Happy Easter! Once again it is time to celebrate the gift of Salvation that God offers to all who choose to receive! As it says in Romans 6:23 “for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!”

You may remember that last year I shared a very important equipment need with you. A fund was started to raise the needed money to purchase a new transmitter for KJLT FM. The transmitter is what broadcasts the 100,000 watt 94.9 FM signal that you hear on your radio. It is the transmitter that keeps us “on the air”. The transmitter being used has been broadcasting twenty four hours a day since installation in 1994 and will soon be 25 years old. It also has well over 200,000 thousand hours of service. The time comes for planned replacement and that is where we are at today.

Technology over the years has changed and that includes so much of how radio is broadcast. The new transmitter will put KJLT FM on the cutting edge of technology, and in the future possibly allow KJLT to transmit a digital CD quality signal along with the present analog signal. As anticipated last year, raising the needed funds for a project this size could take some time. To date over $46,000 has been raised towards the cost of the new transmitter which is $115,000. That leaves a balance left of nearly $70,000. Replacement of the transmitter is the first part of a three phase project.

Phase two of the project is eventual replacement of our antenna which radiates the signal to your radio. The one used now has been rebuilt twice and has a lot of wear and tear from 25 years of service. Our antenna is nearly 100 feet long. It would be great if phase two of this project could be done before the eventual expense of another rebuild.

Phase three would be the purchase of the remaining equipment needed to transmit an analog plus digital signal for those with HD radios. Should the broadcast industry move more towards CD quality radio, KJLT will be positioned to take full advantage of all that HD radio has to offer. That could potentially include broadcasting the KJTF 89.3FM signal and KJLT 970AM signal as part of the digital signal known as HD2, and HD3. Those without HD radios would still be able to receive the KJLT/KJTF AM and FM stations as they do today.

Many of you support the KJLT/KJTF ministry with gifts to cover the daily operating expenses. I want to say thank you for that support. The expenses are always ongoing. Donors are needed to make additional gifts aside from the regular giving for this new transmitter. I want to emphasize the need for additional gifts rather than re-designating gifts from our general fund to transmitter equipment fund. Would you help with this project? Your gift is so important in helping to make this happen! Thank you for any help you provide. You are appreciated!