In the early hours Monday morning, a gecko managed to get into the power supply of the transmitter for the KQNG AM570 radio station, causing a flashover. A flashover is a disruptive discharge around or over the surface of the
In the early hours Monday morning, a gecko managed to get into the power supply of the transmitter for the KQNG AM570 radio station, causing a flashover.
A flashover is a disruptive discharge around or over the surface of the insulator.
According to Denise Roberts of KQNG Radio Group, the flashover took out all the protection devices for the transmitter.
“We are waiting for a special part from the Mainland that appears to be one of a kind and not available in Hawai‘i or anywhere on the West Coast,” John Detz, president of Visionary Related Entertainment of KQNG Radio Group, said in a statement. “It was caused by an electrical surge and flashover that took out all our protection devices along with the part.”
Roberts said they are hoping to get the part to fix the transmitter by this weekend.
“We are hoping that AM570 will be back on the air Monday,” Roberts said.
Until then, AM570 is broadcasting dead air.
There was one fatality in the incident.
“We are sad to say that the gecko did not survive the flashover,” Roberts said. “We will remember him dearly.”
Officials with the radio group did not respond to queries about backup plans now or in the future, were similar occurrences to knock broadcasts off the air.
