KHCC-FM Tower Construction

 
The move to a new station-owned transmission tower is a complicated but necessary trip. Since 1978 Radio Kansas has leased antenna space for KHCC—which serves as the hub of the entire Radio Kansas network—on a transmission tower owned by a commercial television station. However this relationship will not be able to continue after June of 2008 when the current lease expires.

This is for two reasons. First, the cost of leasing has increased to a point where it is prohibitive. Second, even if the lease was affordable, it could be terminated with as little as 12 months warning. This is simply an insufficient amount of time to find an alternative means of broadcasting.  

Leasing space on another tower in the area is also not an option. None are tall enough to duplicate the large coverage area. So, with leasing no longer possible, the only alternative is to construct a new tower.

The cost of the new tower for KHCC is estimated at more than $1.5 million. To date, over 1.25 million has been raised through grants. The remaining funds will come from individual donors and additional grants.

Grants awarded include:

• $695,803 from the Public Telecommunications and Facilities Program (PTFP) at the U.S. Department of Commerce
• $325,000 in funds allocated by the 2006 Kansas Legislature
• $5,000 from the Capitol Federal Foundation
• $5,000 from the Hutchinson Community Foundation Fund for Hutchinson
• $10,000 from the Lattner Family Foundation
• $15,000 from K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc.
• $200,000 from the 2007 Kansas Legislature