Using a portable crank-up tower, WERV(FM) in Aurora, Ill., is back on the air after severe weather last week caused a 353-foot broadcast tower to collapse.
The Connoisseur Media-owned radio station was the only broadcaster affected when the tower, owned by Vertical Bridge, collapsed the night of Thursday, July 2.
Connoisseur Media Regional Director of Engineering Geary Morrill said the radio station’s programming continued online until the replacement tower was put in place on Sunday, July 5.
The classic alternative station serving suburban Chicago, known as 95.9 The River, is currently utilizing a 100-foot crank-up tower and a 1,000-watt Nautel VS1 transmitter.
Morrill credited Connoisseur Media’s Chicagoland engineer Colin Darshewski with managing the swift recovery. In an email to Radio World, Morrill provided the following narrative on the effort.
“It involved Colin making a quick trip to NRG Media’s Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Ottawa, Ill., sites (to grab a single-bay Bext antenna and transmission line).
“Then, using a portable tower from the co-located (wireless internet provider Blast Communications), which Tower Works transported to and deployed at our studio site, (WERV) returned to air less than 48 hours later.”
Morill continued: “This was a group effort with a most satisfactory outcome. This is even more amazing considering it all happened over a holiday weekend.”
He also credited Greg Buchwald of Motorola Solutions and George Nicholas, NRG Media’s director of engineering, for their assistance and expertise.
WERV is currently operating at reduced power with special temporary authority.
Morrill said Connoisseur Media is exploring options to improve the temporary facility in the short term and discussing long-term antenna redeployment plans with Vertical Bridge.
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