Recently TWR engineers Lee Lowell and Greg Clarke had planned to meet TWR-Kenya’s FM Project manager, David Katana, in the town of Voi.
Once in Voi they departed for Vuria Hill to install an array of four dipoles on an existing self supported tower owned by a cell phone company. A contract had been signed between TWR and the cell phone company allowing TWR to pour a concrete slab for the hut which would house the transmitter. This was to provide the necessary infrastructure for broadcasting to the town of Voi.
Two days before departure, TWR received word that Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) owned the land and they were in the process of purchasing the tower back from the cell phone company. They refused to allow TWR to pour a cement pad for the transmitter hut and lease space on the tower. A change in plans was necessary. Lee and Greg planned to set up a temporary antenna so that broadcasting could still go ahead.
Once in Voi, TWR engineers headed for the Scripture Mission site where they set up a home-built tower made of angle iron. The structure was a simple one with no guy wires, but sufficient to allow for some testing to begin.
Though disappointed, TWR staff did not give up. They applied to the communications authority for an extension of their broadcast date which has subsequently been granted. They also purchased land right next to the KBC land at the top of Vuria Hill and are waiting for the Kenya electrical company to provide electricity to the TWR site. This should be completed in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, programmes continue to be recorded in Nairobi for the station in Voi. These will be transported to the studio for broadcast until the satellite link between Nairobi and the new studio can be established. In addition, Scripture Mission will also begin providing live broadcasting from the studio as soon as it is ready to go live.
Please continue to pray for the team working to get the station on air. At a time when Kenya dominates world news with unrest and violence, how exciting it is to know that soon there will be a voice preaching a message of peace, hope and reconciliation in eastern Kenya!
Published 04 Feb 2008
Once in Voi they departed for Vuria Hill to install an array of four dipoles on an existing self supported tower owned by a cell phone company. A contract had been signed between TWR and the cell phone company allowing TWR to pour a concrete slab for the hut which would house the transmitter. This was to provide the necessary infrastructure for broadcasting to the town of Voi.
Two days before departure, TWR received word that Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) owned the land and they were in the process of purchasing the tower back from the cell phone company. They refused to allow TWR to pour a cement pad for the transmitter hut and lease space on the tower. A change in plans was necessary. Lee and Greg planned to set up a temporary antenna so that broadcasting could still go ahead.
Once in Voi, TWR engineers headed for the Scripture Mission site where they set up a home-built tower made of angle iron. The structure was a simple one with no guy wires, but sufficient to allow for some testing to begin.
Though disappointed, TWR staff did not give up. They applied to the communications authority for an extension of their broadcast date which has subsequently been granted. They also purchased land right next to the KBC land at the top of Vuria Hill and are waiting for the Kenya electrical company to provide electricity to the TWR site. This should be completed in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, programmes continue to be recorded in Nairobi for the station in Voi. These will be transported to the studio for broadcast until the satellite link between Nairobi and the new studio can be established. In addition, Scripture Mission will also begin providing live broadcasting from the studio as soon as it is ready to go live.
Please continue to pray for the team working to get the station on air. At a time when Kenya dominates world news with unrest and violence, how exciting it is to know that soon there will be a voice preaching a message of peace, hope and reconciliation in eastern Kenya!
Published 04 Feb 2008
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