KVLY-TV mast
 |
KVLY-TV mast seen close-up |
The
KVLY-TV mast (formerly the
KTHI-TV mast) is a
television transmitting tower in
North Dakota,
USA, used by
Fargo station
KVLY channel 11. At 2,063 ft (628.8 m), it is currently the
world's tallest supported structure on land.
The tower is located three miles west of
Blanchard, North Dakota (at ), which is roughly halfway between Fargo and
Grand Forks. It became the tallest artificial structure upon the completion of its construction on
August 13,
1963. The mast was surpassed in height by 18 m (57 ft) in
1974 by the
Warszawa radio mast near
Konstantynow, Poland, but the latter collapsed on
August 8,
1991, making the KVLY mast again the tallest structure on land. If completed as planned, the UAE's
Burj Dubai, presently slated for completion in
2008, will surpass the mast as the tallest land structure.
The tower was built by Hamilton Directors and
Kline Iron and Steel, and took thirty days to complete, at a cost of
US$500,000 ($3.2 million in
2005 dollars).
Owned by the Meyer Broadcasting Company (now North Dakota Television, LLC) of
Bismarck, the tower broadcasts at 316
kW for television station KVLY (channel 11, an
NBC affiliate) which is based in
Fargo. The tower provides a broadcast area of roughly 30,000 square miles (78,000 km
2).
Its overall height above mean sea level is 926 m (3,038 ft). Some time after its completion, the
Federal Aviation Administration imposed a limit of 2,063 ft, based on this tower's height, on future construction; consequently, no taller structures may legally be built in the U.S. at present.
The call letters of the television station for which it was built were originally KTHI, the "HI" referring to the height of the mast. The top is reachable by service elevator or ladder.
Image:KVLYDistance.jpg|KVLY mast from a distance of about one mileImage:KVLYBase.jpeg|Base of the towerImage:KVLYPylon.jpeg|A supporting pylon*
List of masts,
Table of masts*
List of radio stations*
Tallest structures in the U.S.*
World's tallest structures*
List of the world's tallest structures*
KXJB Tower (2060 ft - 627.8 m)
*
KXTV/KOVR Tower (2049 ft - 624.5 m)
*
Structurae: KVLY Tower*
Tower web page at KVLY-TV*
FCC listing*
Listing on the Skyscraper Page*http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b471
*http://www.pbase.com/talshiarr/kvly
*
Satellite image of the KVLY-TV tower
