While we get ready, here's some pictures of me working with the Lencas of COPINH last summer......
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Just Before the Flight
We're getting prepared to fly away on April 1st. Don Berliner is swinging by Urbana in his little single-engine Mooney to wisk me away to Honduras via Austin TX, and Veracruz, Mexico. Meanwhile, I want to acknowledge another donation of a huge number of transistors...all we need to rebuild all of the transmitter output modules for both transmitters...from ON Semiconductor, a really high-class manufacturer in Tuscon, AZ. Thank you so much for your support!
While we get ready, here's some pictures of me working with the Lencas of COPINH last summer......
While we get ready, here's some pictures of me working with the Lencas of COPINH last summer......
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Return to La Esperanza in April
We're gearing up to return to La Esperanza to do more work on La Voz Lenca on April first. This time, it's a barnstorming trip by single engine plane! I'm getting equipment ready, rebuilding transmitter components, collecting spare parts, and packing all the stuff to be airworthy. I've gotten the digital camera working again,, so I'll be uploading pictures of the trip down and the work at La Voz Lenca as it happens.
We're still casting around for funds to make the work even more effective. Folks who would like to help out with that can contact us at primarycommunicationsproject@gmail.com. Thank you!
Peace, Bill
We're still casting around for funds to make the work even more effective. Folks who would like to help out with that can contact us at primarycommunicationsproject@gmail.com. Thank you!
Peace, Bill
Monday, February 04, 2008
Mid-winter Update
Well, it's been awhile since my last post, but things are moving along with the Lenca Radio Project. We had a lot of problems resulting from a power surge near the end of my last trip in November. I cobbled together one working transmitter with the parts I had available, so that La Voz Lenca could keep operating, but it's not up to full power, and the sound isn't the greatest.
SO - We're planning to return in April, loaded down with spare parts and test equipment, to put things right. I'm in the process of rebuilding modules and a microwave transmitter that I brought back for "homework", and I'm seeking contributions of the spare parts we need.
Even with this pared back power level, La Voz Lenca is doing great work. It's a very effective tool that the Lencas are using to improve their lives, thanks to your interest and support.
Peace, Bill
Thursday, November 22, 2007
More and More
Sorry for the long gap in feeding the hungry blog. A lot of what I've been doing has been fairly complicated, but not very blogogenic. Here are some new developments, though. Late Thursday night, I decided that I had not accomplished enough so far in this visit, and also had not done enough outside of radio work, so I would delay my return and spend the next three days with my Lenca friends in a journey of recollection and commemoration. We traveled to Santa Marta, El Salvador, to celebrate the solidarity of the Lencas with the Salvadoran refugees who lived here in camps among the Lencas during the Salvadoran civil war which ended in 1992.
That was one amazing adventure, fording rivers on foot and in a bus, joining a hoard of others in a tug-of-war style mass pulling of several huge trucks up a soggy mud highway slope, passing through some beautiful scenery, while laughing to hours of Lenca humor and singing and cheering along with about 70 others. The event was beautiful, despite the sweltering Salvadoran sun. We bounced and swayed over the mountain into La Esperanza about 2 a.m. Sunday night full of dirt and memories.
Now my return to the U.S. is scheduled for Wed. the 28th. There's still a lot to do here, but things are getting done as well. Taking advantage of a day without electricity, I dug a 60 foot trench to the transmitter building from the Utopia building, and buried an audio feedline which will bring all the programming to the AM transmitter when the installation is complete. Last night we got the COPINH office computer system partly back in operation, after weeks of not being able to connect to the internet.
We're moving into the dry season here in La Esperanza. The clay streets are getting as hard as rock, though with a fine layer of dust on top. People are already cutting this down by throwing water on the streets.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Peace, Bill
That was one amazing adventure, fording rivers on foot and in a bus, joining a hoard of others in a tug-of-war style mass pulling of several huge trucks up a soggy mud highway slope, passing through some beautiful scenery, while laughing to hours of Lenca humor and singing and cheering along with about 70 others. The event was beautiful, despite the sweltering Salvadoran sun. We bounced and swayed over the mountain into La Esperanza about 2 a.m. Sunday night full of dirt and memories.
Now my return to the U.S. is scheduled for Wed. the 28th. There's still a lot to do here, but things are getting done as well. Taking advantage of a day without electricity, I dug a 60 foot trench to the transmitter building from the Utopia building, and buried an audio feedline which will bring all the programming to the AM transmitter when the installation is complete. Last night we got the COPINH office computer system partly back in operation, after weeks of not being able to connect to the internet.
