WLS-TV covered this year’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in HD (720p) for the first time in the event’s 16-year history and in doing so, the ABC affiliate relied on a variety of microwave equipment from Nucomm, part of the Vitec Group Broadcast Systems Division.

The outdoor event’s route stretched for three-quarters of a mile between Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive. Three Nucomm ChannelMaster TX1 transmitters were installed on rooftops and a scissor lift. Additional mobile Newscaster transmitters were mounted inside WLS-TV mobile units and on one of the parade vehicles, which turned out to be a 1936 fire truck.

Even though the downtown procession route provided signal challenges, solid coverage of the event was reported by all.