By Jack Quirk
Technology is expensive, it moves fast, and sooner or later it decides to become obsolete, and then gets in the way. When Mary Voskuhl started the Hennessey Answering Service years ago, two-way radios were the lifeline of her business. If you wanted to reach someone, that radio tower did the talking.
Then along came cell phones, quietly, quickly, and with far fewer antennas. The 2 way radios faded into history, but the tower did not.
For years, Mary was left with a large radio tower attached to her home, complete with multiple antennas on top, a permanent reminder of technology that once ruled the day. It worked great in its prime, but eventually it became more landmark than necessity.
On Saturday, January 17, the tower finally got its second chance.
Longtime radio specialist Philip Wilson of Enid stepped in to rescue the tower and antennas, giving them a new purpose instead of letting them rot away. Wilson collects and repurposes radio equipment like this, helping emergency agencies and small businesses upgrade their radio systems at a fraction of the cost of buying brand-new gear. In other words, old tech, new mission.
Of course, rescuing a tower is not exactly a ladder-and-toolbox operation.
Jimmy Berkenbile of Eagle Propane volunteered his crane to safely remove the tower and gently bring it back down to earth, proving once again that when Hennessey needs something lifted, help is usually just a phone call away.
Thanks to a little teamwork, some heavy equipment, and a lot of know-how, the tower and antennas are headed for a new home, where they will once again make a real difference. Not bad for a piece of technology that refused to quit.
Photos by AAN Jack Quirk