Skytree Takes Over Broadcasting From Tokyo Tower

Above, Tokyo Skytree under construction in December 2010.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tokyo Skytree tower is now a full-fledged broadcasting tower as of this morning.

Kyodo News reported:

Tokyo Skytree, which opened as the Tobu Railway Co. group's landmark tourist spot a year ago, took on the role of full-fledged broadcasting tower for the greater Tokyo region on Friday as six TV stations started airwave transmissions at 9 a.m. 

Skytree in Tokyo's Sumida Ward in Tokyo took over the function from Tokyo Tower in Minato Ward, which had beamed airwaves for TV viewers since 1959. Tokyo Tower is expected to be used as a backup in the event Skytree transmission facilities become disabled by a disaster or other circumstances.

Above, Tokyo Tower and moon in early morning.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There remains a few reception bugs that still need to be addressed.  Test transmissions in December began to take steps to resolve reception issues in some pockets.  More than 99.5% of the transmission issues have been resolved.  It is estimated that 125,000 cases of poor reception will remain to be resolved.

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