About 70% of radio transmitters fail because of bad power, which constitutes the majority of the transmitter repairs SonSet Solutions faces. The damaged transmitters can result in a station being off the air for weeks or months, crippling their outreach.
One such station is Radio Lumiere in Haiti. For over 40 years, they have frequently been taken off the air because of this kind of equipment failure. This is a challenge facing numerous ministries throughout the developing world.
Leon Amstutz spent years in Haiti developing a solution to this problem and, since joining SonSet Solutions in 2017, has worked with other engineers on the Power Solutions Team to refine the technology and make it work for the various types of power issues faced by different ministries. The result is what is now called the Power Protection Unit (PPU).
The PPU is designed as an affordable power solution that is now sent out with every transmitter we repair. It detects when the power is at a dangerous threshold and disconnects it to prevent damage. Radio Lumiere recently received its transmitter that we repaired along with a PPU. This will protect the transmitter from future damage from the power problems common in Haiti. As a result, they will be able to broadcast the gospel without going off the air for extended periods of time due to equipment failure.
SonSet Solutions is committed to providing tailored solutions to actual problems partners face. Furthering this goal, the Power Solutions Team is now working on the Power Quality Monitor, which monitors the electricity powering the partner’s equipment and allows particular issues to be addressed before they become bigger problems.
Through projects like the Power Protection Unit and the Power Quality Monitor, SonSet Solutions is helping our partners remain on the air, broadcasting the gospel to all who will listen!
Written by Bryan Jackson, August 2022