We're moving into the dry season here in La Esperanza. The clay streets are getting as hard as rock, though with a fine layer of dust on top. People are already cutting this down by throwing water on the streets.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Peace, Bill
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Exito!!
No, that doesn't mean I'm leaving yet,"ëxito" is Spanish for "success". I've just gotten the FM signal to sound a lot better, and gotten the AM tuning spiffed up enough to tune up the transmitter into it's comfortable range for the first time. The weather here is cold for Honduras (mid 40's), with a lot of wind. Makes me thankful for the inefficiency of the transmitter, which causes it to put about 1 kilowatt of heat into the transmitter building where I have my workshop set up. (None of the buildings here have heat, and many have a lot of gaps for the cool air to whistle through.)
Peace, Bill
Peace, Bill
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Back in La Esperanza
Sorry to be so long in writing stuff to the blog. I've been here in La Esperanza for about 1 week, but what with power outages, and rain blocking off the satellite internet reception, it's been hard to get a chance to upload stuff.
The weather here is cold [for here] -- 50 degree days, and nights probably into the lower 40's, but rainy and raw. It seems pretty cold, since none of the buildings have heat, and some are "well ventilated" to boot. The people are warm and it's really good to be back with these folks.
Right after I arrived, there was a "taller" or workshop, on organizational internal structuring and politics, part of a four session series, given by a group from Tegucigalpa and held at Utopia. Though I was doing other things, I got to enjoy great food and conversation during their breaks. [Ever tried tortillas broken up and soaked in coffee with milk and sugar? It's a strange combination, but it works! -- Kinda like rosquias, says the woman who demonstrated the delicacy. I guess I have to cultivate that taste.]
I've brought a lot of small parts and new test equipment this time which make it possible to upgrade parts of the transmitters and antenna system which need improvement. The AM station has been operating at somewhat lower power than it's licensed for, so I want to get that up to full power and make it reliable enough to run a good long time without problems.
I've rebuilt the antenna tuning unit, but it's either been really rainy or the power's been off, so I haven't been able to use the snazzy new antenna analyzer which Gray Haertig has loaned us, except to do initial checks on the tuning. Even so, that's helped a lot.
That's it till later. Peace, Bill
The weather here is cold [for here] -- 50 degree days, and nights probably into the lower 40's, but rainy and raw. It seems pretty cold, since none of the buildings have heat, and some are "well ventilated" to boot. The people are warm and it's really good to be back with these folks.
Right after I arrived, there was a "taller" or workshop, on organizational internal structuring and politics, part of a four session series, given by a group from Tegucigalpa and held at Utopia. Though I was doing other things, I got to enjoy great food and conversation during their breaks. [Ever tried tortillas broken up and soaked in coffee with milk and sugar? It's a strange combination, but it works! -- Kinda like rosquias, says the woman who demonstrated the delicacy. I guess I have to cultivate that taste.]
I've brought a lot of small parts and new test equipment this time which make it possible to upgrade parts of the transmitters and antenna system which need improvement. The AM station has been operating at somewhat lower power than it's licensed for, so I want to get that up to full power and make it reliable enough to run a good long time without problems.
I've rebuilt the antenna tuning unit, but it's either been really rainy or the power's been off, so I haven't been able to use the snazzy new antenna analyzer which Gray Haertig has loaned us, except to do initial checks on the tuning. Even so, that's helped a lot.
That's it till later. Peace, Bill
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Getting Ready to Go Again!
Well, lots of preparations are underway for returning to La Esperanza at the end of this month. We received the coils and capacitors necessary to completely rebuild the Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU). This will make the transmitter "like" the antenna more, thus delivering the maximum amount of power to the listeners' radios, and wasting less in the process. In addition one added componant will help block lightning and static discharges from messing up the transmitter. Big thanks again to Gray Haertig and Kintronic Laboratories for donating these parts. And, again to Gray for lending us his brand new antenna analyzer, which, in conjunction with a laptop, will make that tuning process a quick and easy procedure. (I can't wait to try this little gizmo out!
In addition, we're bringing a lot of little parts to rebuild critical sections of the two transmitters. All in all, things should be a lot more stable and reliable when it's all done.
