Radio station WUKY(FM) at the University of Kentucky completed a major RF project in October. The update includes new main and aux HD Radio transmitters and a new building for its backup site.
Distributor Broadcast Depot provided key equipment, as recommended by the station’s consulting engineer William Smith. The hardware list includes a Nautel GV30N-D transmitter for the main site and Nautel GV10D for the auxiliary site.
Both sites have Broadcast Devices RF Site Controllers. The station is using the new Inovonics 551 HD Radio mod monitor and Omnia Enterprise 9s processing. The main STL is a Moseley NX-Gen 6 GHz system, with MPX nodes used as backup. Myat and Altronic Research also provided components. JM Stitt & Associates Inc. performed the transmitter and final proofs.
“WUKY found themselves embracing state-of-the-art digital technology to bring the transmission facility into the 21st century,” said Mary Schnelle of Broadcast Depot. “They made this step on the studio side back in 2018 when they implemented an all-Axia studio facility. And now in 2022 bringing the new technology into their transmission facilities.”
She said the project experienced some longer-than-normal lead times due to supply chain issues and having to wait for delivery of a new building for the backup site, which is at the studio location.
The station’s roots go back to 1921. It was one of the stations that helped create National Public Radio. It switched on HD Radio in 2007. (Read about the history of WUKY.)
