the New Jersey Turnpike were demolished on Thursday.

Police in Lyndhurst had approved the demolition, after halting an earlier planned demolition in September. Police had cited safety concerns and the possibility some people might confuse the demolition with a terrorist attack.

The 700-foot tall towers are owned by WOR (710 kHz) and have been a landmark on the turnpike for more than 40 years.

The station says the towers came down at around 11 am Thursday morning (1600 UTC), after one of the wires that anchors the structure was loosened. The station’s signal is now broadcast from a new set of towers and transmitter a half-mile north in Rutherford

A local CBS affiliate TV station has made available a video of Thursday’s demolition of the transmission towers.

The video can be seen here.
http://keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_011124211.html



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[n2nh]

I saw this on the news here Thursday. Too bad. They would've made pretty nice 160 Meter verticals. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[WA2ZDY]

Not them but the WMCA towers further south had been used on 160 at night by a ham I knew, now SK.

[n2nh]

Quote[/b] (WA2ZDY @ Jan. 13 2007,16:07)]Not them but the WMCA towers further south had been used on 160 at night by a ham I knew, now SK.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

When I was at WPAT, one of my friends used to do that at night with one of their towers too. I got to get back into broadcasting. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[NC5P]

Quote[/b] ]I got to get back into broadcasting.

And work for Clear Channel?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif Take care of 30 stations for the same pay as 2? The last time I was in a radio station was 1998.

Interestingly, back in the good ole' days I got to do some work at a SW broadcast station. They let me hook up my Icom to their massive antenna. I made a few contacts on 40m, nobody could believe I wasn't running an amp.

[KW0U]

As a kid in NYC in the '60s I enjoyed listening to WOR from those transmitters. They certainly gave good service. Oh well, time marches on.

[k9nj]

At night during the 50s and 60s, I used to listen to Jean Shepherd (K2ORS - SK) using a crystal radio with a bed-spring antenna, bringing in WOR just fine. Excelsior, you fathead! John K9NJ (ex-WA2VUY)

[WD8OQX]

Unless there was something wrong with them that they couldn't be re-used, all I can say is "what a waste" http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[N3ATS]

That's almost blasphemous. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

RIP WOR Towers.

[K6UEY]

WD8OQX,
I agree, however with the attitude of the 21st century to sue any one for any thing they could not chance it.Thier insurance company possibly advised them to drop the towers and take the loss.

If they has disassembled and sold or even given them away and some one was to become injured in the subsequent use they would probably be found liable in todays Liberal courts.

In todays business world merely offering a good product to the consumer is way down on the priority list.
You not only have to worry about payroll, but you have to satisfy the local authorities in their Tax extortions schemes and you have to maintain expensive liability insurance against the kind of KOOKS who pour hot coffee in their laps. # # #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
POST EDIT:
A good example is the phone companies and the power companies,it used to be when they widened a street or had to remove poles for any reason,they with a kind word (and usually a bottle of booze for the crew)would drop the used pole in your yard,even plant it in most cases for Hams.That practice has stopped. Too many law suits from guys falling off the poles,and also the old poles were preserved with creosote,some rat got cancer when he drank a gallon of creosote, so Uncle GOV, says it is harmful to your heath,so the poles get cut up into sections and they pay to put them in a chemical disposal. All part of the progress of the Future !! OF course the cost of disposal is passed to you the consumer,that way you get to pay twice !!

[2e0cul]

down with a BIG BANG:(

[K8MHZ]

Imagine what it must have been like driving down the freeway and having that tower crash next to you.

Do you think 911 got any calls that day?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[g4tut]

Belconnen towers felled

Another depressing sight, this time from Australia, as the three 600ft towers at the Belconnen Naval Transmitting Station, which have stood over the Canberra skyline since 1938, are demolished

Video of the three towers being demolished can be seen at http://www.southgatearc.org/news/january2007/belconnen_towers.htm

73 de Richard - g4tut

[ka5piu]

Hello.

The bad thing is that removal of towers is expensive.
Everybody is afraid of everything.
The old AT&T microwave towers have had people remove the horn antennas, silver plated, recovery of the silver.
But the towers themselves still stand.
It is the liability of demolition that is the issue.

