MPTV Press release Regarding outage

[Tom Snyder]

WMVS/WMVT/WMVT-HD/WMVS-Digital

Monday, 2/2/04
9:36pm to 11:15pm

WE Energies experienced a power outage on the line
feeding the transmitter site for all channels.

All of the MPTV transmitters (10, 36, 8 & 35),
plus WVTV 18 and the 3 commercial digital channels,
on Sinclair and Pax Communications, were also not broadcasting.

However, the MPTV digital channels
(PBS Kids, PBSYou, and the 3-hour delays of WMVS & WMVT)
were still available on Time Warner Cable.

Broadcasts on Channels 10, 8 & 35 were restored at 11:15pm,
but Channel 36 was not restored until 11:30pm,
due to the warmup requirements of its power tubes.

At this time, we are investigating the
very expensive possibilities for feeds
of ALL our channels to cable, and
emergency generators at the tower.

Please note that no additional schedule changes will be made--
the movie "Sounder" was already scheduled for re-runs
on WMVT at the following times:

SA  02/07/04  07:00pm.
SU  02/08/04  10:00am.

[techguy1975]

Im surprised they dont have backups already..  From what I saw on anoter radio board, WLUM-FM was off the air, WKLH and WXSS had to switch to their backup facilites located at (I think) their studios..   For all the stations that transmit from there (plus a few cell towers are co-located there) you'd think they could all chip in for a generator to keep things runing

[Gregg Lengling]

Granted you would think a 5 million dollar transmitting facility would have a backup plan.....however that large of a backup generator is no small feat.  So I understand why they don't have one.  However they could at least have done what most of the other stations have done and have a Dual-Feed from We-Energies.  This supplies them power via different paths from different sub-stations, thereby eliminating the loss of power should a pole go down or a fault occur.  However there is a cost associated with the installation of that, and a recurring monthly cost for the option...and the owners of the stations and the tower probably didn't think they would need it.........well I guess they were wrong.

[John L]

THAT explains why you NEVER see chs 4, 6, and 12 just suddenly go off the air.  Obviously they spent a lot of money to do as much as possible to guarantee that they stay on even if the neighbors loose power.

I didn't know Pax-55 uses the digital tower for their DTV transmitter?  I do know for analog I still have to rotate the antenna SE to get a good picture.

I'm surprised the WVTV analog was also off, but that is very near the digital tower so they must use the same power lines.

WCGV analog stayed on since they have their tower further south from there, but the digital was off.

-John L.

[Gregg Lengling]

Originally posted by John L
THAT explains why you NEVER see chs 4, 6, and 12 just suddenly go off the air.  Obviously they spent a lot of money to do as much as possible to guarantee that they stay on even if the neighbors loose power.

-John L.

You are mostly correct....but channel 4 has been off the air many times due to power failures...but they really haven't been We-Energies failures as they do have dual feeds...but with channel 4's sub-station (this drops the distribution voltage down to their usable voltage), they've had many incidents with rodents and the such shorting out the transformers and blowing the main fuses.  Although they may have remedied this as I don't remember a power failure for a few years with them.

As a note...when channel 58 built their new tower next to channel 12's...they were made if very imperative with We-Energies that they have dual-feed...which of course they paid for and have...

[techguy1975]

Originally posted by John L

I'm surprised the WVTV analog was also off, but that is very near the digital tower so they must use the same power lines.

WCGV analog stayed on since they have their tower further south from there, but the digital was off.

-John L.

I believe WVTV TV/DT and WMVS/WMTV TV/DT are all at the same facility on Humbolt ave...  WCGV TV/DT is about a block or so away....

[techguy1975]

Originally posted by Gregg Lengling
they've had many incidents with rodents and the such shorting out the transformers and blowing the main fuses.  Although they may have remedied this as I don't remember a power failure for a few years with them.

I remember that night!   It took out the entire complex, only WTMJ radio was on, and on backup power....That had to be 10 or more years ago tho...I was just a wee little tyke back then...