Will Goes On A Field Trip To The Q92.3 Transmitter (A Photo Essay)

If this were any other radio station, this story probably doesn't exist. But everybody is concerned when they're unable to listen to their favorite radio station (referring to Q92.3), and I've been inundated with Facebook posts and phone calls to the office wondering what's up. So, I'm going to tell you!

First of all, thank you! The fact you care so much about Q92.3 means so much to me. So I personally went to the Q92.3 transmitter site in Oelwein yesterday to deliver parts, snoop around, get some answers, and maybe be of some actual help.

Secondly, I apologize to all of the radio people out there for me "breaking code" and letting the audience behind the fourth wall.

I took pictures! This one was supposed to show the Q92.3 tower from the road, but I don't think I got it in there. I suck at taking pictures while driving. I don't recommend doing it.

After finding the site, here's the approach. Yes, there's no real road. Someone who owns a bunch of land makes a bunch of money renting some of it to radio stations to put their transmitters there.

This is the part I had to deliver to the tower site.

This is the old part. Here's what happened.....remember all the storms we had a few weeks ago? Well, THIS part was struck by lightning and caused Q to shut the main antenna and install a temporary one at the top of the Black's Building in downtown Waterloo. If you look closely you can see a hole where there's not supposed to be one. Yes, Mother Nature literally ripped us a new one!

Here's where you'll maybe appreciate all we do. That part I showed you? It weighs about as much as your average UNI cheerleader, and it needs to be lifted to the very top of this radio tower. They hook it to a rope, climb to the top, and then with a pulley physically lift it by the rope all the way up.

So once that's hooked up, Q92.3 should be back to its full 100,000 watts which gives us coverage throughout pretty much all of eastern Iowa. And don't forget, you can always listen to us anytime online and also on your iPhone or Android with the radioPup mobile app.