New Orleans TV Tower Tour

I am an electrical engineer.

I've always been rather fascinated with broadcasting. I was a DJ and Engineer at WRCT in Pittsburgh when I was in college in the early 80s.

When the transition to DVT began, it only served to pique my interest in broadcasting even further. Particularly television broadcasting.

So, today, August 15, 2009, I indulged in a bit of extremely nerdy behavior. I traveled to the tower of each of my local full power TV stations and admired their beauty. I took some pictures.

A few years ago, my job required me to do work on equipment at cell towers. At that time, I knew the combination to the locks on American Towers gates, as well as the locks on Bell South Mobility / Cingular gates. Had I been a little bit naughty, I might have tried to see if those combinations were still the same. (For the most part, they aren't.) Also, my wife was with me, and would have frowned on me entering the tower sites without authorization. So, these pics are all from outside the gates. (With a minor exception, that you will see.)

Each page gives a few technical details, and history of the towers shown, if I know it. I'd love it if people who see this and are interested send me additional historical or technical info (as well as corrections, if I got anything wrong) and I'll include it here.

First up, the "SpectraSite" tower in Algiers: From which many of the New Orleans local FM stations transmit, as well as TV stations, WHNO, WUPL, and WPXL.

Click here to start the tour: WPXL, WUPL, and WHNO

Email the tourguide: <marksu@spectra-one.com>