[w3bv]

WOR moved its transmitter site to accomodate construction of a new golf resort in the NJ Meadowlands; potential liability issues or so-called "liberal" courts had nothing to do with the removal of the towers.

[kj8o]

Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.

[n2nh]

Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 14 2007,10:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Is that a U-25? Looks like a U-25B but the pix a bit small. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

UEY
Oh, "Liberal Courts" yeah, good one. Would this also be a thread that you want locked down? Or is this one of the 'good' threads? LOL! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[k2dbk]

Quote[/b] (k8mhz @ Jan. 14 2007,00:30)]Imagine what it must have been like driving down the freeway and having that tower crash next to you.

Do you think 911 got any calls that day?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Actually, they were supposed to be taken down a month or two ago, but apparently the folks taking them down didn't communicate properly with the authorities and they were stopped at the last moment. The concern from the local PD was exactly that: There hadn't been much public notification that they were dropping the towers, and the concern was that people driving on the turnpike would panic.

I work within sight of the towers (probably 1/2 mile away, if that), and when they were going to drop the towers the first time I had some free time at work so I grabbed my scanner and started driving in the direction of the towers, figuring they'd have the road closed, but the closer I got the better the view. As I was heading there, I heard some communications between the Lyndhurst PD Chief and officers on the scene that basically said that there was no way any towers were going to come down that day, and that he'd be on scene shortly. (In fact, he pulled up right behind me, where I was stopped at the roadblock.)

Unfortunately, I was tied on this week and missed seeng the fun as it happens.

Incidentally, regarding 2e0cul's comment: There was no bang at all. They cut some of the upper support guys on one side, and the tower basically came down on it's own.

[K4JF]

Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 13 2007,09:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Interesting, Joe. I didn't know we had very many shortwave stations in the U.S. Maybe a dozen or so nationwide, and you know of two that shut down? Hmmmm.....

[kc2egl]

Funny how the video is from a CBS affiliate in Austin Texas when CBS's flagship station is just across the Hudson River in NYC. I would have thought that WWOR TV (formerly WOR TV Superstation) would have carried the story. I was born, raised, and lived in NYC for 38 years. I remember listening to WOR radio. Now I live in WPA and have to wait until a half hour after sunset to listen to WOR in my car. WOR was and still is a legendary station. Yes AM radio still rules the airwaves in the Tri-State area.

[k2dbk]

Quote[/b] (kc2egl @ Jan. 14 2007,13:18)]Funny how the video is from a CBS affiliate in Austin Texas when CBS's flagship station is just across the Hudson River in NYC. I would have thought that WWOR TV (formerly WOR TV Superstation) would have carried the story. I was born, raised, and lived in NYC for 38 years. I remember listening to WOR radio. Now I live in WPA and have to wait until a half hour after sunset to listen to WOR in my car. WOR was and still is a legendary station. Yes AM radio still rules the airwaves in the Tri-State area.
They (WOR) did apparently carry it on the radio, but it looks like WCBS was able to get a copter in the air. It was carried on all the local stations, and in fact WOR's website has some video that I guess they took themselves (loaded to YouTube) as well as a link to WABC-TV's coverage as well.
WOR's Coverage of the tower drop (http://wor710.com/pages/182712.php)

[K3TJ]

A similar thing happened here at the Johnstown, PA airport. The powers that be decided that two towers were no longer needed.
If memory serves they were about 200 and 400 feet respectively, self supporting.
A National Guard/MARS member (based next door) found out about it and let me know. We did not have any hoops to jump through, the airport was happy to save the cost of the demolition. (the airport did not care if the comcrete supports were removed, just the towers)
We could not find any takers. We even offered them free to local tower companies.
No one wanted any part of it. Too much liability. Too expensive to move (get a crew, crane, 18 wheeler... etc)
One tower company even commented that they were too short to be of use for anything anyway.

If I had the cash for transport at the time, I'd have the towers. (I guess there would be hoops to jump through for the FCC and the 200 foot question).

The airport got tired of waiting and from what I am told, #torched the bases. Goodbye towers.

In any event they are gone.

Sometimes, you just can not save a thing. One mans treasure is anothers scrap metal.

