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Was the WJLX Radio Tower Stolen or Are The Owners Lying?


Sedalia Dave

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The original story

 

Alabama station in disbelief after 200-foot radio tower stolen.

Radio station WJLX can no longer broadcast its AM programming since the incident.

 

200-ft radio tower stolen in Alabama: Station's GM speaks out as police investigate

The thieves pulled off what seemed to be an impossible crime. Now, the AM radio station is back on the air, but they're left with a $60,000 bill as police continue to investigate the mystery.

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20 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Reading the OP, my first thought was how in heck does a radio station not notice they are off the air?!!? Nobody that works there monitors or listens to their own station!!?

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Wasn’t able to monitor if the site was broadcasting?  A $5 transistor AM radio tuned to their frequency would eliminate that excuse.

 

It’s the typical FCC government over regulation that shut down the FM side of the station.  Actually the station received authorization to rebroadcast their AM programming in FM to allow the smaller station to compete.  Station hadn’t broadcast AM in years and had received a notice of violation from the FCC.

 

Picture of the tower site reported a year earlier shows no fencing around the site as required.

 

Owner claims he can show electric bills that show power consumption proving site was in use.  Youtube shows the electric meter socket connections green with corrosion indicating meter has been removed for a long time.  Owner refused to share his electric bills.

.

Me thinks the Owner has the qualifications to run for political office at the Federal level.

 

 

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the site shown in that first video looks a derelict to me right off the bat , then there is the fact that you need a crane to take one down and load it on a semi to move it , the tracks look like a heavy pickup to me , im calling fowl , 

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8 hours ago, watab kid said:

... the tracks look like a heavy pickup to me , im calling fowl , 

 

The tracks were left by the landscaping company that discovered the tower missing or by the owner who investigated after being notified by the landscaping company?

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Calling fowl? So you think maybe some birds carried it off?

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A 200 foot AM radio tower doesn't fit in a pickup. It isn't a snatch & grab, LOL. So they would have been off air a while...and they didn't notice? LOL It's typical for the transmitter to be located a distance away from the broadcast studio. The transmitter is fed remotely by a microwave or internet/phone type. I suppose they could put a radio tuned to their freq in the engineer's booth, but you wouldn't want it in the studio itself because--> feedback. Probably cheaper to just monitor the outgoing signal.

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Likely fraud.  But if it's meth heads selling scrap metal you dont need a crane you need 2 buddies and some Sawzalls or angle grinders and a couple trailers. Maybe 2 days

 

No impact area for a fall, building has seen better days and overgrown. 

 

 

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three semis and a crane with a long stick - its a hoax , but a fun discussion , hope their insurance company doesnt put them in jail ....unless they had no insurance ...then what might be the point ? maybe they need to boost their ratings ? still a hoax , but a fun exercise in what can happen for real , 

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The most damning evidence shown has been the street view images which show the tower in place in october of 2022, but missing in March of 2023. So it would appear that the tower has been gone for a long time, which lines up with the video taken recently at the site which shows overgrowth on top of guy lines and the fencing, as well as an electric meter socket that shows corrosion consistent with  long term exposure to the elements, and all electric wires cut. Something is rotten in Jasper.

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Can't trust those street view or aerial view dates! At least on Google maps. The one of my house says 2022, but is more like 2007 by the car in the yard. The same with my old house, pic says 23, but can't be any newer than 99 when we built a wall in front.

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