KVLY-TV mast
Encyclopedia
The KVLY-TV mast is a 628.8 m (2,063 ft) tall television
-transmitting mast
in Blanchard
, Traill County
, North Dakota
, United States
, used by Fargo
station KVLY-TV
channel 11. Completed in 1963, it was the tallest structure ever built until succeeded by the Warsaw radio mast
in 1974; that mast collapsed in 1991, making the KVLY-TV mast again the tallest structure in the world until the Burj Khalifa overtook it in 2008. It remains the third tallest structure in the world, and the tallest structure in the United States. It is a guyed mast
, not a self-supporting structure, and is therefore not included in lists of tallest buildings. The height of the transmitting antenna itself is 113 feet (34.4 m) and is included in the height of the tower as the lattice tower
itself ends around 1950 feet (594.4 m). The tower weighs 864500 pounds (392.1 t) altogether and takes up 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land with its guy anchors. The 113' antenna alone weighs 9,000 pounds.
In 1989, daredevil
s climbed the tower and BASE jumped
from it.
The tower is located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Blanchard, North Dakota
, halfway between Fargo and Grand Forks
. It became the tallest artificial structure, and the first man made structure to exceed 2000 feet (609.6 m) in height, upon the completion of its construction on August 13, 1963.
The tower was built by Hamilton Electric Company of York, South Carolina and Kline Iron and Steel
, and took thirty days to complete, at a cost of US$
500,000.
Owned by Hoak Media of Dallas, Texas
, the tower broadcasts at 356 kW for television station KVLY-TV
(channel 11 PSIP, an NBC
affiliate) which is based in Fargo
. The tower provides a broadcast area of roughly 9700 sq mi (25,122.9 km²) which is a radius of about 55.6 miles (89.5 km).
Its height above mean sea level is 3038 ft (926 m). Some time after its completion, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) imposed a policy that states, "Although there is no absolute height limit for antenna towers, both agencies have established a rebuttable presumption
against structures over 2,000 feet above ground level." The FCC and FAA may approve a taller structure in "exceptional cases."
When the mast was built the call letters of the television station for which it was built were changed to KTHI, the "HI" referring to the height of the mast. The top is reachable by a two-person service elevator or ladder.
The height of the structure allows for a broader range of frequency transmission.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
-transmitting mast
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
in Blanchard
Blanchard, North Dakota
Blanchard is a census-designated place in Blanchard Township, Traill County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 26 at the 2010 census....
, Traill County
Traill County, North Dakota
Traill County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The 2010 census listed the population at 8,121. Its county seat is Hillsboro, and its largest city is Mayville.-History:...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, used by Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
station KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV, is an NBC affiliated television station in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, serving Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. It broadcasts on ATSC channel 44, which redirects to former NTSC channel 11 via PSIP. In addition to its main studio in Fargo, it operates a satellite studio in...
channel 11. Completed in 1963, it was the tallest structure ever built until succeeded by the Warsaw radio mast
Warsaw radio mast
The Warsaw radio mast was the world's tallest structure until its collapse on 8 August 1991. It is the second tallest land-based structure ever built, being surpassed as tallest by the Burj Khalifa, completed in 2010....
in 1974; that mast collapsed in 1991, making the KVLY-TV mast again the tallest structure in the world until the Burj Khalifa overtook it in 2008. It remains the third tallest structure in the world, and the tallest structure in the United States. It is a guyed mast
Guyed mast
A guyed mast is a tall thin vertical structure that receives support from guy lines.Guyed masts are frequently used for radio masts. The mast can either support aerials mounted at its top, or the entire structure itself can function as an antenna ; this is called a mast radiator...
, not a self-supporting structure, and is therefore not included in lists of tallest buildings. The height of the transmitting antenna itself is 113 feet (34.4 m) and is included in the height of the tower as the lattice tower
Lattice tower
A lattice tower or truss tower is a freestanding framework tower. They can be used as electricity pylons especially for voltages above 100 kilovolts, as a radio tower or as an observation tower....
itself ends around 1950 feet (594.4 m). The tower weighs 864500 pounds (392.1 t) altogether and takes up 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land with its guy anchors. The 113' antenna alone weighs 9,000 pounds.
In 1989, daredevil
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
s climbed the tower and BASE jumped
BASE jumping
BASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
from it.
Overview
Blanchard, North Dakota
Blanchard is a census-designated place in Blanchard Township, Traill County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 26 at the 2010 census....
, halfway between Fargo and Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
. It became the tallest artificial structure, and the first man made structure to exceed 2000 feet (609.6 m) in height, upon the completion of its construction on August 13, 1963.
The tower was built by Hamilton Electric Company of York, South Carolina and Kline Iron and Steel
Kline Iron and Steel
Kline Iron and Steel was a company based in Columbia, South Carolina. Established on February 23, 1923, as Kline Iron and Metal Co., since 1953 it is primarily known for the construction of broadcast towers...
, and took thirty days to complete, at a cost of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
500,000.
Owned by Hoak Media of Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, the tower broadcasts at 356 kW for television station KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV
KVLY-TV, is an NBC affiliated television station in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, serving Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. It broadcasts on ATSC channel 44, which redirects to former NTSC channel 11 via PSIP. In addition to its main studio in Fargo, it operates a satellite studio in...
(channel 11 PSIP, an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate) which is based in Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
. The tower provides a broadcast area of roughly 9700 sq mi (25,122.9 km²) which is a radius of about 55.6 miles (89.5 km).
Its height above mean sea level is 3038 ft (926 m). Some time after its completion, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) and Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) imposed a policy that states, "Although there is no absolute height limit for antenna towers, both agencies have established a rebuttable presumption
Rebuttable presumption
Both in common law and in civil law, a rebuttable presumption is an assumption made by a court, one that is taken to be true unless someone comes forward to contest it and prove otherwise. For example, a defendant in a criminal case is presumed innocent until proved guilty...
against structures over 2,000 feet above ground level." The FCC and FAA may approve a taller structure in "exceptional cases."
When the mast was built the call letters of the television station for which it was built were changed to KTHI, the "HI" referring to the height of the mast. The top is reachable by a two-person service elevator or ladder.
The height of the structure allows for a broader range of frequency transmission.
Structures of similar height
- KXJB Tower (2060 ft - 627.8 m)
- KXTV/KOVR TowerKXTV/KOVR TowerThe KXTV/KOVR tower is a guyed communication tower in Walnut Grove, California, United States that rises to 2,049 feet in height. Built in 2000, it is the tallest structure in California, the 4th tallest guyed mast in the world , and the 6th tallest structure to ever have existed if the destroyed...
(2049 ft - 624.5 m)
See also
- List of masts
- Tallest structures in the U.S.
- List of the world's tallest structures
- Warsaw radio mastWarsaw radio mastThe Warsaw radio mast was the world's tallest structure until its collapse on 8 August 1991. It is the second tallest land-based structure ever built, being surpassed as tallest by the Burj Khalifa, completed in 2010....
External links
- Tower web page at KVLY-TV
- Listing on the Skyscraper Page
- Drawings of KVLY/KTHI TV Mast from the Skyscraper Page
- KVLY and KXJB Towers from PBPhase.com
- Video of the KVLY Tower, summer 2009 from YouTube