More Broadcasting Repairs for CKON Radio

CKON Radio is continuing to phase in repairs to the radio tower equipment and wants the community to know why they have been off the air again. Recently, RComm has been climbing the tower for repairs to the transmission lines and, while on top of the tower, found other faulty or broken equipment that requires repair or replacement. Due to being located close to the river makes the radio tower a magnet for lightning strikes, which damages equipment.

CKON will be going off air for short periods of time for the remainder of the year and into early 2014 to update and replace seventeen-year old equipment. The station manager says it is an achingly slow process to switch out old equipment for new equipment. However, the new equipment will eliminate or reduce broadcasting failures. The costs for such equipment are astronomical and time consuming to install and the costs for specialized radio technicians to climb the tower to make repairs and/or install new equipment are not cheap. It is ill advised to send inexperienced and ill-trained individuals up to the top of the tower to misread what might be wrong and guess how it can be fixed.

The current transmitter is 17 years old and is no longer produced so it is difficult to find replacement parts that will hold until CKON is in a position to purchase a new transmitter. A new transmitter will allow CKON to go from analog to digital broadcasting, which will improve the listening quality of the radio station. Most radio stations have already begun switching to digital, which has led to analog equipment becoming obsolete.

Outside of tower repairs, and in order to remain on the air during power outages, CKON recently purchased a heavy duty generator capable of providing reliable power strength for all broadcasting equipment so CKON can continue to air emergency or other relevant information to the community during power outages. The generator slab will be poured within the next week and installation of the generator will follow as soon as the slab is ready.

Completing the upgrade will be the purchase of new in-house equipment that will be compatible with the enhanced radio tower equipment. In the meantime, the Akwesasne Communication Society and CKON Radio ask for the community’s patience and support as they strive to stabilize and enhance your listening pleasure.