Off the air

Update: NCPR is now back on the air in all locations. Thanks for your patience.

(I’m cross-posting this entry from the All In blog to make sure everyone who visits the In Box sees this report from our chief engineer Bob Sauter. –ER)

I just wanted to update the status of several of our facilities which are currently not operating due to effects from Irene:

1) WXLH, Blue Mountain Lake, 91.3.  This site is located on the summit of Blue Mountain… electrical service to the top is via a 2 mile overhead power line installed in the 1950’s to power the former DEW radar site on Blue.  This line has always been a problem, we’ve installed some large batteries at the site which give WXLH about 15 hours of backup power…  there is no generator at the site due to environmental, space and engineering issues.  I spoke today with a NYSEG representative who said that they tried re-connecting the power to the summit Monday night, but it only stayed on for a minute before blowing the fuses.  I also contacted one of the other users of the site, who couldn’t get to the summit due to the downed power lines across the trail.  (he was trying to bring a standby generator up!)  NYSEG says they will be working on the site and provided no estimate of when things will be back to normal.  The funny thing is that the site owner has plans to have the power line “trail” cleared during September… too late, however for Irene.

2) Newcomb Translator 97.3… this translator re-broadcasts the signal of WXLH, BML… so as long as WXLH is off the air, Newcomb will also be silent.

3) Keene Translator 90.1…. this translator is located on Jackson Hill Road, NYSEG says that power should be restored to the site today or tomorrow (late Tuesday or Wednesday)  This translator is located in an individual’s back yard, and connected to the owner’s home generator…. which, apparently has failed due to a lightning hit earlier this summer.

4) Keene Valley 96.3…  this translator rebroadcasts the Keene Translator, so hopefully, when Keene returns to service today or tomorrow, KV will be back on the air.

5) St. Huberts 101.7…. receives its signal from Keene Valley etc.

If you have any signal reports… or lack of signal reports email me at [email protected].  In many cases it is only through listener feedback that I know what is going on with our 33 transmitters.  Thanks for your continuing patience.