UPDATE 7:10PM Monday (Dec 4): WFMY News 2 "switched" from its temporary to main transmission line and antenna beginning a 6:30PM, sending an initial signal up the main tower at 6:52PM. The power is slowly being increased over the next several minutes and signal strength should improve during that process to restore over-the-air service. At that point, any TV set not receiving WFMY 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 should be re-scanned (channel search / auto-programmed) to reconnect with the new signal
UPDATE 5:21PM Monday (Dec. 4): After repairs, WFMY News 2 will test its main transmission line and antenna today at 6:30PM. If the test is good, we will switch from our temporary to primary antenna and resume broadcasting. While we switch, there will be no over-the-air signal. Within 30 to 60 minutes, WFMY should return to your TV. If not, please scan your TV – even if you’ve done so before in recent days. We will update viewers on www.wfmynews2.com and our Facebook page when the primary signal is back “on-the-air”. Thanks for your patience and support.
In addition to all antenna viewers, cable systems impacted may include North State/High Point, Piedmont/Lexington, Charter/Wilkesboro, Randolph/Asheboro, Comcast/Danville, Windstream/Lexington, Alleghany/Sparta, Chatmoss/Danville, Surry/Dobson, Yadkin Valley, Charter/Siler City
UPDATE 4:50PM Friday (Dec 1): WFMY News 2 on track to test primary transmission line this weekend with signal to main antenna serving Piedmont-Triad region. Extensive burn damage revealed on multiple sections of inner core transmission line which remains under repair.
Immediate goal: Replace/repair sufficient number of non-functioning damaged sections to allow activation of primary transmission line and signal delivery via antenna atop WFMY’s 2K foot tower. Current temporary signal delivered via new auxiliary antenna lower on tower.
Long-term plan:
- Re-position auxiliary antenna up tower to 1700+ feet, increasing signal reach to market-wide effectiveness.
- Complete rebuild of main transmission line feeding primary 2K foot antenna and signal.
- Maintain dual full power market-wide reach via either primary or aux antennas.
UPDATE 9:58AM Wednesday (Nov. 29): A shipment of broadcast transmission line sections fabricated in Maine will be trucked today to the WFMY News 2 transmitter and tower in Randolph County, NC for final repairs underway up the 2K foot tower. Major reconstruction of the transmission line is carried out aloft - one 20-foot section at a time - unbolted, winched down, cleaned, repaired or replaced and reverse process up the tower. No timetable yet, but good progress continues and the crew will remain on the job until completion. WFMY installed a new temporary auxiliary antenna last week that reaches cable systems and antenna viewers in proximity to the tower. Other alternative viewing options include CBS All Access, CBS and newscasts on WFMY News 2.
Auxiliary antenna installation and main line repair began after the primary transmission line failed November 16. Completion of repairs will return a full market-wide signal to antenna viewers.
UPDATE 5:10PM Friday: WFMY News 2 restored antenna service Wednesday after an outage caused by a main transmission line failure. With installation of a new temporary auxiliary antenna and feed line from the transmitter, WFMY 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3 may reappear now in those normal channel positions. If not, TVs should be re-scanned (autoprogrammed, channel search on TV menu) to re-establish WFMY in the channel line-up. All antenna-fed cable systems are confirming a return of WFMY to their channel line-ups. Some antenna homes distant to or obstructed from the WFMY tower in Level Cross, Randolph County may not be positioned to receive the signal from the new temporary auxiliary antenna. In distant homes, outdoor antennas, rather than indoor, are better positioned to receive WFMY's temporary signal. All issues will be resolved with a return to full signal delivery from the main transmission line, now under repair. There is no timetable yet for completion of the project that is in progress - sooner rather than later is the plan.
Options for distant or obstructed antenna viewers include:
WFMY News 2 newscasts live on www.wfmynews2.com and WFMY app
CBS Prime Time shows next day free on www.cbs.com
WFMY live on fee-based CBS All Access (5.99 / mo. - first month free)
Again, free over-the-air WFMY is available and will be restored to full signal delivery with completion of main transmission line repair - now in progress.
UPDATE 4:45PM Friday: We are currently operating at the maximum power level our temporary antenna and feed line can withstand. Our WFMY technical team is working with our tower crew and suppliers to restore our signal to its previous signal strength. We hope to have these repairs completed soon. The temporary antenna we installed does not fully replicate the coverage area of our primary antenna, so viewers in some areas may not receive our signal. We are working to restore the primary antenna as soon as possible.
UPDATE 6:30PM Wednesday: WFMY News 2 over-the-air signal returns to the Triad's airwaves after today's installation of a new temporary auxiliary antenna and feed line from the transmitter. WFMY 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3 may reappear now in those normal channel positions. If not, TVs should be re-scanned to re-establish WFMY in the channel line-up. WFMY is surveying antenna-fed cable systems to encourage and facilitate re-entry of WFMY in those channel line-ups.
UPDATE 1:20PM Wednesday: Transmission line run up WFMY News 2 tower in progress. New auxiliary antenna to be mounted and connected back to transmitter for restoration of over-the-air signal. Pictures posted show yellow lift cart aloft - not visible - two tall tower workers are inside. Crew will complete project before holiday break.
UPDATE: 9:45AM Wednesday: Truck from Maine with new antenna and cable arrived pre-dawn as planned. Crew on site at WFMY News 2 transmitter & tower site to unpack and prep for installation. Plan is for tower climbers and install team to remain on job until complete.
UPDATE: 12:05PM Tuesday: Confirmed transport truck with auxiliary antenna from Maine moving down eastern seaboard now for overnight arrival in the Triad. Winch and rigging on 2K tower now in place and tall tower crew will off load and begin antenna installation Wednesday at first light. Crew will complete installation before breaking for holiday.
UPDATE | Monday, Nov. 20: 4:28PM : New auxiliary antenna and cable loaded for delivery to WFMY News 2 Transmitter & Tower site. Travel from Maine would point to a Wednesday arrival when installation on tower will begin. Crews are on site prepping now.
UPDATE #1: As of 7:20pm Friday, WFMY News 2 is available on North State Communications.
UPDATE #2: As of 8:30pm Friday, WFMY New 2 is available to customers on Windstream.
WFMY News 2 is working to restore its over-the-air signal after a major transmission line outage Thursday morning. Viewers who watch via antenna or via cable companies dependent on that over-the-air signal are impacted. Among those cable companies are North State, Windstream, Yadkin Valley, Randolph, Piedmont and Wilkes.
NOT impacted by the outage are metro-area Spectrum viewers, DirecTV, DISH or AT&T U-verse viewers. WFMY News 2 and CBS programming can be viewed alternatively on CBS All Access and CBS.com. WFMY News 2 local newscasts are on our app and digital streams.
In short, the large and long encased signal line from our transmitter running up our 2-thousand foot tower to the antenna - has faulted. This feed line is encased in air tight sections all the way to the top of the tower where the antenna delivers our signal.
Out of state tech crews, tower climbers and wench equipment are on site or on the way. Work will continue through the weekend, but a repair timetable is not clear. Heavy tools and broadcast replacement parts are part of the repair. We wish something quick and simple like a computer reboot or fuse replacement would do the trick. But as described, this is a significant once-in-decades mechanical failure that needs all of our attention and effort.
And we're on it. Our apologies for the inconvenience and thanks for your understanding and patience.
You can still view WFMY News 2’s Good Morning Show, WFMY News 2 at Noon, WFMY News 2 at 5, 5:30, 6 and WFMY News 2 at 11 by downloading the WFMY News 2 App to your phone or by watching the live stream on our website.