Keep checking the blog , especially after the 28th, for more pictures and updates from La Esperanza and La Voz Lenca!
Peace, Bill
In addition, we're bringing a lot of little parts to rebuild critical sections of the two transmitters. All in all, things should be a lot more stable and reliable when it's all done.
Keep checking the blog , especially after the 28th, for more pictures and updates from La Esperanza and La Voz Lenca!
Peace, Bill
Friday, October 05, 2007
Inauguration Day in English
Here's a translation I made of Refugio's beautiful description of La Voz Lenca's inauguration day festivities, together with a few of the pictures he sent
--------------------
The inauguration festival of the La Voz Lenca [The Voice of the Lencas] on 1580 AM, began about 2:30 [last Saturday], although many people arrived early and the cooking had started the day before.
First, everybody who came from the COPINH communities had a meeting. They mentioned each community, organization and person who participated. They were asked to raise their hands if they were there, and everybody applauded for them. Also they mentioned PCP and COMPPA, as well as all the unknown people who helped to get La Voz Lenca on the air. They summarized a brief history of COPINH's project of community communication.
After that, a Lenca prayer was said around the transmitter building. The people looked to the four cardinal points and asked that it go well for the people who struggle in those four directions, and also for the communities of COPINH, and that the AM radio be a good tool for the communities.
The transmitter building was blessed, and then they walked to the base of tower, to also bless the antenna.
At that point, a live transmission began which presented the programming of La Voz Lenca. Women and men spoke in the name of the communities and projects of COPINH. Also transmitted were words of solidarity from representatives of the other organizations which had come to celebrate the birth of the AM station.
Then began the dance, during which the special transmission continued. Finally, in the kitchen, the soup and the carne asada (meat cooked in a sour sauce with onions and hot peppers), the vegetables and the tortillas were ready. The people ate, standing or sitting on the ground, like people of the country, like people of struggle.
Later some people had to go, others stayed on to dance all night.
A simple day, but very full of ceremonies and signs.
-----------------------------
Here are some more pictures --
empezando el baile
con alegria
primera transmision en vivo
sopa de toro casi lista
el corrido de la voz lenca
blessing the transmitter building
--------------------
The inauguration festival of the La Voz Lenca [The Voice of the Lencas] on 1580 AM, began about 2:30 [last Saturday], although many people arrived early and the cooking had started the day before.
First, everybody who came from the COPINH communities had a meeting. They mentioned each community, organization and person who participated. They were asked to raise their hands if they were there, and everybody applauded for them. Also they mentioned PCP and COMPPA, as well as all the unknown people who helped to get La Voz Lenca on the air. They summarized a brief history of COPINH's project of community communication.
After that, a Lenca prayer was said around the transmitter building. The people looked to the four cardinal points and asked that it go well for the people who struggle in those four directions, and also for the communities of COPINH, and that the AM radio be a good tool for the communities.
The transmitter building was blessed, and then they walked to the base of tower, to also bless the antenna.
At that point, a live transmission began which presented the programming of La Voz Lenca. Women and men spoke in the name of the communities and projects of COPINH. Also transmitted were words of solidarity from representatives of the other organizations which had come to celebrate the birth of the AM station.
Then began the dance, during which the special transmission continued. Finally, in the kitchen, the soup and the carne asada (meat cooked in a sour sauce with onions and hot peppers), the vegetables and the tortillas were ready. The people ate, standing or sitting on the ground, like people of the country, like people of struggle.
Later some people had to go, others stayed on to dance all night.
A simple day, but very full of ceremonies and signs.
-----------------------------
Here are some more pictures --
empezando el baile
con alegria
primera transmision en vivo
sopa de toro casi lista
el corrido de la voz lenca
blessing the transmitter building
A Wonderful Inauguration Day
Here's the letter I just received from Refugio of Comppa, describing the formal sign-on activities of La Voz Lenca. I'll do a translation soon, and I'll put up some pictures of the event next time I get to high speed internet. Peace, Bill
------------
La fiesta de inauguración de La Voz Lenca en el 1580 de AM, empezó como a
las 2 y media, aunque mucha gente llegó desde temprano y desde el día
anterior había empezado la cocinada.
Se reunió primero toda la gente que venía de las comunidades del COPINH,
mencionaban cada comunidad, organización y persona que participó, se
preguntaba si estaba, si estaban levantaban las manos y toda la gente les
aplaudía. También mencionaron a PCP y a COMPPA, así como a toda la gente
que sin conocerse apoyó para que Radio La Voz Lenca esté en el aire. Se
rememoró una breve historia del proyecto de comunicación comunitaria del
Copinh.
