Farnsworth Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Farnsworth Peak |
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Farnsworth Peak from the west face in May 2008
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,039 ft (2,755 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 1,243 ft (379 m) |
| Naming | |
| Etymology | Philo Farnsworth |
| Geography | |
 Farnsworth Peak
Location in Utah
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| Location | Salt Lake / Tooele counties, Utah, U.S. |
| Parent range | Oquirrh Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike or private road. |
Farnsworth Peak is a mountain peak in Utah, United States. It's located at the northern end of the Oquirrh Mountains. The peak is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southeast of Lake Point, Utah. It's also about 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Salt Lake City.
The mountain is named after Philo Farnsworth. He was an inventor who created the first fully electronic television. Today, Farnsworth Peak is mainly used for broadcasting radio and television signals. You can reach the peak by hiking from the Tooele side. Most of this land is public.
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Broadcasting from Farnsworth Peak
Farnsworth Peak is a very important spot for radio and television in Utah. It has three main broadcasting areas. These are known as "Big Farnsworth," "The KSTU Site," and "Little Farnsworth." Each area has many towers. These towers send out signals for different radio and television stations.
In 2003, engineers studied the radio waves coming from the peak. This helped them understand how to work safely on the mountain.
Radio Stations on Farnsworth Peak
Many FM radio stations in the Salt Lake City area broadcast from Farnsworth Peak. This mountain is a central hub for radio signals. It helps send music, news, and talk shows to listeners across the region.
Amateur Radio Repeaters
Farnsworth Peak also helps out amateur radio (or "ham radio") operators. Local TV networks like KSL-TV and KSTU let ham radio groups use space on the mountain. The peak is a major connection point for ham radio users. It links western and southern Utah to a bigger network called the Utah Intermountain Intertie. This network's main repeater is on Hidden Peak at Snowbird Tram.
Television Stations on Farnsworth Peak
Farnsworth Peak is home to many full-service television stations. KSL-TV is one of the most well-known stations broadcasting from here. Other stations include KSTU-TV (the local Fox channel), KUCW (The CW), and KUTV (CBS).
Some stations, like KTMW and KUPX, now send their digital signals from Little Farnsworth Peak. This smaller peak is about 0.45 miles (0.72 km) south. KSL-TV was the first TV station to use the mountain for broadcasting. They even have engineers on site sometimes for emergencies. Farnsworth Peak was one of the first places in the United States to build a special facility just for digital television.
Lightning Strike Incident
On September 13, 2009, lightning hit a tower on Farnsworth Peak. This tower carried signals for many digital television stations. The lightning strike knocked eight stations off the air. It also damaged a part called a "combiner." This part helps combine different signals. Engineers worked quickly to fix the problem. Within a day, all the stations were back on the air and working correctly.
2020 Salt Lake City Earthquake
On March 18, 2020, an earthquake happened near Farnsworth Peak. It was a 5.7 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake caused some radio and television stations to lose power. However, they were able to start broadcasting again very quickly. This is because Farnsworth Peak has special generators for emergencies.
