OPB strengthens its presence in Wallowa County

Construction of the new OPB tower, right, was completed in late September on Sheep Ridge outside of Lostine. - Photo/OPB

Oregon Public Radio and Television has built a new tower on Sheep Ridge. Currently, OPB-TV can be received from the tower with UHF antennas. Radio transmission will be available soon, with a target of late spring 2010.

The Oregonian has discontinued delivery to the county. Major television affiliates provided by cable and satellite TV providers in Wallowa County only offer Washington stations. National Public Radio affiliates that can be received clearly in the county are from Spokane and Pullman.

Though OPB can be received in some parts of the Wallowa Valley, including Lostine, reception is spotty. OPB’s main TV channel, offered via analog delivery, is available with UHF antennas as are the main Portland affiliates.

“We had hoped that Neilsen ratings would show that enough viewers from Wallowa County watched the Portland stations and would encourage the cable and satellite providers to switch to the Portland affiliates,” said Everett Helm, director of OPB Engineering. However, most television viewers in the county subscribe to cable and satellite TV providers.

“We have a permit to offer a 200-watt station, dubbed KETP, soon available on 88.7 FM. It should cover most of the valley, Helm said. “We just completed building the tower last month. It supports OPB-TV, but we built it for radio.”

Yet one of the remaining problems is also Wallowa County’s best asset, the mountains and valleys that lie between La Grande’s tower on Mount Fanny, which transmits KTVR on 90.3 FM, and Sheep Ridge. The signal from Mount Fanny will have to be relayed to a tower on Spout Springs and then relayed to Sheep Ridge.

“We have received all the funding necessary to build the network,” Helm said.

A microwave needs to be installed on Spout Springs to help relay the signal. Adding to the delay is acquiring a lease for the Spout Springs tower, Al Steffler, La Grande OPB engineer, said. Another issue is accessing the necessary equipment to complete the project.

“We have gone out to bid for the remaining equipment and no one has submitted a proposal,” Steffler said.

Former U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith and U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden attempted to push legislation through in order that all parts of Oregon could receive their own state’s news, Helm said. It was not successful. Since then OPB has targeted Wallowa County as a priority region for OPB to offer primary service. OPB has received federal funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Agency.

“The NTIA doles out money to improve or build telecommunication projects,” Helm said.

However, most federal grants require matching private funds. The Meyer Memorial Trust has stepped in to provide the matching funds necessary for completion.

“This project is not cheap due to the complexity of the added microwave needed on Spout Springs,” Helm said.

“Two years ago the Federal Communications Commission opened up a rare opportunity to expand radio transmission,” Helm said.

Last October Enterprise as well as Burns, The Dalles and Salishan were added to OPB’s target market areas. The Baker and La Grande stations are relatively new and the Bend station will have increased power soon, Helm said.

When the tower is fully operational it will transmit a digital signal that will provide all four OPB-TV stations as well as OPB radio. Viewers will need HDTV to access all of their offerings.

“As soon as we transfer to full digital, digital TV viewers or viewers with a converter box will receive good quality reception,” Helm said.

The road to Sheep Ridge is pretty rough, Steffler said. “You need a pretty good four-wheel drive vehicle to get there.”

The terrain as well as the equipment yet to be built and shipped will hold up the project for a few more months.

“We had hoped to have it completed before the snow flies,” Helm said, “but it will most likely not be finished until spring.”