Snow interrupts local TV signal

Local television stations went down during Sunday night’s winter snow and rain storm. As early as day break on Monday, members of Western Sanders County TV District braved the weather attempting to locate and fix the problem.

Monday afternoon Bill Meadows, Western Sanders County TV District volunteer, reported the problem was located at Clark’s Peak in Thompson Falls, where no power was available. Meadows stated that Verizon and the Sanders County Sheriff’s Office provided a back-up generator that is running “full bore” in order to reinstate television service to the area.

“Northern Lights has been contacted, so it is in their hands now,” stated Meadows Monday afternoon.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Meadows’ update was that Chad Carter of Northern Lights, Inc. conducted a field visit and concluded that the power line was broken between the top and bottom of Clark’s Peak.

The power line is not only buried, but more than two miles long. And to make the situation even more interesting, “it is snowing!” stated Meadows.

Carter will be heading back up to Clark’s Peak to check propane levels in the generator fuel tank. This little generator is the only source of power providing a whole community with television service. From the way it looks currently, it may be some time before the powerline is fixed.

Due to the storm dropping large amounts of wet, heavy snow in higher elevations, Meadows said crews have been going out on snowmobiles to determine from where the problem was stemming.

“Glad I took a chain saw, as we had to saw out way up there,” Meadows said, adding life to the story as if it wasn’t already interesting enough.

Missoula stations are not “old school” any longer. They have all turned to digital broadcast. The route of getting television reception to local residents is a long one.

The route starts at Missoula and makes its way to Thompson Falls and Trout Creek via Point Six (north of Missoula), to Blacktail Mountain (south of Kalispell), to Pat’s Knob (southwest Plains), to Burlington Northern (BN) #1 Tower (Weeksville), to BN #2 Tower (southeast Thompson Falls), to Clark’s Peak (Thompson Falls), then to Green Mountain (north Trout Creek).

Members of Western Sanders County TV board ask for the viewing public to contact them anytime at (406) 827-4100 with times and locations of service interruption to help them resolve any issue. This is a good number to contact if anyone needs advice on receiving equipment as well.