Re: [IRCA] More intrigues in the Cook Islands

["Paul B. Walker, Jr." <walkerbroadcasting@xxxxxxxxx>]

Walt,

In a previous message to the list about The Cook Islands, I recall you
mentioning KC FM.

Any idea when they went off the air?

I remember writing them after seeing an online listing from them, simply to
collect a sticker or something. This was back in late 2009 or 2010.

By the way, you should've heard from the Chief Engineer at KRVN 880
Lexington, Nebraska by now.

Paul

On Thu, Dec 13, 2012 at 8:03 PM, Walter Salmaniw <canswl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Further intrigues in the Cook Islands
>
>     We’ve been around the island perhaps 20 times, and for the first
> time, I noticed something very interesting directly south of the 630
> transmitter tower at Matavera.  I don’t know how I could have missed
> it, except that I was probably focused entirely on the MW tower.  On
> the road, perhaps 100 m south, there’s a very large tall dipole array
> which spans across the road with one wooden support (a good twice as
> tall as the power poles) on the water side, and the other across the
> road.  The wire is still in place with the lead in in the center
> between the poles and the lead in (looks like coax) coming down and
> now tied to a guard rail.  On top of that, right on the water line in
> the same vicinity are two more tall poles, same height, and parallel
> to the beach, but without any wires strung between them.  Clearly,
> they were for SW, and judging from the height, something very
> official.  I started to wonder whether these, perhaps were originally
> for SW transmitters as well, or another receiving station at that end
> of the island.  I would sure like to hear from others who might have
> more information about this.  I’m hoping to go out there tomorrow.
> The store that we wanted to see there was closed today, so we didn’t
> get off.
>      Talking with the bus driver, there’s precious little that is
> publicly funded these days.  Even the bus service (a very important
> essential service) is privately owned.  Apart from the airport,
> police, and schools, I can’t see much evidence of any other public
> service (water and power, too, I suppose).  With all this happening
> back in the 80s, over ½ the population left the Cook Islands for
> greener pastures in NZ, Australia, the other Pacific islands, and even
> North America.  There are two or three times the number of Cook
> Islanders elsewhere, than at home.  I earlier mentioned the large
> court house where Guy had seen the burned remains of RCI, presumably
> the SW transmitter(s) years ago.  Both this very large court house,
> and equally opulent central police station a 100 or 200 meters down
> the road were constructed by the Chinese.  A contentious issue, it
> seems here.  Parliament is in session until today and that’s all
> that’s heard on RCI from the late morning to later in the afternoon,
> and I’ve heard mentions of “being paid off by the Chinese”, or “the
> honourable member will have to check with his Chinese bosses” about
> this or that!  In any case, time is quickly drawing to a close for our
> time here in Rarotonga.  It’s been an extremely relaxing trip!  73,
> Walt Salmaniw, Rarotonga
>
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