Keeping the Isle of Wight’s community station Vectis Radio on the air is important stuff.
So, when the team at the station wanted to ensure their back-up aerial was available in case of an issue, the team at Island Roads were only too happy to help.
The station’s original aerial, which acts as its standby these days, was brought down by high winds last winter.
Island Roads helped out at the time by sending a team and a cherry picker to make it safe but it was effectively out of action.
Last week, the Island Roads team returned to the transmitter site at St George’s Down to put the second aerial back online.
The latest work means if there is a problem with the main aerial, it is a painless switchover to the original mast to keep the Vectis programmes being broadcast.
Kelvin Currie, from Vectis FM, said: “The second aerial makes us more resilient, particularly in the winter.
“Our thanks go to the team at Island Roads who have always been so helpful to us.”
Award-winning Vectis FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week across the Isle of Wight on 104.6FM and online, and has been named Community Station of the Year in the Audio and Radio Industry Awards and in 2020 was presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Vectis FM also operates the 4Ps for young people aged between 11 and 19, or up to age 25 with additional needs, to increase their confidence and build communication skills via the medium of radio. Students learn to produce, present, podcast and promote (hence the 4Ps). The project has previously been supported with financial donations from Island Roads’ IW Foundation.
James Adsett, powered apparatus manager at Island Roads, said: “We always like to help the team at Vectis Radio and were delighted to get their second aerial up and running again after it blew down last winter.”
Vectis Radio can be heard on 104.6FM and online.
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