By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
The official term for a radio station transmitter blowing up is “kaput.”
At least that was what Eastern Washington University Department of Theatre & Film chair Marvin Smith e-mailed to the media in announcing that technical troubles had knocked the university's award-winning FM station off the air late Monday afternoon.
Smith, who is also general manager of KEWU-FM, said the transmitter installed when the station boosted its signal from 100 watts to 10,000 watts in late 1986 had been “blowing up tubes” and was due for replacement. The station raised the money to buy a replacement transmitter during its spring pledge drive, but held off ordering a new unit until the end of the state's fiscal budget cycle.
Smith said they had received bids for the transmitter, which is estimated to cost around $32,000, and were scheduled to open them on Tuesday – the day after the old transmitter went “kaput.” A new transmitter could take up to 30 days for delivery.
“You just don't buy them off the shelf,” Smith said.
Replacement parts allowing the station to return to the air, although at a much lower level of 100 watts, were expected to be at the station Wednesday. Smith said they should be back on the air by the end of this week.
KEWU-FM can also be heard on the Internet at kewu.ewu.edu. The station, located at 89.5, plays a mixture of classic and contemporary jazz along with the popular electronic music program “Nightfall.”
At 10,000 watts KEWU can easily be heard as far west as Ritzville, east to Kellogg, Idaho, north to Sandpoint and south to Pullman, although Smith said that coverage will be limited to the Cheney-Spokane area at the reduced power.
While the temporarily reduced signal is a disappointment, there is a silver lining. Because the money needed to pay for the new transmitter comes from pledges, Eastern can sidestep the state's $5,000 single-expenditure freeze limit and purchase the new equipment.
“We had planned on the expenditure,” Smith said. “We can do it because of listener support.”
Smith said they look to award a contract for the transmitter quickly, and hope to be back to full power within the next 45 days or so.
“Hopefully in time for another pledge drive,” he said with a laugh.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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