Keep Your Copper in the Ground
[January 2026] Have you read any reports lately about copper theft from transmitter sites? Likley the weather has kept many of the thiever away for the moment. But you can be sure that as the weather warms up over the next few months, they will be back around. As Clay Frienwald originally wrote, site security is important, as just a relatively small amount of copper stolen can cost major dollars in repairs.
Have you looked at copper prices recently?
Just think about it: $6.00 a pound! Even scrap copper is getting from $3.85 to $4.70 these days as thieves continue to strike broadcast and other sites in the quest for quick cash.
When I wrote on this topic in 2014, a local broadcast engineer (Doug Fisher) reported that thieves had struck a broadcast station in Longview, WA late at night, one of three similar thefts over a just couple of weeks. The station’s antenna, a folded unipole with ground radials attached at the top of the tower pier, sat just West of I-5 and south of Longview.
Unfortunately, that just made the copper easier to see, and the thieves saw a quick source of the metal on KLOG’s tower. Under the cover of darkness, the thieves cut away strap that was grounding the tower and pulled out some of the radials.
But then, they apparently touched something that was RF hot, causing them to drop their tools and high-tail it away from the site. Fortunately – for them – the station is relatively low power – 1 kW – and not 50 kW, as the result could have been different.
SMALL DAMAGE, BIG COST
According to the Station Manager Joel Hansen, the thieves netted less than $1.00 worth of copper. That is about $3.00 today.
Still, he expected the repairs costs to total at least $1,500 (maybe $5,000 today)– and that does not include the costs of being off the air most of the day. If the whole tower had needed to be replaced, it could easily cost $45,000 to $80,000 – ore more. In recent times, more than one station with a damaged or lost tower deemed the cost too great and simply turned in the license.
As I keep preaching: it is just a matter of time before copper thieves discover your radio or TV station. That is why I keep asking “what are you doing about security?”
PROACTIVE PROTECTION
All in all, I would guess not too many drivers on the freeway are looking for copper thieves at 3 AM. That means it is important for you to take preventive steps to keep your copper in the ground.
Not so very long ago, the only real solution in bad neighborhoods was to hire security guards. You certainly know the GM’s reaction to the cost: a loud groan and rolling of the eyes. Too many felt it just cost too much to do anything – and sure enough, eventually the time came when damage was done.
Today, you can get an Internet camera-ready package at a very modest cost. With features like motion sensing, recording, and alerting functions, it is realtively easy to be connected to even a remote site through a cellular hotspot , often for less than one week’s cost for the security guards.
Even better, a setup like that could easily reduce insurance costs for the site.
MORE EYES ARE BETTER
Sometimes a video recording can even result in an arrest.
But, while the arrest might being some recovery, it does not resolve the mess. On the other hand, word does get around and many of the bad guys know which property has quick reactive protection.
Another tactic that some stations have used is to talk to the neighbors and encourage cooperation. In the old days, a few cassettes or CDs did wonders. It might take a bit more today!
THE FENCE SOLUTION
In an on-line discussion around ways to prevent the thieves from getting on the site in the first place, it was suggested to use fencing with razor wire.
The problem with that is the bad guys already have an easy solution – they simply cover the razor wire with a sleeping bag and climb over the fence,
Once the thieves are onto the property, they will use another sleeping bag around the tower feed (to keep from being zapped) and flex the feed line until it breaks. It appears that many of them likely understand that at some point the transmitter will shut down and then they are free to haul away their treasure.
REDUCING THE ATTRACTION
One technique that appears to be somewhat successful is to apply a liberal coating of asphaltic roofing product to every copper surface.
Not only will it hide the copper color they are looking for but it will diminish the value should they elect to take the parts anyway. Another option is something called Gorilla Glue, which has worked for some folks.
There are a number of other solutions are being tried. For some examples, take a look at what is taking place to mitigate street light wiring theft in your area.
Meanwhile the thefts keep on occurring, so it is important to develop a plan. To repeat my warning: it probably is not if metal thieves will attack near you, it is just a matter of when.
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Clay Freinwald, a frequent contributor to The BDR, is a veteran Seattle market engineer who continues to serve clients from standalone stations to multi-station sites.
You can contact Clay at K7CR@blarg.net
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