Después se hizo una oración lenca alrededor de la casa de los
transmisores. La gente miró a los cuatro puntos cardinales y pidió por que
le vaya bien a la gente que lucha en los cuatro rumbos, también se pidió
por las comunidades del Copinh y por que la radio AM sea una buena
herramienta para las comunidades.
Se bendijo la casa de los transmisores y luego se caminó a la base de la
torre, para bendecir también la antena.
De ahí inició una transmisión en vivo, que presentó la programación de la
voz Lenca, hablaron mujeres y hombres a nombre de las comunidades y
proyectos del Copinh, también se transmitieron palabras solidarias de
gente de las organizaciones que vinieron a celebrar el nacimiento de la
frecuencia AM.
Luego inició el baile, mientras continuaba la transmisión especial.
Finalmente en la cocina la sopa y la carne asada, las verduras y las
tortillas estuvieron listas, la gente comió, de pié y en el suelo, como
gente del campo, como gente de lucha.
Luego algunas personas se tuvieron que ir, otras se quedaron a bailar toda
la noche.
Un día sencillo, pero muy lleno de ceremonias y signos.
------------
La fiesta de inauguración de La Voz Lenca en el 1580 de AM, empezó como a
las 2 y media, aunque mucha gente llegó desde temprano y desde el día
anterior había empezado la cocinada.
Se reunió primero toda la gente que venía de las comunidades del COPINH,
mencionaban cada comunidad, organización y persona que participó, se
preguntaba si estaba, si estaban levantaban las manos y toda la gente les
aplaudía. También mencionaron a PCP y a COMPPA, así como a toda la gente
que sin conocerse apoyó para que Radio La Voz Lenca esté en el aire. Se
rememoró una breve historia del proyecto de comunicación comunitaria del
Copinh.
Después se hizo una oración lenca alrededor de la casa de los
transmisores. La gente miró a los cuatro puntos cardinales y pidió por que
le vaya bien a la gente que lucha en los cuatro rumbos, también se pidió
por las comunidades del Copinh y por que la radio AM sea una buena
herramienta para las comunidades.
Se bendijo la casa de los transmisores y luego se caminó a la base de la
torre, para bendecir también la antena.
De ahí inició una transmisión en vivo, que presentó la programación de la
voz Lenca, hablaron mujeres y hombres a nombre de las comunidades y
proyectos del Copinh, también se transmitieron palabras solidarias de
gente de las organizaciones que vinieron a celebrar el nacimiento de la
frecuencia AM.
Luego inició el baile, mientras continuaba la transmisión especial.
Finalmente en la cocina la sopa y la carne asada, las verduras y las
tortillas estuvieron listas, la gente comió, de pié y en el suelo, como
gente del campo, como gente de lucha.
Luego algunas personas se tuvieron que ir, otras se quedaron a bailar toda
la noche.
Un día sencillo, pero muy lleno de ceremonias y signos.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Pictures
Here's pictures of people working during the construction of La Voz Lenca. There are more, but I have to find a good place to upload them. I hope you enjoy these till the next time! (You can click on any picture in this blog to enlarge it.)
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Happy Birthday!
La Voz Lenca is officially born. The inauguration of the station happened Saturday. Here, we dedicated a huge bonfire to the station. To match that fiery beginning, here's a photo Refugio just sent of the tower at night with the red light on top. More photos soon! Peace, Bill
Friday, September 28, 2007
Inauguration Day !!
Tomorrow, Saturday, is the official inaguration day of La Voz Lenca. Even though we're 2500 miles away, I'm planning a bit of a celebration myself. Here's the word from Refugio --
Aquí el sábado es la inauguración de Radio La Voz Lenca AM. Ahorita hay
una jornada previa de capacitación para corresponsales comunitarios del
proyecto de comunicación popular del Copinh y de Radio La Voz Lenca,
además hay un pequeño encuentro de radios comunitarias de Honduras. El
remate es la fiesta de inauguración el sábado por la tarde.
Compraron una vaca, que se comerán asada, la muy pobre.
Well, no carne asada here, but I'm planning to play a bit of music from La Voz Lenca anyway. (There's a retreat at the Kalyx Center, so I can't go far astray.)
