• Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • The Bible’s Way to Heaven
  • Music
  • Programs
    • Breaking the Chains
    • Bible Quiz
    • Founder’s Corner
    • Inspirational Instrumentals
    • Manager’s Minute
    • Pastor’s Study
    • Rise & Shine
    • Riverview Reporter
    • Send the Light
    • Sharing with Sherry
    • Verse of the Week
  • Staff
  • Support
  • Sharathon 2024

Posts

02
MAY
2015

KOLU’s New Transmitter Tested at Full Power

Posted By : Martin
Comments : 0
2015-05-02 CCA Full Power

Our “new” 20kW transmitter at full power!

We have crossed another milestone in the upgrade of KOLU to 39,000 watts.  The 20,000 watt transmitter has been tested at full power and is working well!

Along the way, we have installed a wire tray that will carry wiring that sends signals to control and monitor the transmitter.  Although we had completed re-wiring of the high voltage section, we weren’t entirely satisfied since some wire was brittle and there was many wires that had extra length, so we dove back into it and “cleaned up” that wiring.

The transmitter came up well although there were a couple of “hitches” along the way.  Some was due to our unfamiliarity with the control system and a couple of indicator lights that were burnt out.  Together with a wiring error in the smaller “driver” tube circuit, we had a couple of challenges yet all was figured out and fixed.  The transmitter engineer that is helping us commented that this used transmitter is in excellent condition, with only a few minor problems that we have easily corrected.

As of this writing, the transmitter is still tuned to the frequency of its former owners.  All power that the transmitter generated was directed into our “dummy load”, making for a lot of heat in the building!

Our next step in the upgrade will be to tune the transmitter to 90.1 MHz.  After this, we will run full power through the antenna for a couple of hours to make sure all is well.  This is what the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) describes as “equipment testing”, which we are authorized to do.  We are not authorized to leave it on the air, as testing for safety from strong radio frequency fields must be done before we can apply for the license that will authorize us to transmit at the higher power.

We will schedule the testing shortly.  While this is being arranged, we will complete the wiring to remotely control and monitor the transmitter.  The completion of the test report and an electronically-filed application for license will allow us to immediately broadcast at 39,000 watts, which is known as “program testing”.

In case you are wondering how a 20,000 watt transmitter produces 39,000 watts in coverage, it has to do with what is known as “antenna gain”.  Our antenna has a gain of about 2, which enables us to “multiply” our power compared to an antenna without as much gain.

Praise the Lord, we believe we are a few short weeks from broadcasting on KOLU at 39,000 watts!

 

About the Author
Martin has the dual role of Chief Operator and Chief Engineer at Christian Family Radio. His responsibilities include taking care of all things technical, including computers, audio equipment and the transmitter site. He also manages compliance with FCC rules.

Social Share

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    *
    *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Now Playing

    Click on the title for more information
    REFRESH
    (refresh this list)
    4:36 Soldiers Of The Cross
    RECENTLY PLAYED:
    4:34 Keep In The Middle Of The Road
    4:31 I Could Not Do Without Thee
    4:30 Weather Forecast
    4:26 For All He’s Done
    4:25 Sweet Jesus
    4:23 Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho
    4:22 Keep Me True
    4:19 This Is The Day
    4:16 I Take Him Back
    4:13 I’ll Be A Sunbeam
    4:11 Praise Him Praise Him
    4:07 Ship Ahoy
    4:05 In God’s Hands
    4:04 Redeemed
    4:00 SRN News
    3:58 Won’t It Be Wonderful There
    3:55 O God Our Help
    3:53 He Keeps Me Singing
    3:50 I Sing The Mighty Power Of God
    3:46 In The Midst Of Suffering
    3:41 No Other Name But Jesus
    3:38 Look For Me At Jesus Feet
    3:34 Jesus What A Friend For Sinners
    3:32 Oh How I Love Jesus
    3:31 Christ Is All I Need
    3:30 Weather Forecast
    3:27 For God So Loved The World
    3:25 Each Step I Take
    3:22 Of You O Spotless Lamb Of God

    Christian Family Radio KOLU
    A Ministry of Riverview Baptist Church, Pasco, WA
    PO Box 2734
    Pasco, WA 99302
    Contact us
    FCC Public File
    FCC Applications

    90.1 Tri-Cities/Hermiston

    90.9 Warden/Othello/Moses Lake
    88.9 Yakima & Upper Valley
    92.3 Prosser/Grandview
    89.5 Moses Lake
    93.7 La Grande, OR

    Copyright 2012-2023 Riverview Baptist Church
    Some images courtesy of stock.xchng and C.A Fields
    Certain icons courtesy of VisualPharm

    Powered by WordPress and Goodlayers Themes

    7ads6x98y