Respectfully, Ed k3tj

[WD8OQX]

Quote[/b] (K6UEY @ Jan. 12 2007,21:00)]WD8OQX,
I agree, however with the attitude of the 21st century to sue any one for any thing they could not chance it.Thier insurance company possibly advised them to drop the towers and take the loss.

If they has disassembled and sold or even given them away and some one was to become injured in the subsequent use they would probably be found liable in todays Liberal courts.

In todays business world merely offering a good product to the consumer is way down on the priority list.
You not only have to worry about payroll, but you have to satisfy the local authorities in their Tax extortions schemes and you have to maintain expensive liability insurance against the kind of KOOKS who pour hot coffee in their laps. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
POST EDIT:
A good example is the phone companies and the power companies,it used to be when they widened a street or had to remove poles for any reason,they with a kind word (and usually a bottle of booze for the crew)would drop the used pole in your yard,even plant it in most cases for Hams.That practice has stopped. Too many law suits from guys falling off the poles,and also the old poles were preserved with creosote,some rat got cancer when he drank a gallon of creosote, so Uncle GOV, says it is harmful to your heath,so the poles get cut up into sections and they pay to put them in a chemical disposal. All part of the progress of the Future !! OF course the cost of disposal is passed to you the consumer,that way you get to pay twice !!
A signed agreement that says that they are not held responsible if anything should happen as a result of using the used tower would take care of that. (& any other used item as such)

[K3TJ]

WD6OQX,

Respectfully, I will assume you are an attorney, but you have not spent enough time in the courtroom. If you are a litigator, you must have a great jurisdiction to practice in.

The judges in the rest of the USA are a whole lot more inclined to hold a party in, rather than ackowledge a release or waiver of liability in order to dismiss a case.

You are thinking logically, I am speaking from experience.

Respectfully, Ed k3tj

[kc2egl]

Quote[/b] (k2dbk @ Jan. 14 2007,12:44)]Quote[/b] (kc2egl @ Jan. 14 2007,13:18)]Funny how the video is from a CBS affiliate in Austin Texas when CBS's flagship station is just across the Hudson River in NYC. #I would have thought that WWOR TV (formerly WOR TV Superstation) would have carried the story. # I was born, raised, and lived in NYC for 38 years. #I remember listening to WOR radio. #Now I live in WPA and have to wait until a half hour after sunset to listen to WOR in my car. #WOR was and still is a legendary station. #Yes AM radio still rules the airwaves in the Tri-State area.
They (WOR) did apparently carry it on the radio, but it looks like WCBS was able to get a copter in the air. It was carried on all the local stations, and in fact WOR's website has some video that I guess they took themselves (loaded to YouTube) as well as a link to WABC-TV's coverage as well.
WOR's Coverage of the tower drop (http://wor710.com/pages/182712.php)
I was thinking that WOR's TV affiliate would be the TV outlet to put out the video of the radio towers demolition. I remember back in the day when a radio station would carry exclusivly all the scoops of its TV affiliate and vice-versa. WWOR's TV studio is not that far from where those radio towers stood. They are even closer to where the new radio towers stand now.

[n3aiu]

Are we sure that their HOA didn't have anything to do with this?

73, Nick N3AIU/DL1NE

[k8jd]

We had an AM station move its transmitter so a mall could be built in Pontiac MI. The old site had 3 towers and when they moved the new location required 7 towers to satisfy the FCC's directional requirements.

[WD8OQX]

Quote[/b] (K3TJ @ Jan. 13 2007,13:25)]WD6OQX,

Respectfully, I will assume you are an attorney, but you have not spent enough time in the courtroom. If you are a litigator, you must have a great jurisdiction to practice in.

The judges in the rest of the USA are a whole lot more inclined to hold a party in, rather than ackowledge a release or waiver of liability in order to dismiss a case.

You are thinking logically, I am speaking from experience.

Respectfully, Ed k3tj
No, not an attorney. Just seen it done. But I WILL agree that what you said is valid & stranger things have happened. Just seems to me that if both parties agree & both prove it as such, that there should be no problem. But I could be wrong... (I guess it depends on the area)

[kj8o]

From another e-mail list that I'm on, I've heard from WOR's Tom Ray (VP of Engineering), a better video of the WOR towers coming down can be seen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vOdyQoCyqo

Yopu may have to copy and paste into your browser...

