WITR recently upgraded its equipment and wiring, nearly a year after Engineering Director and fourth year Imaging & Photographic Technology major Jarret Whetstone made the proposal. Completed in two weeks, the $40,000 upgrade entailed a new control board and access nodes, among other things. The signal is now converted from analog to digital through the nodes, and transmitted to the modulator via Ethernet. This prevents loss of quality before the signal leaves the station, resulting in better sound quality for listeners.

In addition to technical improvements, the studio also received a facelift, with new carpeting and freshly painted walls by the radio staff. It is now possible to air from Studio B, which previously lacked the ability to broadcast, although Whetstone comments, “I wouldn’t want to broadcast out of Studio B,” due to primitive equipment. Among other technical improvements, WITR is now able to host up to four callers simultaneously during a show.

Whetstone remarked, “There was a week’s shipping delay for some of the equipment, which resulted in additional downtime [during the remodeling]… it is mostly complete now, and only the guest studio remains to be updated. That will probably happen [this week].”

More than quality improvement and redecoration, the renovation was required, as according to Whetstone, the old wiring system was difficult to work with and was “literally falling apart.” During the recent upgrade, the entire system was ripped out and replaced with a 24-wire ethernet trunk. Future installation of new equipment is now a matter of rerouting the digital signal.

“It’s much more convenient and allows for much more flexibility,” said Craig Ceremuga, General Manager of WITR and a DJ at the station, adding, “And it sounds better!”

WITR broadcasts 24 hours a day on FM 89.7 or on the web at witr.rit.edu.