American Tower can't seem to get its act together in Newdham

[Dave Doherty]

Hi, Rob -

I don't know whether ATC is in compliance or not, but I have a lot of
current experience with tower lighting requirements. 

Obstruction lights ("steady burning side lights") should be extinguished on
towers with at least two beacon levels. If not extinguished, or on towers
with only a top beacon, they should be flashed in sync with the beacons.

Top beacons use Fresnel lenses to point almost all of the light well above
the horizon, where they will cause minimal visibility to folks on the ground
and maximum visibility to pilots. 

On one of my client's 600' tower in New Bedford, I have to be at least a
mile away and have the sun at my back to see the top beacon during the day.
(Fortunately, the turn-off from I-195 to MA-18 is a perfect spot to observe
the top beacon...)

I have another client in Portland, Oregon. There are several 1000' towers
west of the city. Based on personal observation, you can barely see the top
beacons from anywhere in the city, but they stand out brilliantly from the
air.

-d



-----Original Message-----
From: Boston-Radio-Interest
[mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@lists.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of
Rob Landry
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2020 4:35 PM
To: BostonRadio Mailing List <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Subject: American Tower can't seem to get its act together in Newdham


*None* of the side lights on the 1150 Chestnut Street tower have been
working for weeks, and the top beacon is also out.

Meanwhile, the top beacon seems to be out at 350 Cedar Street, too. Surely
the patience of the FAA must be getting a bit thin by now.


Rob