KHCS Radio - Joy 92FM - The Desert's Christian Radio

June 2004

Dear friend of KHCS,

I’m sorry!

Usually at this time of year, we send out a survey to ask our listeners their opinion of our programming on Joy 92-FM and if there are ways we can make our station more enjoyable.

But, due to our move to a new location for our studio, we simply lack the time to prepare a survey and compile the results. Please be patient, as we expect to send out our next survey this fall.

You may have some questions as to why we need to move our studio, is it really necessary, and why it would cost so much.

Well, briefly, we have been leasing space from Marywood Country Day School. It’s really just a funky old house, but it’s been adequate and the rent has been absolutely minimal. Under the terms of the lease, we were supposed to be able to continue operating at this location indefinitely.

Unfortunately, Marywood decided that they needed this space for its own purposes and gave us until July 16 to vacate.

Now, moving a radio station is a lot more involved than packing up a few desks and filing cabinets. Any station using a microwave studio-transmitter link (as KHCS does) must pass frequency coordination with other users. This is to guarantee that we don’t interfere with them, or they with us. In our case, we share an STL frequency with a station transmitting from Indio Peak. Frequency coordination requires the services of a consulting engineering firm and costs several hundred dollars.

At this time, our primary satellite dish has been moved and is in the process of being adjusted. This dish is critical to our operation because the days of distributing programs by means of mailing out tapes ended several years ago. We are currently operating with a backup satellite antenna.

Thanks to the generosity of many of our listeners, most of the equipment needed for our new studio has been ordered and the process of installation and wiring has begun. We hope to be operational by the end of June.

I need to inform you that we may need to be off the air for an hour or two while we move our STL antennas. We will try to accomplish this at a time that will cause minimum disruption to our listeners.

The equipment from our old studio will then be removed and re-installed at the new location, providing us with a backup that can be put on air in case the primary studio needs maintenance or repair. This will also allow us to do on-air local programming.

Remember, this project is only made possible because listeners like you enjoy listening to the uplifting, informative programs you hear on KHCS, and contribute financially to make this radio ministry in the Coachella Valley possible.

Your tax-deductible contributions are still vitally needed, as we have tower climbers, electricians, equipment and other workers that are yet to perform their tasks to complete this move, and will need to be paid.