The WECT Tower was a 2043 ft (623 m) -tall mast used as
antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution (business), distribution of sound, audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio ...
, including broadcasting the analog television signal of
WECT
WECT (channel 6) is a television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television, which provides certain services to Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox affiliate WSFX-TV (channel 26) under a ...
channel 6. It was built in 1969 and was situated along
NC 53
North Carolina Highway 53 (NC 53) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina that mainly runs west–east in the eastern part of the state.
Route description
The highway begins near Fayetteville in Cumberland Coun ...
, United States. Before demolition, WECT Tower was, along with several other masts, the seventh tallest man-made structure ever created; and was not only the tallest structure in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, but also the tallest in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
east of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
.
On September 8, 2008, WECT ceased regular transmission of their analog signal from the Bladen County tower, relying instead on its newer digital transmitter in
Winnabow
Winnabow is a unincorporated community and census-designated place in Brunswick County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is located at It is mainly a farming community along US Highway 17. There is no large retail presence in the area, exc ...
. Following the switch, the analog signal remained on air until the end of September as a "
Nightlight
A nightlight is a small light fixture, usually electrical, placed for comfort or convenience in dark areas or areas that may become dark at certain times, such as at night or during an emergency. Small long-burning candles serving a similar fun ...
", broadcasting an instructional video explaining installation of converters and UHF antennas, but many who were able to receive WECT's former VHF analog signal would no longer be able to receive the station at all digitally, due to a shift to a UHF channel and a vastly smaller coverage area.
WECT continued to utilize the former analog tower for
electronic news-gathering
Electronic news-gathering (ENG) or electronic journalism (EJ) is usage of electronic video and audio technologies by reporters to gather and present news instead of using film cameras. The term was coined during the rise of videotape technol ...
purposes before donating the tower and site to th Green Beret Foundation in 2011. On September 20, 2012 at 12:47 PM, the tower was demolished with explosives to be scrapped. Proceeds from the sale of the land and the scrap metal of the tower will go to the foundation.
See also
*
WECT
WECT (channel 6) is a television station in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television, which provides certain services to Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox affiliate WSFX-TV (channel 26) under a ...
*
List of masts
The tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper at . Listed are guyed masts (such as telecommunication masts), self-supporting towers (such as the CN Tower), skyscrapers (such as the Willis Tower), oil platforms, electricity t ...
*
List of tallest structures
The tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper at . Listed are guyed masts (such as telecommunication masts), self-supporting towers (such as the CN Tower), skyscrapers (such as the Willis Tower), oil platforms, electricity t ...
*
List of towers
Several extant building fulfill the engineering definition of a tower: "a tall human structure, always taller than it is wide, for public or regular operational access by humans, but not for living in or office work, and are ''self-supporting' ...
,
Table of masts
The tallest structure in the world is the Burj Khalifa skyscraper at . Listed are guyed masts (such as telecommunication masts), self-supporting towers (such as the CN Tower), skyscrapers (such as the Willis Tower), oil platforms, electricit ...