03/26/2024
It’s not every day our project meetings take place early morning on top of Holston Mountain at a balmy 38 °F, winds, overcast clouds, mixed with rain… And sometimes a few trees have fallen, blocking the path, and the group of meeting attendees jump out of their trucks to pull the trees out of the way (while making good use of what was available - including tow straps and ax work) to ensure our meeting takes place on site location. Today, that’s where you would have found some of our team members.
This morning, we joined several members with ETSU + WETS-FM and Advanced Wireless Solutions, Inc to take a look at our current ongoing project: ETSU/WETS Radio Tower Replacement on Holston Mountain in East Tennessee.
This project includes replacing and repairing the existing Radio Tower (photos shown note existing Tower still standing) with a new Radio Tower (photos shown note new tower laying and preparing to be assembled). This project has taken a meticulously sequenced process in order to keep local public broadcast radio and emergency services operating without interruption. Not to mention, all parts and heavy equipment to this new Radio Tower have been (and continue to be) transported for several miles along high mountain terrains of a mostly gravel narrow (and often, in bad weather, treacherous) road.
Prosim Engineering, LLC has served as the Designer of Record + Structural Engineering Services, with special thanks to Craig Young, PE (Engineer) and Chris Little (Senior Designer) who have both played a critical role in managing this project. However, this project wouldn’t have been possible without the TEAM of people that joined us on this adventure. We want to extend our many thanks to the following for all of their efforts and hard work:
·East Tennessee State University + WETS-FM for making this opportunity possible while spearheading this project in planning, development, and project funding, and for working tirelessly (especially in inclement weather) to keep public broadcast radio operable to our communities
·Advanced Wireless Solutions: Contractor
·Facility Systems Consultants, LLC: Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Services
·Thompson & Litton, Inc: Civil Engineering and Survey Services
·RCS Communications: Tower Consultant
· Cross Engineering, LLC: Geotechnical and Third-Party Inspections
·USFS, FAA, and associated Municipalities