Stormy Weather

WMBD and that little area has always had problems with power as far back as I can remember.

@DennisinPeoria : I thought that would be the point of the generator!Seems like 1470 / 100.3FM is off air since Thursday morning. WYZZ 43 was a black screen that had some weather related notice up in the corner of the screen at 8PM Thursday. Now it is off air. So the transmitter site must have still had power. Do the weather related additions get added at the transmitter site?

@MadScientist :
No, apparently the generator is for emergency lights and basic electricity only, not to power the entire station for the process of airing and producing news. Last night I was able to put my camera and mic batteries on the charger, and that was working. But during the night the generator went off. But still got a good charge on the batteries.

@DennisinPeoria :
Time for an oil change and a fuel fill up? Aren't radio stations are fairly simple other than the fairly large amount of electricity that the transmitter may need? Can that generator power the 1470/100.3 radio side of WMBD?

@MadScientist :
The WMBD radio 1470 am is not connected to WMBD-TV 31. Another company took over the radio side years ago. Their office is downtown by Fulton Street Plaza.

Hey hey, WMBD is back in business! Well, power anyway. Popped on about 10 minutes ago. Still don't know about transmitter. Might just broadcast on WMBD+.

@DennisinPeoria :
I'm drawing a complete blank...where is the transmitter?

@kraziebill :
Somewhere over in East Peoria. I actually thought it was in a building close to Springfield Road and Broadway East of Pekin, across from a farm my dad worked at as a 2nd job. But maybe it's somewhere closer to EP.

@DennisinPeoria :
I looked it up. It's on Pinecrest between 74 and 474.
I always thought it was funny how close it is to WEEK tower, but it's all about elevation I guess.

@kraziebill : I think the W9UVI (Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club) repeater is in that areas as well. They paid professional company that finds ideal locations for radio sites.

@MadScientist :
W9UVI is located on the old Moyer Electronics tower in Groveland, but yea, same general area.
WTVP and the Peoria NWS radio is also nearby at 474 and Cole St.

I just got an update from Ameren. 52 more hours.... 7/15/2026 @ 11:30 pm. is the estimated time for restoration of power. I think my next payment to them will be about October 3rd.

@AntiRanchDrssng :
It looks like they updated all the outages with that ETA.

@kraziebill : I think so. The ones in West Peoria who are still out have been given that date too. Western is back up and running, but I'm told Farmington is still completely in the dark. It's a little freaky driving down major thoroughfares with zero lights, and I'm not talking just street lights. I mean every window, storefront, and marquee.

@kraziebill: it's the "we're tired of being called continuously so we're just going to put something up to shut everybody up and complain on Facebook about it" estimate.