By Tim Leeds
Randall Rocks, broadcast engineer, was in Havre yesterday and today installing a new translator for Yellowstone Public Radio (YPR).
Rocks, who is an independent contractor with YPR, said that, barring unforeseen problems with the installation, the public radio transmission should be broadcasting at 90.7 FM by late this afternoon. He said for the moment they will still be feeding the audio signal to KNMC, heard at 90.1 FM, for at least a while.
YPR Station Manager Marvin Granger said they are trying to reach as many people in the broadcast area as possible. He said because of the location of the KNMC transmitter, which has been broadcasting the YPR signal, the broadcast area is quite limited. People in the area had expressed interest in a farther-reaching signal, Granger said.
"Our concern is getting signal to as many people as possible," he said.
Rocks said the installation was a two-day process. He and his brother, Myron Rocks of Chester, were installing the microwave relay system at the AT&T Broadband center yesterday. That system will relay the signal to a tower in Highland Park, where Rocks was working on installing the new transmitter today.
"It certainly should be on by three or four tomorrow (afternoon)," Rocks said, as long as no problems arose. He said even if there was a problem it should only cause a temporary delay in starting the new signal.
YPR is also heard in the Chester and Sweetgrass Hills area at 100.1 FM.
Bob Bentz, faculty advisor for KNMC, said they are in the process of deciding what would need to be done to start local programming from the university station, if enough student support for the effort can be found.
