Posted on 02/07/2024 9:39:41 AM PST by plain talk
The owner of an Alabama radio station is stunned, and out a lot of money, after thieves made off with his 200-foot radio tower.
The theft was discovered Friday when landscapers went to clean up the area.
Brett Elmore, owner of WJLX in Jasper, then received an unexpected, and baffling, call.
“He said, ‘Brett, we’re down here and the tower’s gone.’’
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
ICWYDT
That doesn't answer why no one noticed the am being off. AM travels further and is listened to by those farther away who don't get the FM version. I have never been able to get FM reception for any of the many AM stations I listen to, even though they call out the numbers and I've tried.
Say what you will about Alabama but even our thieves are over achievers.
I resided in Jasper for several years. This doesn’t surprise me.
Jasper is a fairly wealthy town, but it also suffers from a high crime rate. Years ago, on the “Donahue” talk show, the topic was organized crime. One of the panelists stated that if anyone wanted to hire a hit man, just go to Jasper, Alabama.
I wonder if this was one of those?
it shouldn’t be too hard to track the thieves, just check the local metal recycling place
“This is what happens when the countryside is swarming with millions of criminals.”
Many of us recall an era when the country had many commemorative bronze plaques on historic monuments, buildings, statues, etc. All gone. Ripped off by thieves to get a few bucks for the bronze and the buyers don’t ask questions.
The plaques were substantial and conveyed permanence. Ha! There’s nothing that can’t be ripped off. (in this case, literally ripped off).
If the same station is broadcasting in both FM and AM then most if not all will listen via FM. Then the subset of those who did listen to it on AM for whatever reason may or may not have noticed it was off the air, maybe changed the channel, maybe discovered they could listen to it in better quality via FM. Who knows?
“These small stations run on autopilot. NO ONE answers the phone. “
Did you call them?
“There is NO CONTACT button on the web page.”
There is a SUBMIT button.
I wonder if this was one of those?
If the tower was only taken down in the last day or two, that would clearly explain the whole situation.
Ah, of course I’ve called. Otherwise, how would I know no one answers. If there was a “submit” button, there would be contact. Obviously, again.
” there would be contact. “
Their email account. Also, it appears that their main interface is their Facebook page.
The AM listeners are the issue, and why they didn't notice. If they were FM listeners, there was no issue.
I was talking about MY local station, not the one in the news article.
“A lot of non “clear channel” AM stations are required by the FCC to shut down for the night.”
I have been searching for their hours to no avail.
The station’s studios are located above the Plum Pretty Salon at 310 Alabama State Route 195. It broadcasts at AM 1240 with a 1-kilowatt day and night signal.
https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/WJLX-AM
Scrap yards are under pretty heavy rules about taking in that sort of stuff.
It's probably on a boat to a 3rd world country already.
I remember a yard 30 years ago had to have ID and take photos of the scrap before they would buy it.
Ha! So the owner didn't even listen to his station.
I wondered about that, too. A local station can sometimes be down for days because of extreme weather, as well
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