The SpectraSite Tower

First stop: The SpectraSite Tower. Also commonly called "The New Orleans FM Tower" due to the fact that it carries at least a half dozen full powered FM stations.

This tower is owned by "American Towers", formerly "SpectraSite" (hence, the name).

Here are some specs on the tower:
Height: 319.7 meters
Height above sea level: 319.7 meters
Location: 29° 55' 11.00" N Latitude 90° 01' 29.00" W Longitude
ASRN#: 1020780

Specs on WPXL:
Display Channel: 49
Digital Channel: 50
Affiliation: Ion
Owner: Ion Media Networks
Power: 1000 kW
HAAT: 892' (272m)
AGL: 895' (272.8m)

Specs on WUPL:
Display Channel: 54
Digital Channel: 24
Affiliation: MyNet
Owner: Belo
Power: 1000 kW
HAAT: 892' (272m)
AGL: 895' (272.8m)

Specs on WHNO:
Display Channel: 20
Digital Channel: 21
Affiliation: LeSea
Owner: LeSea Broadcasting
Power: 300 kW
HAAT: 833' (254m)
AGL: 836' (255m)

First, here's a photo of the top of the tower. Note the big omni-directional circular polarized FM array at the very top. The following FM stations are combined into this array: WWNO, WQUE, WKBU, WEZB, WYLD, WLMG. In addition, the low-power FM station, WBSN has an antenna at the 134 meter HAAT level on this tower. This is a busy tower with lots and lots of stuff on it.

The antennas that carry WPXL, WUPL, and WHNO are labeled. The array that carries WPXL and WUPL also carried the analog signals for WGNO and WNOL at reduced power when Hurricane Katrina destroyed those station's transmitter site.

The gates were open, as someone was working in the building at the base of the tower. Despite how nervous it made my wife, I had to sneak in for a good picture. This tower just keeps growing and growing. Notice how there are two different stick-constructed buildings, and several pre-fab transmitter huts, installed at different times, just to house all the equipment.

Finally, a somewhat longer view of the top of the tower.

Next Stop, the WWL-TV tower in Gretna.
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