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The New WRAL-HD Tower is Ready to Go |
Within the next couple of months, construction will start on the new HDTV tall tower for WRAL-HD. The 1989-foot tower will be built on the same site as the existing WRAL-TV tower located in Auburn, NC.
A unique design will change the look of the skyline at Auburn, however, since the new tower will have a “candelabra” mount at the top. Three arms will extend from the center structure of the tower. Two antennae may be stack-mounted on the end of each arm-making room for a total of six television antennae at the top location.
The WRAL-HD Channel 53 antenna will be stacked on top of the WRAZ-HD, Channel 49, antenna on one arm. WNCN has leased space on another arm for both their new HDTV antenna and their existing analog antenna. The third arm will be left free for future clients.
In addition to television antennae and microwave units for news, etc., the tower will hold various two-way and cellular antennae. We anticipate that construction will take about 12 to 13 months. WRAL-TV’s analog antenna will remain on the existing tower in Auburn.
A new transmitter building will sit at the base of the tower under a steel netting for protection from falling ice.
Capitol has offered to lease, for a nominal fee, all of the property surrounding the tower for a major county park. Wake County Commissioners have given initial approval for plans for the park. The facility will offer various athletics fields for baseball, soccer, etc., in addition to a BMX bicycle track. An enclosed conference center will be located near the lake.