The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / News / KACU prepares for HD broadcast

KACU prepares for HD broadcast

April 14, 2010 by Chelsea Hackney

At 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, James Thompson, broadcast engineer for KACU, fired up the new transmitter that will allow KACU to be the first radio station in the Big Country broadcasting in HD.

“We wanted to lead the way in our market, here in West Texas, with the first HD digital radio signal broadcasting NPR and other public radio content,” said John Best, KACU’s general manager, in a press release Friday.

KACU went off the air at 9 a.m. Monday so Thompson and his crew could begin removing the 25-year-old, 1,800-pound transmitter and installing the new one, which weighs more than 2,000 pounds.

The crew worked all day Monday and Tuesday and by Tuesday afternoon, the new transmitter was completely installed, except for one part. A piece of equipment called the audio processor did not start up correctly, so Thompson had to contact the manufacturer for a replacement. While he waits for the shipment to arrive, 89.7 is back on the air in analog.

“It’s all installed and sitting there waiting to go as soon as we get this processor working,” Thompson said. “I decided instead of just waiting until we go digital, it’s better to have the signal on the air for listeners in the area to get their news and regular programming.”

Thompson said he hopes to have the situation resolved and be fully HD within a week.

The new transmitter is capable of broadcasting the regular analog signal alongside a digital signal, so listeners without an HD radio will not notice a difference in programming, said Myra Dean, KACU’s development director.

The digital signal, however, will allow KACU to broadcast three HD stations instead of one: HD1, HD2 and HD3.
HD1 will broadcast the same content listeners hear every day on 89.7. HD2 and HD3 will be home to different programs; KACU will announce those later this year, Dean said. The main difference, she said, will be the sound quality.

“It will be clearer, and the signal will be stronger,” Dean said.

The HD upgrade is an exciting one for many KACU listeners – and employees.

“If you have an HD radio, the sound is almost CD-perfect,” said Sommerly Simser, KACU reporter and senior broadcast journalism major from Las Vegas. “It won’t even sound like radio anymore.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: KACU

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

About Chelsea Hackney

You are here: Home / News / KACU prepares for HD broadcast

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
ashleyh1607 Ashley Henderson @ashleyh1607 ·
3 Jun

My second year at ACU was full of opportunities that grew me as an individual and a journalist.

In my first year as editor in chief of @acuoptimist, we published six print issues, filmed a 3-hour live election show, and revamped our newscast, all while producing news weekly.

Reply on Twitter 1929734328445178254 Retweet on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Like on Twitter 1929734328445178254 1 Twitter 1929734328445178254
Retweet on Twitter The Optimist Retweeted
optimistsports Optimist Sports @optimistsports ·
2 Jun

The Optimist reached out to ACU Athletics, who provided the following statement.

Reply on Twitter 1929676060947632336 Retweet on Twitter 1929676060947632336 1 Like on Twitter 1929676060947632336 1 Twitter 1929676060947632336

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

12 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved