RSU Public Television off Air Due to Ice

RSU Public Television will be off the air for a few days on some cable and satellite systems due to the accumulation of ice on its antenna.

A buildup of ice is preventing the station from broadcasting its over-the-air transmission signal, said Jim Mertins, chief engineer.

However, RSU Public Television can still be viewed on Cox Cable and AT&T since those systems are connected to the station via a fiber link, he said.

Ice began accumulating on the antenna late Thursday and the station was forced to power down its 3.6 kilowatt transmitter in order to preserve its operational reliability, said Dan Schiedel, general manager.

“We hope to be back on the air within the next day or so. However, it depends upon the weather. We hope our faithful viewers will understand and be patient as we wait out the storm,” Schiedel said.

RSU Public Television’s transmission system is located five miles north of Claremore and the antenna sits atop an 800-foot tower.

RSU Public Television is the only full-powered television broadcast system licensed to a university in Oklahoma.