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to Ben's house last night to see some scenes from the Lenca Radio Project and to eat some fine food. Thanks much also to Ben and Zelda for putting it together, and to all the folks who made yummy food and donated money to help cover the costs of the project, and to Jane for having a birthday to add to the merriment.
Aquí el sábado es la inauguración de Radio La Voz Lenca AM. Ahorita hay
una jornada previa de capacitación para corresponsales comunitarios del
proyecto de comunicación popular del Copinh y de Radio La Voz Lenca,
además hay un pequeño encuentro de radios comunitarias de Honduras. El
remate es la fiesta de inauguración el sábado por la tarde.
Compraron una vaca, que se comerán asada, la muy pobre.
Well, no carne asada here, but I'm planning to play a bit of music from La Voz Lenca anyway. (There's a retreat at the Kalyx Center, so I can't go far astray.)
Thanks so much to everyone who came out to Ben's house last night to see some scenes from the Lenca Radio Project and to eat some fine food. Thanks much also to Ben and Zelda for putting it together, and to all the folks who made yummy food and donated money to help cover the costs of the project, and to Jane for having a birthday to add to the merriment.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
AL AIRE!!!
Al aire!!! On the air again!!! After several days of battling with weather and resulting power line problems, La Voz Lenca is back on the air!!!
Time to come together, tomorrow night, Thursday, Sept. 27, at Ben's House, for an evening of pictures of the construction and music from La Voz Lenca. (See Ben's invitation a few postings back for details.)
Since I left there has been a substantial increase in the daily rain pattern. Instead of a couple hours of thunderstorms each evening, it's recently been raining from mid day on. Rain often causes electrical outages and brownouts occur when people turn on lights (during dreary weather as well as at night). As a result of all this, it's been very hard for Refugio to (1.) find a time when he can get a ride inside a vehicle [the bed of the pickup can get kind of wet in a hard rain.] (2.) find a time when that vehicle can navigate the muddy city streets and dirt country roads to Utopia. (3.) find electrical power with high enough voltage when he gets there.
It seems that a power surge may have blown out the limiting amplifier...a critical link in the audio chain between the receiver which picks up the FM station and the AM transmitters. For now, there's a temporary cludge working (bypassing that amplifier altogether), but this isn't a good solution for continued operation, so other options are being explored. It's so great to have a person like Refugio who understands electronics and also takes detailed photos, coupled with email, which can give us daily communication. Now problems can be solved from thousands of miles away in just a few days!
I look foward to seeing a lot of folks tomorrow night when we'll have pictures and sounds galore!
Peace, Bill
Time to come together, tomorrow night, Thursday, Sept. 27, at Ben's House, for an evening of pictures of the construction and music from La Voz Lenca. (See Ben's invitation a few postings back for details.)
Since I left there has been a substantial increase in the daily rain pattern. Instead of a couple hours of thunderstorms each evening, it's recently been raining from mid day on. Rain often causes electrical outages and brownouts occur when people turn on lights (during dreary weather as well as at night). As a result of all this, it's been very hard for Refugio to (1.) find a time when he can get a ride inside a vehicle [the bed of the pickup can get kind of wet in a hard rain.] (2.) find a time when that vehicle can navigate the muddy city streets and dirt country roads to Utopia. (3.) find electrical power with high enough voltage when he gets there.
It seems that a power surge may have blown out the limiting amplifier...a critical link in the audio chain between the receiver which picks up the FM station and the AM transmitters. For now, there's a temporary cludge working (bypassing that amplifier altogether), but this isn't a good solution for continued operation, so other options are being explored. It's so great to have a person like Refugio who understands electronics and also takes detailed photos, coupled with email, which can give us daily communication. Now problems can be solved from thousands of miles away in just a few days!
I look foward to seeing a lot of folks tomorrow night when we'll have pictures and sounds galore!
Peace, Bill
Friday, September 21, 2007
Some Good, Some Bad
Although I'm getting caught up on farm work (getting running water, fixing the weedmower, catching up with everything that slid during my absence) the Lenca Radio Project is still in motion. Last night I got some emails from Refugio in La Esperanza. It seems La Voz Lenca was off the air all day yesterday. After much analysis, complete with pictures of the meters and settings of the switches, it seems that a sort of minor piece of the system went dead. (Got unplugged?) We arrived at about 4 different ways to solve this problem, all using stuff on-hand in La Esperanza, so I'm hoping it's working now.
