WCVB-TV 5 is operating at reduced power from an auxiliary antenna due to an antenna system error, the station said in a statement on its website.
WCVB-TV 5 is operating at reduced power from an auxiliary antenna due to an antenna system error, the station said in a statement on its website.
"Due to a failure in the main antenna system Saturday at about 4:30 p.m., WCVB currently is operating on reduced power from its auxiliary antenna. This will continue at least until late Sunday afternoon and could further extend if significant damage. Crews are assessing the antenna."
In an update on Monday, the station said that "climbing crews verified where the the issue is located on Sunday. Engineers say the problem occurred several hundred feet above the ground. Monday, the team continued working working to identify every part that requires replacement or repair. While we want to restore the primary system as quickly as possible, weather and safety will dictate the speed at which crews can work. We do not currently have an estimated time for the completion of repairs."
WCVB is not the only station having issues.
WBZ and WSBK are also located on the same tower at 350 Cedar Street in Needham, Massachusetts. Both stations are currently off-the-air completely.
Also affected is WGBH sister-station WGBX 44 - Channel 44 is also currently off-the-air.
WCVB's auxiliary antenna is on the same tower, but located 200 feet below the stations main antenna. The main antenna for WGBH is also on the same tower, but the signal for WGBH 2 seems to be broadcasting at full-power.
Because cable companies receive a direct feed of the television stations signal, cable customers of WCVB, WGBX and WBZ should not be affected. Customers of satellite services DirectTV or Dish Network may be affected as well. Any over-the-air viewers of WGBX or WBZ will have no reception at all; while viewers of WCVB will have a television signal depending on their distance from the Needham tower.
According to Mike Fitzpatrick of NECRAT.us, this is the same antenna that had the same issues in 2012. The issue required the antenna to be removed from the 1300 foot tower and be shipped to Maine to be re-built. The antenna was down for several months, with those affected stations running on auxiliary antennas at reduced power.
Update: WCVB is back to broadcasting from its main antenna at full power after the system issue was repaired late Monday afternoon. WBZ, WSBK, and WGBX are all back on-air as well.
