KDLT tower
The KDLT tower is a 609.2 meters (1,999 ft)[1] high guy-wired aerial mast for the transmission of TV programs in Rowena, South Dakota, United States.[1] The KDLT tower was completed in 1998 and is owned by Gray Media Group, Inc.[1] It is one of the tallest structures in the world. Only two buildings are taller: Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo, Japan.[2]
| KDLT Tower | |
|---|---|
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| |
| General information | |
| Type | Television Tower |
| Address | County Highway 111 |
| Town or city | Rowena, South Dakota |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 43°30′18″N 96°33′23″W |
| Elevation | 434.9 meters (1,427 ft) |
| Completed | August 19, 1998 |
| Owner | Gray Media Group, Inc. |
| Height | 609.2 meters (1,999 ft) |

History
The tower is no longer in use but the light at the top of tower (for aircraft) must be replaced when it malfunctions.[3][4] Replacement of the antenna at the top of this tower was featured in an episode of World's Toughest Fixes during Season 1 in 2010.[5] In 2015, amateur drone video footage of a man changing the light bulb went viral attracting more than 17 million hits on YouTube and garnering attention from CNN and a newspaper in Britain.[6][7][8] On learning of the drone footage, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered no more flights as drones are by law restricted to a ceiling of 400 feet (120 m), the tower being about five times that height.[9]
See also
References
- "Listing 1042104". Antenna Structure Registration database. U.S. Federal Communications Commission.
- Brady, Paul (6 December 2017). "The KDLT Mast, The World's Almost-Tallest Transmission Tower Stands In South Dakota". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- Cooper, Kindra (16 February 2015). "The view from this South Dakota TV Tower is as grand & dizzying as any Manhattan skyscraper". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- Moran, Lee (5 January 2015). "SEE IT: South Dakota repairman changes light bulb … on 1,500-foot TV antenna". New York Daily News. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- Cruit, Nick (November 25, 2008). "Local man repairs 2,000-foot tower on TV". Sierra Sun. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- Hult, John (January 8, 2015). "Sky-high climb in Salem passes 1 million views". Argus Leader. Retrieved September 28, 2021 – via USA Today.
- Fast, Austin (April 27, 2017). "WATCH: Death-defying drone footage shows man changing lightbulb atop 1,500-foot TV tower". WCPO-TV. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- Kludt, Tom (January 6, 2015). "Spectacular drone footage brings tower repairman his viral moment". CNN. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- Kevin Eck (January 3, 2015). "The FAA Was Not a Fan of the TV Tower Drone Video". Ad Week. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
External links
- KDLT Television Tower at Structurae
- "Listing 1042104". Antenna Structure Registration database. U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