Preparations are under way for our return trip in late October - early November. The plan is to reconstruct the WGIL transmitter to give that full power, to build a better link from the studio to the transmitter via microwave, and to build a small studio in the main building at Utopia to broadcast events that happen there.
Just last night, we got news of a wonderful donation. Gray Haertig talked to Tom King, president of Kintronic Laboratories, a leading manufacturer of antenna tuning equipment. Kintronic is willing to donate the coils and provide other componants at cost to completely rebuild the Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) -- the thing that gave me so much hassle during the setup of La Voz Lenca. That has been the weak link in the whole antenna system, and soon it will be the finest quality components, and new to boot! Thank you so much to Gray, who's already done so much for this project, for offering to buy and ship the necessary parts, and to Tom King and Kintronics for their generousity.
Preparations are under way for our return trip in late October - early November. The plan is to reconstruct the WGIL transmitter to give that full power, to build a better link from the studio to the transmitter via microwave, and to build a small studio in the main building at Utopia to broadcast events that happen there.
Just last night, we got news of a wonderful donation. Gray Haertig talked to Tom King, president of Kintronic Laboratories, a leading manufacturer of antenna tuning equipment. Kintronic is willing to donate the coils and provide other componants at cost to completely rebuild the Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU) -- the thing that gave me so much hassle during the setup of La Voz Lenca. That has been the weak link in the whole antenna system, and soon it will be the finest quality components, and new to boot! Thank you so much to Gray, who's already done so much for this project, for offering to buy and ship the necessary parts, and to Tom King and Kintronics for their generousity.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Getting Out and About
La Voz Lenca HRJZ is getting out! [all Honduran call signs start with "HR"] That is, it's still transmitting on days when there's power, and going fairly far. Here's a bit of a summary from Refugio, as of yesterday:
"Los tres reportes hasta ahora más lejanos de que se escucha fuerte y
claramente son de: [the three furthest places with strong reception]
Comayagua, Comayagua
Siguatepeque, Comayagua y
La Paz, La Paz
además hay reportes de que se escucha fuerte y claro en: [closer reports of strong reception]
Colomoncagua, Intibucá
Jesús de Otoro, Intibucá
en la región sur del departamento de Comayagua
Marcala, La Paz
toda la frontera de Intibucá con El Salvador
Yamaranguila y Guise, Intibucá
San Francisco de Opalaca
Hay dos reportes de zonas grises, es decir, zonas donde no se escucha
bien, pero que son más cercanas que lugares lejanos donde se escucha bien."
We'll try to post a map when more reports come in. [So far, all the furthest reports , Comayagua, La Paz, and Siguatepeque, are east of La Esperanza.]
I hope you all can make it to Ben's on Thurs., the 27th, and also we're having a huge bonfire and potluck at the Kalyx Center to celebrate the Fall Equinox on Saturday night, the 22nd, to which you're all invited.
"Los tres reportes hasta ahora más lejanos de que se escucha fuerte y
claramente son de: [the three furthest places with strong reception]
Comayagua, Comayagua
Siguatepeque, Comayagua y
La Paz, La Paz
además hay reportes de que se escucha fuerte y claro en: [closer reports of strong reception]
Colomoncagua, Intibucá
Jesús de Otoro, Intibucá
en la región sur del departamento de Comayagua
Marcala, La Paz
toda la frontera de Intibucá con El Salvador
Yamaranguila y Guise, Intibucá
San Francisco de Opalaca
Hay dos reportes de zonas grises, es decir, zonas donde no se escucha
bien, pero que son más cercanas que lugares lejanos donde se escucha bien."
We'll try to post a map when more reports come in. [So far, all the furthest reports , Comayagua, La Paz, and Siguatepeque, are east of La Esperanza.]
I hope you all can make it to Ben's on Thurs., the 27th, and also we're having a huge bonfire and potluck at the Kalyx Center to celebrate the Fall Equinox on Saturday night, the 22nd, to which you're all invited.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Post Launch PARTY
Bill is back home and the radio station is up and running. We are still waiting to hear reports on how well the signal is getting out, but initial reports seem pretty good.
I got to hear the many details of the difficult problems Bill had to overcome to get the transmitters running and correctly tuned to the antenna. It is quite an accomplishment.
To welcome Bill back and to get a chance to share stories, we are hosting a party on Thursday the 27th of September at 7:00PM at my house. All readers of this blog are invited.
