KOTO Technical and Signal Update
(for today's calendar, scroll down)
This winter, ice kinked our Studio-Transmitter Link (STL) coaxial cable dropping our STL power from 300MV to about 13mv. This has been repaired as of May 5.
John Lee, our pro-bono RF engineer from Phoenix, was here last week to install our new control consoles in the production room and main studio, but close inspection of the existing wiring to the main console revealed fundamental problems requiring new wiring to all our inputs and consoles. This will ensure reliability and allow maximum sharing of inputs and consoles throughout the building and within our computer network.
The bad news is it will take some time to install the new wiring before we can install the consoles. We will ask Mr. Lee to return in late May to install the consoles and distribution amplifiers.
Also last week, Mr. Lee and I toured the east end of San Miguel County with his radio frequency spectrum analyzer (an impressive and outrageously expensive machine). Our best results came from the airport tarmac, where the airport manager let us defy the TSA and set up our various antennae and cables. We couldn't detect any potentially interfering signals to our Last Dollar STL, which picks up some rogue signal and turns on the Dollar transmitter once or twice a week. The solution to the Dollar problem means another assault on Last Dollar Mountain to fix the phone and diagnostic control system, and install a band-pass filter on the STL receive antenna. The engineer believes that this filter, along with a tuning of the STL receiving circuitry should reduce the spurious turn-ons.
Analysis of our broadcast signal from Coonskin and from the studio STL reveals an outstanding signal from our new transmitter and new antenna. We're putting out over 6200 watts at a 70 percent power setting. This lower setting below our 8900 watts of licensed power is because of inadequate cooling in our new building at Coonskin. We plan a second, 3-ton air conditioning unit and a sophisticated air supply system to be installed this summer so that we can operate at 100 percent power.
Concerns about potential over-modulation, voiced most recently by a listener who gets KOTO on his electric guitar at Hillside, were squelched by the spectrum analyzer. It says we're within limits and to just ignore that bright red spike on the HD Modulation Monitor in the studio (we're going to address that in Mr. Lee's next visit.)
There's a lot left to do including: trouble-shooting intermittent problems on 89.3 in town; getting 89.3 in Norwood shifted to 89.5mhz (the FCC granted approval for the change this April - we're ordering parts and planning a late May/early June switch); finishing the new Coonskin antenna installation(we need to remove the old antenna and finish the antenna heater installation); installing the new minidisc players, new studio microphones, and a new 4tb RAID with enough room to store all 40,000 pieces of media currently stored as vinyl, reel-to-reel, tapes and CDs in KOTO's vast library(all part of our PTFP federal grant program); completing licensing for our three, new full-power stations applied for in Nucla (Norwood), Rico, and Ouray (Ridgway); and installing automatic back-up generators at Coonskin and the main studios (with grants already received from Homeland Security and TMVOA).
If you have any questions, please contact me at: steve@koto.org
Steve Kennedy
KOTO Executive Director
KOTO COMMUNITY CALENDAR, TUESDAY, MAY 13
I apologize for the delay in posting today's calendar. Our Web site administrator changed our access information and informed us of the new info just recently.
Tonight at the Nugget Theatre: 6:30 p.m. "Baby Mama" (1 hour 39 minutes PG-13) and at 8:30 p.m. "Forbidden Kingdom" (1 hour 53 minutes PG-13)
It's time to start thinking about Bluegrass! Volunteering for the KOTO Beer Booth at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival is a great way to experience the fest. Make friends, make memories and help community radio in Telluride with one of its largest fundraisers! Go to koto.org to volunteer. Thank you!
The Telluride Elementary and Intermediate Schools General Music Spring Choir Concert is tonight at 6 p.m. at the Michael D. Palm Theatre. And tomorrow, the Spring Band Concert, featuring the Intermediate, Middle and high School Bands takes place at 7 p.m. at the Palm. Both concerts are free.
Keep yourself in stitches with a social knitting session tonight at 7 p.m. at Needlerock Fibrearts. Join your fellow fiber artists for an evening of creating and debating at 335 W. Colorado Ave.
Rocky Mountain PBS presents a Frontline special presentation: Storm Over Everest, A David Breashears Film, tonight at 8 p.m. on PBS, channel 6. Mountain climber-filmmaker David Breashears recalls a May 1996 storm on Mount Everest that trapped three expedition teams and claimed five lives. Interviews with climbers who survived the harrowing ordeal recount the events that resulted in seasoned mountaineers losing their lives alongside less experienced climbers drawn to the mystique of Mount Everest. This special presentation will be followed by an online round table discussion with Telluride's Dr. Peter Hackett, David Breashears and professional guides to discuss the ethics of guiding at extreme altitude. Go to: www.frontline.org/everest.
The San Miguel Whitewater and American Whitewater are hosting a fundraiser tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. at the Jagged Edge. The evening includes the film "Hotel Charley III" and a fantastic raffle with tons of cool prizes from kayaks, to sandals to headlamps and much more!
Telluride Kayak School will be putting on a Swiftwater Rescue course May 16-18. Students will learn self rescue techniques, rope handling skills, and approaches for dealing with boat pinning and entrapment. Participants will earn Swiftwater Rescue Technician Level II certification. Contact Matt Wilson 728-6250
It's time to clean up your act, or at the very least, your garage! The 2008 Regional Spring Clean-Up is Thursday, May 15 through Saturday, May17 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bring your household and garden refuse, tires, appliances, recyclables and electronics to West Black Bear Road between Shandoka and the public works facility. Some fees may apply. On Saturday, May 17 only, there will be a Hazardous Waste Collection at the high school parking lot from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to Bring paint, pesticides household batteries, car fluids, solvents and other materials for sage disposal. Some fees will apply. For more info call Chris at 369-5442.
Kindergarten registration is Thursday, May 15 at the Telluride Elementary School Office from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Children must be 5 years of age on or before October 1, 2008. Birth certificate, immunization records and proof of residency are required for registration. No exceptions. For more info call Shelley at 728-6615.
The George C. Cain Memorial Bike ride from Telluride to Moab begins Friday May 16, leaving from Elks Park and heading to Slickrock camp. On Saturday May 17 it's Slickrock to Monticello, UT, then transport or continue pedaling to Moab. George Cain was a NYC firefighter who loved Telluride and lost his life on 9/11. For more information call Crockett at 327-4939 or Doug 728-0938.
The First Annual Teddy Bear Film Festival is at the Michael D. Palm Theatre this Sunday, May 18. Bring your teddy bear for a pre-film parade, wear your PJs and enjoy family-friendly movies beginning at 4 p.m. The event is free and so are the balloons!
The Lawson Hill Annual Spring Picnic, is Sunday May 18 at 4 p.m., at the Alexander Overlook cul-de-sac, and is open to all Lawson Hill Property Owners.
The Telluride Parks and Rec department is hosting public design charrettes to develop conceptual plans for festival infrastructure in the park and for the grandstands. On Monday, May 19 at 11 a.m. discussion will cover festival infrastructure and at 7 p.m. the grandstands. Both meetings are at Rebekah Hall. For more info call Stephanie at 728-5359.
The Telluride Choral Society presents the fifth annual children's only concert, KidSing 2008 – Isle & Song, on Monday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at Christ Church. This year's program features music from all of the British Isles including folk songs, castle and cathedral music, the London stage and the Beatles. Young singers from Choristers, Omni Voce, and Emanon will perform. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more info, call 728-3411.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Wednesday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
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