LARKANA: More than two months after a 1 kilowatt (kW) frequency modulation (FM) transmitter at Radio Pakistan Larkana went off-air due to faults, another 100kW medium wave transmitter also went out of order and stopped transmission nine days ago.

Sources at the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) disclosed on Monday that the 1kW transmitter developed fault on July 15 and was subsequently sent to PBC headquarters for maintenance and repairs.

The PBC headquarters was insisting on ensuring uninterrupted power source to keep the transmitter working properly and efficiently as fluctuations and low voltage was causing harm to it, sources said.

Officials concerned at the headquarters informed the officials at Larkana radio station that the fault had been successfully removed, the transmitter was working perfectly now and it had been conveyed to the Larkana managers that it would be sent back soon. But according to the sources, it was still lying at the headquarters after the repairs. On the other hand, listeners had been urging resumption of FM transmission since the development of the fault.

Meanwhile, the 100kW medium wave transmitter developed faults around Sept 28 and 29 and subsequently its transmissions also went off-air, said the sources in the radio station.

The faulty medium wave transmitter, installed on Oct 16, 2017, had been dispatched to the official technicians in Karachi for repairs, said the sources. Already the transmitter was working at hardly 15 per cent of its capacity due to minor faults, said the sources.

As both the transmitters of Larkana Radio Station were off-air, the radio transmissions currently were available only on Facebook streaming, they said.

They said that the officials were in touch with Sepco for obtaining an express feeder line of electricity so that likelihood of faults in both the transmitters could be avoided in future.

The listeners are frequently calling officials at the radio station to know about the reasons behind suspension in transmission and urging resumption of broadcasts.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2024