 Designing and building a transmitter capable of reaching into the "uttermost parts of the world" was the initial vision of the Technology Center. After many years of engineering research and design, the result has been the 100,000-watt HC100. Designed and built to operate in demanding environments, the HC100 combines efficient power usage with improved reliability and reduced maintenance and can automatically change frequencies in a matter of seconds rather than minutes. These transmitters reach into parts of the world that remain hostile to the gospel or are too remote for conventional AM and FM broadcasts. One of the key requirements has been to keep production costs low, with the total cost remaining a fraction of similar transmitters on the commercial market.
Since the completion of the first prototype in 1989, nine HC100 transmitters have been assembled, installed, and are operating daily in Swaziland, Ecuador, Guam, and Australia.
An upgrade to allow existing HC100 transmitters to broadcast using the new digital shortwave medium known as DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) is in testing. This upgrade will dramatically improve the typically low audio quality of shortwave broadcasts to that of local FM radio.
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Dan Anderson |
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