7 & 8 November 2016
I travelled to Lima on Monday and Tuesday this week with Dr
Klaus John and Doris Manco – manager of Diospi Suyana Centro de Medios (Media
Centre). This trip was to acquire towers
and satellite equipment for the Diospi Suyana network.
During my time in Arequipa I have spent many hours / late
nights in addition to my language learning, planning the Diospi Suyana broadcast
system. This includes broadcast
transmitter facilities, satellite system topology drawings (for high availability),
undertaking broadcast FM and TV coverage prediction software (ATDI) models, searching
for the optimal price and performance transmission / satellite equipment that
is available in Peru (it’s quite a different market to that found in Australia).
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| My satellite uplink topology for the Diospi Suyana network |
We visited two tower manufacturers, discussed our specific broadcast
requirements and reviewed performance predicted by their software models. I was surprised they were both using MS Tower
6 – an internationally recognised product developed in Sydney that I am very
familiar with.
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| MS Tower 6 software deflection analysis |
Towers are much cheaper here in Peru but the materials (hot
dipped galvanised steel) is of a much lower standard. Labour to erect the towers are also cheaper,
and safety standards are nearly non-existent.
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| One of our two Lima tower manufacturers’ workshop |
Klaus presented the Diospi Suyana story to one of the major satellite
earth station equipment suppliers in Peru.
They have offered to run a complimentary live satellite test on our
design with the Argentina satellite operator ARSAT who have been extremely
cooperative and favourable toward Diospi Suyana. We are hopeful the local equipment supplier will
also provide a suitably discounted proposal for Diospi Suyana so we can proceed
with a local provider (preferred). The
alternative is we will have to travel to the US to purchase equipment directly
at the right price.
Right now Diospi Suyana is broadcasting FM in Curahuasi from
a temporary installation at the hospital.
One of the new free standing towers (30m) is destined for a ridge peak
in the middle of the town to enable the complete township and surrounds’
coverage of both FM and TV. This new
site will include a new building that I am planning with an internal generator
to enable transmission continuity during the frequent power outages of
Curahuasi during the summer months. As
this site is only 500 metres from the hospital, we may opt for a TCP/IP
microwave link that I have designed to deliver program from the Media Centre as
well as monitor the transmitters and generator.
The second fee standing tower (36m) is destined for the city
of Andahuaylas which has a population of about 80,000 and some 170,000 in the
catchment of this transmission. Diospi
Suyana has an FM licence to transmit there now and the land has been purchased
(see Diospi Suyana article http://www.diospi-suyana.de/andahuaylas-antennenstandort-ist-gekauft/
and have Google translate it to English).
So as soon as we can get the infrastructure to site, installed and commissioned, the sooner we can be on air. The commissioning is made possible using the Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) test equipment we brought out from Australia with FM options generously donated by the Australian division of R&S. Thanks too for Pack and Send Castle Hill by helping us ship this gear to Peru and getting it through customs here (not trivial).
For this remote site of Andahuaylas, the only practical
option is to use satellite to deliver the program, hence the urgency in acquiring
and installing this solution also.
Whilst in Lima we also visited a major Christian broadcaster
based in Lima, Movimiento Misionero Mundial (MMM). They employ 150 people in Lima impressively after
being in operation for just 7 years.
They produce quality programming including Bethel TV and Bethel radio. We had a terrific time touring their facility
and discussing all manner of operational and technical subjects with staff. They seemed just as impressed with our
fledging Diospi Suyana media ministry as we were with what they were doing. We also discussed the sharing of programming in the future.
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| Movimiento Misionero Mundial (MMM) Broadcaster and Church in Lima |
Diospi Suyana is unique from MMM in so far as it provides public
health information, educational alongside the Christian message. As James 2:14~17 reminds us:
What good is it, my
brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can
such faith save them? Suppose a brother
or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep
warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is
it? In the same way, faith by itself, if
it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
This is an imperative in Peru where education is marginal at
best and so many people are desperately poor.
And people are in great need to hear the Word of God which will set them
free (John 8:36).
The Diospi Suyana media centre has also progressed with its production
of quality radio and TV content. The
staff numbers continue to grow and we should have 10 people in the centre by
Christmas, including me as the one expat missionary. I am often encouraged by the Diospi Suyana
team who appreciate the skill and experience I have brought to help with the
transmission at the right time. Klaus is
already talking about having to appreciably expand the media centre in the need
for more production and office space.
We are just 2 weeks off leaving Arequipa for Curahuasi. These past 5 months have on one hand seemingly
gone so quickly but at the same time been very challenging for my language
learning. I need more practice to
converse proficiently, applying the theory I have learnt at ABC Español language
school in Arequipa. I believe I will get
this needed practice in Curahuasi.
I want to again thank all our amazing generous supporters (prayer
and financial) who are making all this work possible.
Bendiciones,
Chris
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