It's been a multi-year effort, but thanks to you, we've raised the funds needed to proceed with our antenna and transmitter replacement project!

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting provided a matching grant for the new transmitter, the federal PTFP program from the Department of Commerce gave us one for the antenna, and Ohio's eTech Commission provided funds for engineering fees.  But "matching grant" means the community -- our listeners -- must provide the remaining funds for us to qualify.  And now, you've done it!

Our site survey with engineers and tower workers took place on Tuesday, October 12, 2010.  Friday, October 15, 2010 marks a meeting with the firm which manages LeVeque's rooftop for the owners.  By the end of the month -- perhaps by the end of the Fall on-air fund drive -- we hope to have a full installation schedule to share with you.

Our transmitter and antenna have called Columbus' landmark skyscraper, LeVeque Tower, home for 54 years.  No other broadcaster has been part of this piece of Columbus history for so long.  (The blinking red light you see on top of LeVeque at night is part of the WCBE antenna tower.)

Thanks to your financial contributions, we'll continue to be part of Columbus history for years to come! 

For those of you who love detail, here's a partial list (with rough costs) of what your donations are providing:

• The new transmitter itself (generates our digital and analog signal) = $27,000
• Exporter (encodes the outgoing signal) = $7,000
• Importer (processes and encodes audio signal from studios to transmitter) = $7,500
• UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) = $1,000
• Coaxial load (part of the transmitter/cabling system) = $4,000
• Optimod (an audio/signal processor; it equalizes and otherwise massages the sound) = $12,500
• Audio/Modulation Monitor (helps monitor signal quality) = $5,500
• Studio to Transmitter Link (equipment that transports studio audio to transmitter site) = $6,000
• LAN Bridge (basically a bunch of heavy-duty Ethernet cards) = $1,800
• Switcher/Combiner (puts the multiple analog/digital signals together compatibly) = $33,000
• Matrix Controller (not something Neo plugs into; it helps the unit above) = $5,000
• Flanged Elbows (hardware for the installation) = $700
• Step Reducers (analogous to a flange adapter) = $500
• More Flanged Elbows (larger size than above) = $1,550
• N Step Reducer (for different sizes than above) = $400
• Multi-Channel Audio Processor (helps the Optimod unit with audio quality) = $3,500
• Sundry Cables to Connect All of the Above = $500
• Antenna (well, you know what this is!) = $28,000
• Mounting Hardware for Antenna = $2,500
• Antenna Anti-Rotation Kit = $1,100
• Shipping for Everything Above = $3,500