[kj8o]

Quote[/b] (K4JF @ Jan. 14 2007,04:31)]Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 13 2007,09:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Interesting, Joe. #I didn't know we had very many shortwave stations in the U.S. #Maybe a dozen or so nationwide, and you know of two that shut down? #Hmmmm.....
[QUOTE]

Actually one of the sites is Radio Vatican's transmitter in Italy.

WHRI (World Harvest Radio) bought the WSHB site in Cypress Creek SC, as their old site in Noblesville IN was being developed all around their transmitter (or at least, that's the version I've heard).

[k1rfd]

Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 14 2007,21:08)]From another e-mail list that I'm on, I've heard from WOR's Tom Ray (VP of Engineering), a better video of the WOR towers coming down can be seen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vOdyQoCyqo

Yopu may have to copy and paste into your browser...
I don't know Tom Ray, but I did have the privilege of working with Joe Bartlett back in the late eighties when I did the evening newscasts at WOR. Even with the nighttime pattern from those towers we'd get SWL QSL cards occasionally from faraway places.

[NZ5N]

Could someone help me with some info about the WOR towers? It says in the first post that the demolished towers were in Lyndhurst and that they were there for 40 years. But I used to live in Carteret, NJ, and the WOR towers were less than a mile from our home. We could hear WOR coming out of radiators and once even from a kid's mouth through his braces.

So did WOR have towers in both Carteret and Lyndhurst, or what?

[W3HR]

If I'm thinking right, the towers were just South of the Meadowlands Sports Complex. On the Western spur of the Jersey Turnpike.

[N5VRZ]

Quote[/b] (k9nj @ Jan. 13 2007,19:53)]At night during the 50s and 60s, I used to listen to Jean Shepherd (K2ORS - SK) using a crystal radio with a bed-spring antenna, bringing in WOR just fine. Excelsior, you fathead! John K9NJ (ex-WA2VUY)
I haven't thought of old Shep in years. "Excelsior!", indeed.

[ka7o]

We recently 'saved' a 198' tower here. Was used back when by a Christian broadcast TV station that's moved onto 'a better' site. They were looking to all but 'give' it away.

Our local club bought it for basically 'pennies on a dollar'. It's on County land. Eventually going to share some tower space with the county - they'll take liability for the site (we expect and hope!), it's on their land. And the club has not just a nice tower, but a very nice, air-conditioned, tight steel building for gear.

And yea, the thing is in excellent condition.
http://casperarc.net

[ab2kt]

Quote[/b] (k9nj @ Jan. 13 2007,20:53)]At night during the 50s and 60s, I used to listen to Jean Shepherd (K2ORS - SK) using a crystal radio with a bed-spring antenna, bringing in WOR just fine. Excelsior, you fathead! John K9NJ (ex-WA2VUY)
Sigh. That's right. Barry Farber before him, Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg after, then five hours of Long John Nebel...and waking up to John Gambling...snuck down under the covers so nobody would know you were still awake...

It's the kind of think that made you love radio, not just ham radio, but any and every kind of radio.

73
Frank
AB2KT

[K3UD]

And Randi after Shep


73
George
K3UD

[ky5u]

Quote[/b] (K4JF @ Jan. 14 2007,09:31)]Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 13 2007,09:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Interesting, Joe. I didn't know we had very many shortwave stations in the U.S. Maybe a dozen or so nationwide, and you know of two that shut down? Hmmmm.....
WRNO Worldwide shortwave was near my house years ago. Located in New Orleans (Marrero, La. transmitter). Impressive array of wire antennas. The owner was Joe Costello (SK).

[K3UD]

Quote[/b] (AG4YO @ Jan. 15 2007,11:49)]Quote[/b] (K4JF @ Jan. 14 2007,09:31)]Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 13 2007,09:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Interesting, Joe. I didn't know we had very many shortwave stations in the U.S. Maybe a dozen or so nationwide, and you know of two that shut down? Hmmmm.....
WRNO Worldwide shortwave was near my house years ago. Located in New Orleans (Marrero, La. transmitter). Impressive array of wire antennas. The owner was Joe Costello (SK).
Charlie,

I used to listen to them (WRNO) a long time when they called themselves 'The Rock of The World'. They were always at least 40 over but usually pinning the meter.

