200 Foot Radio Tower Disappears

This is a strange story.
Apparently thieves made away with a 200 foot tall AM radio tower in Alabama.

Officials at an Alabama radio station are puzzled at how a 200-foot tower was stolen from the property.

WJLX station manager Brett Elmore told WBRC-TV that he isn't sure how the bandits made away with the structure.

"I have tried all weekend to figure it out, and I just can’t," Elmore said. "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."

You would think they would know if they were off the air and when it happened but no word of that in the stories I’ve seen of it.

They also said towers like that usually disassemble in 10-20ft sections but they said the tower has been up for a long time.

I would think you would need an entire crew of guys to get a job like that done?

"They stole every piece of equipment out of the building, cut the guy-wires to the tower and SOMEHOW managed to down a 200 [foot] tower and take it from the property," a post on the radio station's Facebook page states.

www.foxnews.com...

a reply to: RazorV66

It wuz Aliens I tell you ...........

You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

a reply to: RazorV66

Four or five guys with a couple of torches would get it in a few hours. That is for scrap. Drop it, chop it up in lengths for a flat bed or logging truck. The rest would fit in a van.

The modern AM radio station is usually fully automated. They might not check on the physical location for weeks. Also, they probably were still on the Internet as almost all radio station are now. If no one notices it off the air, it would be at least days or longer to notice anything.

I wonder if the FCC is going to fine them for being off the air?

Edit: The problem I see is where do you sell the transmitter? Too big wattage wise for unloading it at a hamfest. There might be gold in them there tubes though. Yes, the finals are always tubes in those transmitters.

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

They are saying it’s a federal offense, which I guess doesn’t mean much to some people.

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

That would depend on how small they chop it up before the recycler. It would take more money for the gas than it would bring if they just melted it down completely.

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

They are saying it’s a federal offense, which I guess doesn’t mean much to some people.

It is a federal offence to be off the air. Taking the tower and transmitter is not if it is privately owned.

a reply to: RazorV66

I just checked and WJLX is FM. Bigger audience so it would be noticed sooner. Also the office in in a strip mall beside Aldi's. Goggle maps doesn't know where the transmitter is... erm, was located.

originally posted by: firerescue
a reply to: RazorV66

It wuz Aliens I tell you ...........

Same talented HUMANS who made Crop Circles when that was the fad.

originally posted by: RazorV66
They are saying it’s a federal offense....

Yes, the Feds needed it to make a Fence and nobody would suspect them would they?

Or...perhaps it was in the way of a future flight path that was for something that was a black op.

originally posted by: BeyondKnowledge3

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

They are saying it’s a federal offense, which I guess doesn’t mean much to some people.

It is a federal offence to be off the air. Taking the tower and transmitter is not if it is privately owned.

Actually, most AM stations power down at night..some completely off.

It is not a violation to go off air. It just costs you make goods on the ads.

a reply to: RazorV66

Me and the boys back in the day could completely dismantle a double-wide in a weekend. Be the first at the scrapyard on monday morning.

I don't know if that's relevant but dismantling it is a possibility.


Doesn't account for no witnesses or anything though.

originally posted by: theatreboy

originally posted by: BeyondKnowledge3

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

They are saying it’s a federal offense, which I guess doesn’t mean much to some people.

It is a federal offence to be off the air. Taking the tower and transmitter is not if it is privately owned.

Actually, most AM stations power down at night..some completely off.

It is not a violation to go off air. It just costs you make goods on the ads.

Going off the air on a schedule is part of the license agreement if they do so. Going off the air for any other reason has to be logged and explained to not get a fine from the FCC. I think it is still $10,000 per day per violation for a commercial radio license.

Edit: It might be higher for a broadcast license. Also the FCC is the only USA government agency that declairs you legally guilty then you have to prove your innocence if you can.

Electric battery powered Sawzall, cuts steel tubing and cables like butter, get a crew of 4 and that tower is gone in minutes.

What if it was a local DJ making sure his show is noticed by eliminating the competition?

Yeah I know Occam says scrappers, just adding another scenario.

I used to climb those thing all the time.

They are mostly 15’ sections.

It is not falling the tower that gets me.

It’s the guy wires. Ever 40-50 feet.

Those guy wires are not easy to install or remove.

This actually happened in my hometown. I’m trying to learn the details - I’ve heard that the am station has been down since 2017 but that’s just hearsay. It’s crazy that it went unnoticed for as long as it did 🤣🤣

a reply to: RazorV66

Good to see the standard of challenge set for Special Services in training doesn't change.

originally posted by: BeyondKnowledge3

originally posted by: theatreboy

originally posted by: BeyondKnowledge3

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: TheLieWeLive

originally posted by: rickymouse
You would be surprised what a half of dozen good scrappers could accomplish in one weekend.

A good scrapper would know the heat this is going to bring. The scrap yards will turn them in.

They are saying it’s a federal offense, which I guess doesn’t mean much to some people.

It is a federal offence to be off the air. Taking the tower and transmitter is not if it is privately owned.

Actually, most AM stations power down at night..some completely off.

It is not a violation to go off air. It just costs you make goods on the ads.

Going off the air on a schedule is part of the license agreement if they do so. Going off the air for any other reason has to be logged and explained to not get a fine from the FCC. I think it is still $10,000 per day per violation for a commercial radio license.

Edit: It might be higher for a broadcast license. Also the FCC is the only USA government agency that declairs you legally guilty then you have to prove your innocence if you can.

Dude, your wrong.

I was an RF engineer for Clear Channel, Entercom, and Cox Radio for over 15 years.

You can't just power down when you want, but going off air is not a crime.