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Old 07-25-2014, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Chicago
526 posts, read 1,058,380 times
Reputation: 162

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I know it sounds odd, but I had to post this! It has been bugging me since last night. Every night/morning around 330 AM I drive down the Kennedy from work. Usually the John Hancock's antenna lights are flashing red. Last night they were flashing a very obnoxious white color. I could not stop looking at it! It reminded me of a strobe light! Did anyone else notice? Tonight again, I will look and see if they are white again.
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Old 07-26-2014, 12:57 AM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
4,069 posts, read 7,315,809 times
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I noticed it! I can see the top half of the building from my highrise apartment four miles to the north.

I've noticed over the years that they typically start out with white flashing lights toward sundown, then switch to red right around dusk.

I have no idea what was going on last night. I worried something was wrong, but I flipped around the TV stations and couldn't find any news about anything.
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Old 07-26-2014, 02:51 AM
 
Location: Chicago
526 posts, read 1,058,380 times
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Tonight it's back red again! I thought I was seeing things! Glad on not the only one. What is the point in flashing lights? Is it so planes etc don't clip the Antennas?
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Old 07-26-2014, 11:17 AM
 
28,455 posts, read 85,361,596 times
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There are FAA / FCC regulations about all antennas that dictate how the strobes must be set. The color thing may in fact be related to issues with the antenna being "back light" by the sunset is such a way that they are testing out different combination. It is not so much that little planes are going to "clip" the tower as that pilots under VFR may misjudge the distance to a major landmark that is used for further "navigation adjustments". The airspace above / around cities is highly regulated and all newer aircraft have an array of electronic navigation systems to help them stay out of protected space. Pilots in older aircraft using VFR need to be able to visually judge the correct route around the city...
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Old 07-27-2014, 06:40 PM
 
1 posts, read 3,787 times
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I have been noticing that . Work just west of loop and from the rooftop I have a clear view . Right now at 735 they have the same type as sears tower .Last night they were red, but I have seen the same type as sears during the night also .
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Old 07-28-2014, 08:34 PM
 
221 posts, read 335,451 times
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In tower lighting land, white strobe is typically day lighting. Red is for night. If the red night light is broken...white strobe is on as a backup, at a lower intensity.
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Old 07-28-2014, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,259,477 times
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I believe the lights have something to do with landing and take off so planes do not accidently hit the tallest towers or power lines, but I could be wrong. Where I live the lights are white all the time.
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Old 07-29-2014, 01:13 AM
 
Location: Chicago
526 posts, read 1,058,380 times
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I was just wondering. It was interesting to see it that way at 3 am. Yeah, I know about landing lights being red, I live a mile from Midway. I can't wait to move out of the flight path!
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Old 07-29-2014, 06:35 PM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
4,069 posts, read 7,315,809 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SidewaysLS4 View Post
In tower lighting land, white strobe is typically day lighting. Red is for night. If the red night light is broken...white strobe is on as a backup, at a lower intensity.
Ah, that makes sense. So the Hancock's red lighting must've suffered a malfunction at some point that night, which would be why they switched to the white lights.
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Old 08-13-2014, 12:07 AM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
4,069 posts, read 7,315,809 times
Reputation: 3062
Just noticed that it's doing it again tonight.
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