Mesa County restores television service to Gateway and Southern Uncompahgre area

Mesa County has restored television service to rural residents in the Gateway and southern Uncompahgre areas following repairs to the Far Pond translator site.

The site was severely damaged by a lightning strike in early June and later affected by the Turner Gulch wildfire. Our Facilities and Parks Departments have since completed repairs and added new upgrades to strengthen the system’s reliability and protection from future natural events. The restored site features an improved grounding system, upgraded solar panels and a monitoring capability that allows technicians to check power and signal performance remotely.

Crews used a mix of new and refurbished equipment to complete the repairs, including transmitters and amplifiers provided at no cost by the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District. This saved the County roughly $50,000 and provided spare parts for future use.

“This project restored a vital communication link for residents in one of the most remote parts of Mesa County,” said Mesa County Facilities Director Alan Simpkins. “With the upgrades in place, the system is now stronger, more efficient and better protected.”