The Spirit Catholic Radio Network says its Chadron station, off the air since its transmitter was destroyed by an electrical surge 2 weeks ago, will return to the air by the end of this week with a new transmitter and a new frequency.
     Spirit Catholic, an affiliate of the EWTN Radio Network, has been at FM 89.3 in Chadron since going on the air 9 years ago, but will now be at 91.3.
The change is being made to avoid potential interference with another nearby station’s signal.
The new 250 watt transmitter will reach the same coverage areas as the old one, but the signal should be stronger because the old 3-bay antenna is being replaced by a heartier 2-bay version.
Spirit Catholic Radio operates as a not-for-profit network and says donations toward the $25,000 cost of the replacement equipment will be gratefully accepted.
The Spirit Catholic network currently has 15 stations or translators across Nebraska. It plans to add stations in Ogallala, Broken Bow, Valentine, and O’Neil in the coming months, allowing it to reach about 94% of the state’s population.