1 of 1- darcyh
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Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
I watched with interest the activities of the climbers. As they scaled the spire you could see FM antennas located on the tower. These looked like X's. There are many stations radiating thousands of watts of radio frequency (RF) energy from these antennas. This would be dangerous to someone in close proximity. The Radioworld story reports that some stations shifted to backup antennas at a lower height on the tower while others shifted to transmitters at a different location.
Most radio stations usually have a backup transmitter (often the old transmitter) and an emergency generator when the power fails. I do not know of any Canadian stations that have back up antennas on the same tower or full off site transmitter / antenna facilities. Is anyone aware of stations that have these?
- bmaudioworks
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
In Ottawa, where most of the big stations transmit from the Camp Fortune tower on the Quebec side, Bell's CKKL 93.9 and CJMJ 100.3 have an aux site atop Place de Ville Tower C, downtown. CHEZ 106.1 and CISS 105.3 have their aux at a co-owned (Rogers) site in rural south Ottawa, near Manotick. One of my B2B clients, CHLP 100.1 in Listowel, has a backup site atop the local water tower; the main is just northeast of town.
- Cheese2RF
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
of the two major FMs i have worked for one has a back up transmitter at the studio, the other co-located with their AM
Last edited by Cheese2RF (July 2, 2026 11:20 am)
- torontostan
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
CHFI & CKIS share the roof of an apartment building at Yonge & Steeles
CILQ, CFNY, and CBL's auxes are atop First Canadian Place
CBLA has theirs at the CN Tower
CHBM, CKFM, and CJRT share an antenna at Yonge & Eglinton on an apartment building, CHUM FM's is across the street on another apartment building
CHIN has theirs atop their studio building in Little Italy
CFTR is the only Toronto AM with an aux site, a simple 80 foot pole on top of the Rogers warehouse in Don Mills.
I don't believe that any other Toronto stations have an aux site...... maybe just a spare antenna at the same place
Last edited by torontostan (July 3, 2026 6:56 pm)
- Chrisphen
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
If I may imagine the thoughts of my late father, how were Russians allowed to get anywhere near the physical location of a major transmitter in America?
- Glen Warren
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
According to some reports, the couple attended the Empire State building the day before. They then hid out overnight and commenced their breach of the locked access hatch and started their ascent up the antenna support structure the next morning.
Broadcasters who were transmitting from the tower at the time, began shutdown procedures to protect the pair (of idiots) and the emergency responders who had to go up and get them off the tower.
Their reason for doing this stunt was that they wanted to have something memorable of their engagement. Either the male or female's parents were contacted back in their homeland and media were told by one of the parents that the pair were already married.
Last edited by Glen Warren (July 3, 2026 9:29 pm)
- Shorty Wave
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
Chrisphen wrote:
If I may imagine the thoughts of my late father, how were Russians allowed to get anywhere near the physical location of a major transmitter in America?
Your late father would be correct Chrisphen, I wondered that myself when I initially saw this story. I also wondered what would have happened if they were to get stuck up there, would serve them right. Anything for a click these days.
- mic'em
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Re: Empire State building climbers and aux transmitter sites
Tons of memes on social media with various messages on the flag. Some are hilarious. 