Email me at ben@peartreestudio.net to receive directions and my address.
Hope to see you there.
Ben
I got to hear the many details of the difficult problems Bill had to overcome to get the transmitters running and correctly tuned to the antenna. It is quite an accomplishment.
To welcome Bill back and to get a chance to share stories, we are hosting a party on Thursday the 27th of September at 7:00PM at my house. All readers of this blog are invited.
Email me at ben@peartreestudio.net to receive directions and my address.
Hope to see you there.
Ben
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Go, Go, Go!
This afternoon everything came together. Tuning went just right, lightning hit the tower and did absolutely nothing to the transmitter. We went on with the full 1000 watts just in time for Ecos de Opalaca, Radio Lenca's great interview and education program, then stayed on till about 6:30 pm when we all took off for a wonderful meal and good-by celebration from the good folks at COPINH. It sounds good, and already we have reports of people picking us up in Comayagua, pretty far off, about 2 1/2 hrs. by car.
Thanks to everyone who pulled so hard to get this tower up and transmitting, especially to all the great COPINH volunteers who made super human efforts and sacrificed so much to make this happen.
Thanks to everyone who pulled so hard to get this tower up and transmitting, especially to all the great COPINH volunteers who made super human efforts and sacrificed so much to make this happen.
Set!
Today, we're putting La Voz Lenca on the AM airwaves! Some final tweaking and testing this morning, then we're on the air!
Yesterday, we did some initial program transmission -- about three hours -- to the sound of drumbeats and Punta music (The "national" music of Honduras). It was Children's Day in Honduras, a day for much festivity and celebration, especially in the schools. Salvador Zuniga got on the air and asked people to report on how far the station is getting out. It may take a week or so to find out since a lot of areas don't have phone service, so the reports will come in by foot!
I'm planning on returning in a month or so to build another studio and improve the link between the studio and transmitter, but for now there's a lot of preparation to do at the Kalyx Center to get ready for a big campout there this weekend.
Peace, Bill
Yesterday, we did some initial program transmission -- about three hours -- to the sound of drumbeats and Punta music (The "national" music of Honduras). It was Children's Day in Honduras, a day for much festivity and celebration, especially in the schools. Salvador Zuniga got on the air and asked people to report on how far the station is getting out. It may take a week or so to find out since a lot of areas don't have phone service, so the reports will come in by foot!
I'm planning on returning in a month or so to build another studio and improve the link between the studio and transmitter, but for now there's a lot of preparation to do at the Kalyx Center to get ready for a big campout there this weekend.
Peace, Bill
Monday, September 10, 2007
Ready!
Today is the day! Last night I found and fixed a problem that has been hindering the tuning of the transmitter, so I'm putting it on the air today or tomorrow morning! I know it's been something short of instant gratification, but it's happening now!
It's great to be here in this land of corn twice as tall as I am, dirt streets with speed bumps and a whole different way of looking at the world, but it'll be excellent to be back with all of you too! Thanks to all you wonderful people who helped out in so many ways!
Peace, Bill
It's great to be here in this land of corn twice as tall as I am, dirt streets with speed bumps and a whole different way of looking at the world, but it'll be excellent to be back with all of you too! Thanks to all you wonderful people who helped out in so many ways!
Peace, Bill
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Tune Up
Things are moving quickly. Gray Haertig modeled our tower on his computer, did some calculations, added his experienced insight, and wahlah! (sp?) came up with component values for the ATU that made a huge difference in the tuning. Much thanks again to Gray and to all the other engineers who contributed to the discussion via listserves.
Here's a cool picture of an ice-halo around the sun which is perched on top of the tower. Refugio took it about mid day, the day hurricane Felix passed over. Also, there's a not-so-beautiful shot of the lightning choke which COPINH volunteers made out of scrounged stuff a couple weeks ago. It's that silvery coil wound on a piece of white plastic drainpipe, and all of this is on the bottom of the antenna tuning cabinet.
Peace, Bill
Here's a cool picture of an ice-halo around the sun which is perched on top of the tower. Refugio took it about mid day, the day hurricane Felix passed over. Also, there's a not-so-beautiful shot of the lightning choke which COPINH volunteers made out of scrounged stuff a couple weeks ago. It's that silvery coil wound on a piece of white plastic drainpipe, and all of this is on the bottom of the antenna tuning cabinet.
Peace, Bill
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