Side x Side
Uninterrupted Broadcasting
Support NWPB’s Side-by-Side Initiative to Provide
Better Service to Our Listeners.
In Support of Reliable Service
Northwest Public Broadcasting is committed to providing uninterrupted service to our listeners throughout the northwest. With 31 transmission sites spread throughout the state and just a handful of engineers, maintaining service can be challenging. Most of the sites are in difficult-to-navigate terrain that become especially complex to access in inclement weather.
NWPB is fortunate to have one reliable side-by-side vehicle already, which has significantly improved our responsiveness to outages. However, with such a vast territory to cover, many outages last longer than necessary depending on where the side-by-side is located and travel conditions.
Out of a concern for the safety of our engineers and maintaining reliable service, we’ve made the strategic decision to pursue the acquisition of a second side-by-side.
Navigating the Snow
Unpredictable weather patterns, especially during snowfall, make trailer transportation risky, while rough roads and challenging terrains hinder timely access.
Transporting a side-by-side across varying distances in Washington State can become perilous, considering the hazardous conditions posed by rough DNR and forest service roads laden with rocks and divots, even on shorter routes. Notably, the translator site in Ellensburg is NWPB’s highest elevation and only accessible by truck for about two months out of the year. Transmitter sites like KNWR in Ellensburg at 6,610 ft. and KQWS in Omak at 5,200 ft. prove especially demanding due to their elevation and lack of paved roads.
And elevation isn’t everything. Even sites under that are under 2,000 ft. still can’t be reached by truck and require extra preparations.
In Numbers
Number of Sites: 31
Number of Engineers: 7
Average Winter Site Visits: 10
Coverage Area: 80% of Washington State and parts of Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia
Up the Mountain
Trucks and snow cats struggle to maintain a pace of 5–10 miles per hour on rough and rocky roads.
Side-by-side vehicles are built to swiftly traverse snow-covered landscapes and handle uneven surfaces, and can more than double the speed of conventional vehicles to site locations.
This time difference not only enhances operational effectiveness but also underscores the pivotal role side-by-sides play in expediting response and maintaining uninterrupted communication services, even in the most challenging weather conditions.
Side-by-side: The Benefits
Faster Response
During an outage, engineers can swiftly access transmission sites in challenging terrain, significantly reducing outage time and ensuring uninterrupted broadcasting for NWPB listeners.
Enhanced Safety
The side-by-side minimizes the risk of accidents compared to larger, less agile vehicles like a snow cat, allowing engineers to safely navigate steep mountains and rough terrain.
Long-Term Investment
With a 20-year lifespan, the side-by-side will enable NWPB to deliver reliable content to our audience for years to come.
Thank you for all your support.
We sincerely appreciate it. Everything we do is made possible by you!
