BTQ’s tower is still listed as a backup transmission site I believe.
As I understand it, if TVQ gets knocked out, BTQ’s tower is second in line, followed by QTQ.
I can guarantee the BTQ tower is no longer an alternate site for TV.
QTQ is now the alternate site. There are no TV transmitters at the BTQ site any longer, they were moved to the QTQ site a few months ago, & the old 3rd backup/reserve transmitters that were in operation during the main transmitter move, have now been de-commisioned & are in the process of being removed to the scrap yard.
The BTQ site may still be listed on the ACMA records, but it was de-commisioned for TV 4-6 weeks ago.
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Okay, I was just told otherwise, and this was just part of tower maintenance.
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Negative. When analogue was switched off QTQ tower was decommissioned, all gear removed to BTQ. This was done because the digital transmission from B site wasn’t giving off black spots like Q site was doing originally.
However, Q site has been decommissioned and will serve as the secondary transmitter.
EDIT: Didn’t see Rfburn reply.
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Something overlooked in that report and in discussion here is the reason why the ‘sudden’ change to Q site as a backup and the decommission of the B site tower…
During a maintenance inspection last year it was discovered several sections were rusted through following works in the 1980’s… this left the top section (the TV stack) in danger of collapsing. With a reasonable alternative on offer at the defunct Q site, it was decided by all stake holders (7,9&10) to move operations there.
Curiously the case of TEN v TXA is not yet resolved and Tv’s transmission may only be backed up at Q site for a while longer…
They can hardly start decommissioning BCM until a replacement playout facility is up and running - possibly in 2019
Bit grim, champ.
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From what I understand currently, if those running the links that are still on the BTQ tower decide to move them somewhere else, that tower will likely be completely dismantled & removed & not rebuilt.
The only reason it wasn’t totally pulled down now, is the links on the lower section of the tower still being used & the lower part of the tower still being structurally sound.
Q site will be the alternate TX site for TV for a long time likely, probably forever.
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Was already grim wasn’t it, when the hundreds of staff being given the flick was announced.
Just not sure why we need images of people walking out the gates losing their jobs.
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As I understood the joint venture… feasibility studies were well underway, with closure of BCM likely in 2019.
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From what I understand, certain departments within the BCM building have already been shut down and outsourced. The level above the newsroom is now vacant.
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So the news story was that they had removed the top of the tower that has not served any useful purpose for years? That’s it?
That’s pretty much it except that the story was in the bulletin headlines and at each ad break it was ‘coming up’ but it ended up being the last story before the weather. The site was being used until recently as the back up site for commercial TV and also some commercial FM stations.
Well we know the AFL have purchased the site for the Etihad Stadium redevelopment and new AFL headquarters.
Incorrect. The TV stack at the B site was the secondary transmitter for all of SE QLD (especially considering many of the translators hang off receiving the Mt Coottha signal to retransmit) right up until 2-4 weeks ago.
The backup has been moved to Q site due to serious structural issues… now the top and mid sections have been removed, I reckon TXA will be looking to move the receivers on the base to alternate locations so they can fully decommission the tower.
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Thanks for this info guys - I hadn’t read here or seen the news but looked out the window a few days ago and saw one of the towers had lost its head, and by process of deduction figured it was the BTQ tower.
It’d be a big change to the Brisbane skyline to lose it fully, though I guess in this day and age we hardly need five independent towers on the same mountain servicing one city
On that, and I suspect it’s been covered here before, but what does the ‘fifth’ Coot-tha tower do? There are the lattice towers for QTQ, BTQ, ABQ and TVQ, but the fifth one off to the Gap side I’ve never figured out. It’s not the ‘Summit’ site used by community radio, is it, as that’s the lower tower right near the peak of the mountain?
The smaller one is Queensland Comms I believe.
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Correct - mainly 2 way radio communications