73
George
K3UD

[kj8o]

[QUOTE]

I actually miss them. I first listened to them on SW in the late 80's when they used "Rock of New Orleans" as their slogan.

They even aired a Dodge commercial, and I recognized the voice, WJR's J. P. McCarthy (SK) used to a lot of voice overs for commercials on the side. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[n2nh]

Quote[/b] (AG4YO @ Jan. 15 2007,11:49)]Quote[/b] (K4JF @ Jan. 14 2007,09:31)]Quote[/b] (KD8DLU @ Jan. 13 2007,09:44)]Over the last few years, I have heard of at least two shortwave stations where real estate developers have build very close to the radiation fields of broadcasting antennas. In one way, I am surprised that we haven't heard of more cases like this.
Interesting, Joe. I didn't know we had very many shortwave stations in the U.S. Maybe a dozen or so nationwide, and you know of two that shut down? Hmmmm.....
WRNO Worldwide shortwave was near my house years ago. Located in New Orleans (Marrero, La. transmitter). Impressive array of wire antennas. The owner was Joe Costello (SK).
Caught them on their first day of operation. They sent a nice certificate too. Too bad all the new SWB are sky pilots. When they changed their pattern at night, they'd drop quite a bit with some fading here, but their music was still better than most of the locals.

[k1lwi]

MY OLD FRIEND W1QHC NOW W1UQ WAS RADIO ENG AT THE OLD WMEX 1510 IN BOSTON HE USE WMEX TOWERS #AT NITE ON 160 METERS THE STATION #WAS OFF MONDAY MORING THAT WAY IT WAS IN THE OLD DAYS NO 24/ 7 MOST STATIONS OFF MONDAY FOR TESTING HI NOW THE OLD TOWERS ARE #NO MORE HE HAD A BIG SIG IN EUROPE BACK IN THE LATE 50S
WENDELL K1LWI #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[k1lwi]

ALSO REMEMBER THE OLD VOA TOWERS IN SRACHUSE, NEW YORK #ANTENNA #WAS COLLINEAR WIRES ANT BUT NO MORE RIGHT OFF NY THRUWAY THIS WAS BACK IN THE 60S HI #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
WENDELL K1LWI

[W2BOB]

All the TV stations in NYC carried the tower demonition clips. WOR radio has no affiliation with WWOR-TV, since General Tire sold the facilties 40 years ago.

The CBS clip was supplied by WCBS-TV. As a 28 year veteran of WCBS-AM, WCBS-TV and the CBS TV Network, I recall the day in August 1967 when a private aircraft took down the tower used by WCBS & WNBC as the plane was on a final to La Guardia airport. We started the Newsradio format on WCBS-FM instead.

I also did some transmitter maintenance on WCBS-AM along with 2 other techs. All 3 of us were hams, but we never had time to to think about ham radio at that site due to work duties and the fact that while we worked on the 50kw Xmtr, the 10kw was still on the air..

[k9aub]

A shame those towers couldn't somehow have been used for amateur radio purposes. You know they had an excellent ground radial system under them, and they could have been tuned and matched for ham radio frequencies, where they would have exhibited a LOT of gain on ANY band.

I used to be QSL manager for EL2CA in Monrovia, Liberia, and he was an engineer for the big VOA transmitter there. When available, he used to get onto one of the giant Rhombic antennas used by VOA. And with 100 watts, he could bore a hole in the band into the States. I can still remember his gigantic signal on 40 meters SSB when he would get onto that antenna with only 100 watts. If I were a billionaire, I can tell you the antenna system I'd have! Or maybe I might be lucky enough to buy a tower setup like they knocked down.

[N0NB]

Quote[/b] (k9aub @ Jan. 15 2007,17:31)]A shame those towers couldn't somehow have been used for amateur radio purposes. #You know they had an excellent ground radial system under them, and they could have been tuned and matched for ham radio frequencies, where they would have exhibited a LOT of gain on ANY band.
From what I read, the towers were felled to make way for development. #With Eminent Domain as it is now, there is no way a ham could hold onto that property. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[K1MH]

Quote[/b] (N0NB @ Jan. 15 2007,17:58)]Quote[/b] (k9aub @ Jan. 15 2007,17:31)]A shame those towers couldn't somehow have been used for amateur radio purposes. #You know they had an excellent ground radial system under them, and they could have been tuned and matched for ham radio frequencies, where they would have exhibited a LOT of gain on ANY band.
From what I read, the towers were felled to make way for development. #With Eminent Domain as it is now, there is no way a ham could hold onto that property. # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
Well if they weren't developing the land there would be no need to move the towers a half mile away.

