(Snowmass Village, CO) Hundreds of full and part time residents of Snowmass Village will be able to take advantage of free basic television service provided by a Pitkin County mountaintop translator this summer. Equipment will be installed on the “Jack Rabbit” tower located on the ridge between Brush Creek and Owl Creek roads on the Seven Star open space south of the new Sky Mountain Park Skyline Trail. Residences must be within “line of sight” of the tower and install an antenna on their homes to receive the free service
“We are excited to be able to provide free television service to Snowmass Village for the first time,” said Pitkin County TV/FM Manager, Jodi Smith. “You must be able to see our tower from your residence to receive the signal. We understand that there may be some places in Snowmass Village where this is not possible, but we’re confident our signal will reach most places up there,” Smith said.
Free television provided by Pitkin County includes only “basic” television stations: ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, ION, CW network, Colorado Public TV and local channels CGTV (Community Government Television) and Grassroots.
Pitkin County owns and operates a mountaintop translator system that rebroadcasts FM radio and television signals to residents of Pitkin County and some other portions of the Roaring Fork Valley. A voter-approved mill levy of .374 or $1.42 per $100,000 of assessed valuation covers the cost of the translator system. Because of mountainous terrain it would be difficult to receive FM radio and over-the-air TV signals without the translators. The translator service is especially popular in rural areas of Pitkin County that aren't served by cable television. Police, fire and emergency services also broadcast from many of the translator sites.
“We’re thrilled in Snowmass Village to be able to receive this valuable service from Pitkin County,” said TOSV Public Relations Director, Lesley Compagnone. “Many of our year round residents are trying to cut costs and our second homeowners may be interested in this basic service since they’re not here all the time,” Campagnone said.
Citizens who wish to see whether or not they can receive the free television signal can simply look for a translator tower from their homes and if they can see it chances are they can receive coverage. A TV coverage area map is available online at www.aspenpitkin.com/freetv. Information about the service and recommendations for antennas, etc. is also available online or by calling 920-5395.
“We have an obligation to our citizens to provide TV and FM signals to them however we can,” Smith said. “We reach homes in the remote Pitkin County towns of Meredith, Thomasville and Redstone. We also beam signals into the Emma area, Missouri Heights, and along Highway 82 as far as Ranch at Roaring Fork.”