KVLY-TV mast, Television transmitter mast in Blanchard, North Dakota, US.
KVLY-TV mast is a television transmission tower in Blanchard, North Dakota, United States. It rises over 600 meters above the prairie, held in place by cables anchored in the flat ground around it.
The structure went up in 1963 and held the title of tallest human-made structure on Earth for eleven years. An ice storm damaged it in 1968, but repairs brought it back into operation quickly.
The tower represents North Dakota's commitment to technological advancement, enabling television broadcasts to reach communities across 9,700 square miles of territory.
You can spot the transmission tower from miles away across the flat farmland of the region. Red warning lights mark its position in the sky at night.
There are no elevators, so technicians climb ladders for over half an hour to reach maintenance points. Lightning strikes the structure regularly, but a grounding system protects it from damage.
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