Severe Weather Outage

Due to the current weather conditions at many of our tower sites, transmission of our signal has been disrupted.  Listeners across the state may be unable to access a clear signal from MPB as long as temperatures at our sites remain at or below freezing.  We apologize for this inconvenience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this problem occurring on MPB but not on other stations in the area? 

• A combination of several variables including wind speed, sunlight, temperature and height of the tower could cause problems to occur at any station.  MPB is fortunate to have towers that extend to 1500 feet at some of our sites.  The height of our towers enables us to extend our broadcasts to a wider population in Mississippi and even to areas in surrounding states.  Though temperatures on the ground may not always be at or below freezing, the temperature is lower at 1500 feet.  Excessive precipitation further increases the likelihood that ice will accumulate on our antennae. 

How do stations in more northern states prevent such problems? 

• Most stations that experience consistent freezing and precipitation during the winter months have de-icing devices on their antennae.  In Mississippi, we have such equipment at our tower in Booneville.  We are exploring the possibility of investing in de-icing equipment at some of our other sites.  The purchase and installation of such equipment has previously been cost prohibitive.

Are any steps being taken to remedy this problem?

• Ice on towers and antennae is cause for concern for many reasons. When an antenna on a tower freezes there is a risk of further, long term damage to the site.  We are currently taking steps to ensure that the equipment at our sites is protected from long-term damage. This includes operating with the lowest possible signal to ensure that the equipment does not overheat as it tries to broadcast through ice at full capacity. As temperatures at our highest towers increase, we will bring power up to normal levels when it is safe to do so.

How long can we expect to encounter problems accessing your signal?

• Listeners and viewers in our area may notice problems as long as current weather conditions in Mississippi persist.  As the current front moves through, we hope to be able to return to full broadcast capacity.