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Educational Media Foundation has installed a Dielectric DCR-M for WJKL(FM), a non-commercial station serving the island of Puerto Rico.
EMF and Dielectric worked together on a broadband antenna design to support both WJKL on 105.7 FM and a second station (104.7 FM) in the future. The center-fed DCR-M accommodates both frequencies (with 1 MHz separation) through a special reduced bay-spacing design that eliminates the need for future field tuning, according to Dielectric.
They also put in a two-station branch combiner to serve both transmission frequencies, and prevent intermodulation issues from signal mixing inside the transmitters.
The DCR-M is side-mounted to a mountaintop tower with a center of radiation at 118 feet above ground level (1787 feet above sea level). It was specified to withstand the often stormy weather elements of Puerto Rico, which are amplified during hurricane season.
Sabre Industries designed a custom mounting system for the antenna. Dielectric Vice President and General Manager Keith Pelletier noted that the company worked closely with EMF, Sabre and local contractors in Puerto Rico to ensure that timelines were met and logistics were well-coordinated.
“This project was a labor of love for Dielectric considering the unforeseen delays and challenges that EMF faced on the road to installation,” said Pelletier. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support EMF and its mission to bring Christian radio programming to the audiences throughout Puerto Rico.”