The station got a new transmitter plant out of the deal, although I imagine it was a pain in the butt for Tom Ray.

73,

Mike

[N8ODF]

Quote[/b] (ka5piu @ Jan. 14 2007,06:02)]Hello.

The bad thing is that removal of towers is expensive.
Everybody is afraid of everything.
The old AT&T microwave towers have had people remove the horn antennas, silver plated, recovery of the silver.
But the towers themselves still stand.
It is the liability of demolition that is the issue.
FYI....Western Electric/AT&T KS horns do not have silver in their construction

[w3wn]

Quote[/b] ]I was thinking that WOR's TV affiliate would be the TV outlet to put out the video of the radio towers demolition. #I remember back in the day when a radio station would carry exclusivly all the scoops of its TV affiliate and vice-versa. #WWOR's TV studio is not that far from where those radio towers stood. #They are even closer to where the new radio towers stand now.
WOR and WWOR are no longer affiliated.

When RKO General (owned by General Tire) got into hot water with the FCC, and the FCC had planned to pull their license, they tried several different ways to avoid divesting the TV outlet. #That's one of the reasons that WOR-TV changed it's city/state of license from NY, NY to Seacaucus, NJ -- at the time, NJ had no VHF TV outlets (WNET Channel 13, the PBS station, was at one time licensed to Newark, NJ as a commercial station -- but in the time frame I'm thinking of, they'd become a PBS station & they'd also changed to NYC).

The plan didn't work, and they ended up forced into selling WOR-TV. #But since they kept WOR-AM, for a time, the TV station had to get a new license, thus WWOR. #[And on an unrelated note, I think there are other cases of a 3 Letter Radio/TV combo being split up, with one, usually the TV, getting an extra "W" or "K" in their call instead of an entirely new call. #But I could be wrong!]

WWOR has gone through several ownership changes since then, and I believe RKO General was eventually forced to divest all of their broadcast interests; WOR-AM and the former WOR-FM (WRKC?) now have new owners too, as do the other related stations from the RKO General days.

As I recall, RKO General did lose their Boston TV license prior to having to sell WOR (was it WNAC-TV or am I thinking of the wrong station?). #I don't recall all of the details off-hand, but I'm sure someone with more in depth knowledge of the situations will chime in here sooner or later!

73, ron w3wn

[k1rfd]

[QUOTE=Quote ]...WOR-AM and the former WOR-FM (WRKC?) now have new owners too, as do the other related stations from the RKO General days.
WOR-FM (which at the time was often confused with WRFM, at the other end of the dial) became WXLO and then WRKS-FM.

WRKS-FM was sold by RKO General in the late 1980s. #I believe it has changed hands again at least once since then.

[w6axm]

There was a time while we were building the Hackettstown array for K2JIA's AM station there that I hooked up my Atlas 180 to one of Larry's towers through a Dentron tuner.

The reception was totally astounding on 160 even during the middle of the afternoon. The super grrod ground radial set is the key, I am sure.

[KB2SEO]

Well I just got to add my 2 copper hunks. As I grew up, I would marvel at those towers -we never had that stuff near my little cove in the world down the shore! I would head towards NYC with the family and gawk out the windows . Later when I got into Radio Hobby, I smiled all the more.

It's sad to see them come down, I could hear them all day and night from Pt. Pleasant.

Hope the new ones will let me hear NJ down here in GA!

