For residents who use old-fashioned antennae, alternately known as "bunny ears," to pick up the local television stations in Las Vegas, the recent falling of the EMS tower on Wheeler Pass Road meant more than a temporary loss of emergency services communications.

The wind storm that felled the tower Oct. 5 was connected to several television repeaters that transmitted the Las Vegas stations to many homes in parts of town where CMA cable isn't available.

Now anyone who watches TV sans satellite or cable is left with only two channels: Pahrump's own Channel 30/62 and Channel 41.

There is another repeater on Mt. Potosi, but in order to pick up that signal, line of sight between the mountain and local antennae is required.

For residents like Heather Adams, who lives on the north side of town near Harris Farm Road and Highway 160, the Mt. Potosi repeater is little comfort.

The tower doesn't put out enough of a signal to reach homes that far out.

And although the houses in her subdivision have cable jacks, CMA has not yet extended lines that reach that far.

Frustrated with the limited options available to her, Adams said, "Where are we? Bedrock? Hang on, I have to go feed my dinosaur." She has already arranged to switch over to satellite television.

Town Manager Dave Richards said the issue would be discussed at a future town board meeting, but the town was still awaiting an estimate on the cost of damages from the county.