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Anyone who has driven between Sacramento and Stockon since 1962 has seen
this 1500' tower to the west. In 1969 I was in an Explorer Scout Post specializing in "Broadcasting" and sponsored by KCRA Channel 3 who printed this broucure and had them lying around. It's the "Tall Tower" that the three Sacramento/Stockton network affiliates built to cover the whole Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto market, which is now ranked in the top 20. The smart idea was that folks would only have to point their outside antennas in one direction instead of three. |
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Channel 3, the NBC affiliate, was on the self-supporting tower behind
their studios in downtown Sacramento. That was the backup until the new 2000' tower
was built. Channel 6, the PBS affiliate, antenna a panel antenna in the '70s. I think they were transmitting from their Garden Highway studio north of downtown. Channel 10, then the CBS affiliate, was in the foothills to the east near Placerville, where several stations have since been. Channel 13 was on Mt. Diablo to the west! They had a deal to become the ABC affiliate if they stopped putting so good a signal into the San Francisco Bay Area. |
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It is a VERY cool tower, especially for 1962! The elevator stops at the top in a 2-story building, in the center of the candelabra, that has the microwave and 2-way transmitters in it. |
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The tower became way too popular for base jumping, which involves dare devils parachuting from towers and other tall man-made structures. Unfortunately, they tended to get caught on the guy cables and having to be rescued. |