[wa4ilh]

Quote[/b] (k9nj @ Jan. 13 2007,17:53)]At night during the 50s and 60s, I used to listen to Jean Shepherd (K2ORS - SK) using a crystal radio with a bed-spring antenna, bringing in WOR just fine. Excelsior, you fathead! John K9NJ (ex-WA2VUY)
Yep, I also grew up listening to the "Shep". With a 2 transistor radio from Elizabeth, N.J. I'd fall asleep frequently and then have to buy a new battery.(which was only $.19 then. Tom WA4ILH

[W2BOB]

I used to listen to Shep in the '50's, on WOR as well. I got a kick out of his "invectives". I recall driving my 1953 Chevy at night down a busy street here on Long Island, NY, when Shep asked all his mobile listeners to flash their Hi Beam headlights and hit their horn. I witnessed at least a dozen autos flash their lights as soon as Shep counted to 3.

BTW, I had a contact with Shep on WA2EXP's 2 meter repeater in NYC in the late 60's and had the pleasure of an eyeball QSO with him when we both worked at WCBS Radio in the 70's. He was a down to earth guy who was very talented. As K2ORS used to say ... _._ Diddilly Dah Di Dah!

[w4lgh]

Over the past years, (mid-80's) I had 3 radio stations give me their old towers for the service of taking them down. Contracts were written, and they were actually purchased by me for the sum of $1. Once purchased, and now the legal owner, the libility was also transfered to ME. This left the station in the clear. In the contract, it was also stated that the tower had to be removed within a certain time, and that the worked had to be done by a licensed & bonded tower company. I see no reason why this would NOT hold true today as well.

Once this was set in stone, I had the tower crew remove the tower and re-install it @ its new location, where I leased time on them. Not to bad to get a 350-400' tower for $5000 then, and that was the re-installed price. I am sure it would be a lot more today, and I have no idea on what tower space is going for anymore or what the demand is. Have been away from that business for over 15yrs now, but it was pretty good then! Also my tower climbing days are long over, but I use to run up and down them in my day. I too did broadcast work then, but wouldn't be interested in it at all with the way stations are owned and operated by one company.

However ,I would still love to own a little 3-5kw AM station.
Something I have always wanted to own, and I still think you could make it pay its own way, if managed right.

73 de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com

[w2trr]

In regards to reuse of the WOR towers:

With the new tower standards, by the time you took the towers down, analyzed them, did what was necessary to make them meet the new standards, transported them to a new location, and put them back up, you could buy 2 new towers for each one in the array. That is why they were dropped. They are going to a recycler.

And WOR does not have a TV outlet - haven't since the 1980's. WWOR-TV is owned by Fox Television...the old WOR-FM is now Hot 97.

Frankly, the best video was from WABC-TV. They did a 3 camera shoot.

In the tower field, two of the three tuning houses were untouched. The tuning house for tower #1 was hit dead center by guy wires and looked like a tin can someone put a cherry bomb under.

We moved the site because the area is being redeveloped and we had no choice.

The first time around was because the owners of the land the towers stand on (the developer) didn't make the proper notifications...it had nothing to do with WOR. We had done everything we were supposed to do.

You can also see some good shots at http://www.fybush.com.

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at tomray@wor710.com.

Tom Ray CPBE, KC2NTU
VP/Corporate Director of Engineering
Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio
NYC

[wa2rcb]

My guess is the scrap steel, which is what these towers now unfortunatly are, will be cut into nice bundles and shipped out to smelters in China, where no doubt they will be recycled into sheet steel and used for new DVD players, automobile car bodies, Dollar store xmas ornaments, Sunbeam toaster frames, Black & Decker rechargable power tool motors, electric fan grilles.....or perhaps even as ordinance shells contaning high explosives that China may fire at Taiwan or it's navy someday from those nice new Luyang II Class Guided Missile Destroyers which are a "Chinese copy" of ours. (using stolen technology of course - how quaint..)

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtr....78.html (http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/05/front2453572.990277778.html)

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/luhai.htm

footnote: Ain't the "Global Economy" just grand ?? #Let's just hope the scrap steel does not ultimatly go and wind up in Iran where they will likely 'park it' someplace near the Straits of Hormuz looking for Supertankers traversing the same... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[w3wn]

Quote[/b] (wa2rcb @ Jan. 18 2007,21:32)]My guess is
*sigh*

Must we always have threads hijacked?

[w3wn]

Quote[/b] (KC2NTU @ Jan. 18 2007,16:55)]In regards to reuse of the WOR towers:
<clip>
You can also see some good shots at http://www.fybush.com.

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at tomray@wor710.com.

Tom Ray CPBE, KC2NTU
VP/Corporate Director of Engineering
Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio
NYC
Tom,

Thanks for the update "from the source" so to speak. It's nice to get the details straight from the source as opposed to educated guesses & idle speculation!

I didn't know that Buckley Broadcasting didn't own the land the towers sat on (or did I misunderstand that?) Considering how long and how far back the WOR towers go, you'd have thought otherwise... or did the land ownership get separated from the radio station ownership somewhere along the way in the many transfers since Bamberber Broadcasting...

Also, out of idle curiousity, as another soul who's younger self was twisted, er, influenced by Jean Shepard K2ORS (SK) back in the day... any chance that any of Shep's old programs could resurface late at night? (and yes, I know there are some stations rebroadcasting them, and I do know where to get the old programs on tape -- tho I haven't ordered from Schmidco for awhile) You'd think that there'd still be an audience, and a good percentage of those shows wouldn't be dated.

73, ron w3wn

[w2trr]

Buckley DID own the property until we were forced to turn it over to the developer. It was then one of those $1/year leases until we could vacate the premesis.

Putting Shep back on would be a programming decision, but since we have none of the programs in storage, that probably won't happen too soon....unfortunately. We all could use a little of that madness.....

Sad part about the transfer from RKO to Buckley was that RKO donated pratically everything of historical value to the Library of Congress...and there it sits, uncataloged, and that means unavailable. We have very little of the station's history.

Tom Ray, KC2NTU
WOR
:(

[kb2wye]

We all gotta go sometime...

[W2BOB]

A few years ago WNYC re-broadcast a few of Shep's programs provided by his engineer at that time. I'm sure that tech has a recorded history of just about everything Shep did at WOR.

In today's AM broadcasting scene, very few stations are into a "Nostalgic" format. I'm sure a lot of "Baby Boomers" might relate to Shep but the average audience (age 18 to 35 years old) would not be very receptive. Unfortunate but realistic.

[aa4bj]

Quote[/b] (k9nj @ Jan. 13 2007,17:53)]At night during the 50s and 60s, I used to listen to Jean Shepherd (K2ORS - SK) using a crystal radio with a bed-spring antenna, bringing in WOR just fine. #Excelsior, you fathead! John K9NJ (ex-WA2VUY)
I too listened to Shep then Long John Nebel at midnight from these towers on my Hallicrafters S-38 and Cannonball Chief headset. I believe they actually broadcast from Carteret in those days. Excelsior, John!

[aa4bj]

Quote[/b] (W2BOB @ Jan. 19 2007,18:34)]A few years ago WNYC re-broadcast a few of Shep's programs provided by his engineer at that time. I'm sure that tech has a recorded history of just about everything Shep did at WOR.

In today's AM broadcasting scene, very few stations are into a "Nostalgic" format. I'm sure a lot of "Baby Boomers" might relate to Shep but the average audience (age 18 to 35 years old) would not be very receptive. Unfortunate but realistic.
WBCQ on 7415 am occasionaly re-broadcasts some of Sheps' programs if you're lucky enough to catch them. They have some really good ham oriented programmig as well.

[W1SSN]

Quote[/b] (aa4bj @ Jan. 19 2007,21:12)]Quote[/b] (W2BOB @ Jan. 19 2007,18:34)]A few years ago WNYC re-broadcast a few of Shep's programs provided by his engineer at that time. I'm sure that tech has a recorded history of just about everything Shep did at WOR.

In today's AM broadcasting scene, very few stations are into a "Nostalgic" format. I'm sure a lot of "Baby Boomers" might relate to Shep but the average audience (age 18 to 35 years old) would not be very receptive. Unfortunate but realistic.
WBCQ on 7415 am occasionaly re-broadcasts some of Sheps' programs if you're lucky enough to catch them. They have some really good ham oriented programmig as well.
For Shep programs from the days of old go to:

http://www.flicklives.com/Mass_Back/mass_back.htm

Mass backwards has shows on itunes podcasts also.

The flicklives site is very good on Shep including two or three speaches he did at Ham events.

http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html is the Northeast Radio Watch and has some good calanders of great sticks. #Let the WBT blaw-knox sticks stand forever!

73
scott