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The Audio-Reader Network provides a radio reading service
for anyone who has difficulty
reading printed material. Coverage includes Kansas, western Missouri, and limited areas of
Oklahoma, Colorado and Arkansas. The signal is transmitted to the listener as a
hidden carrier on
a standard FM radio station or through local cable TV service. Some cable systems provide a
signal that can be heard by hooking the cable up to an FM radio or stereo, but in most cases a
special radio receiver is required. The
radio is loaned to the listener for as long as there is a
need, and
there is no charge for service. (If a cable hookup is required, the listener may have to
subscribe and pay for local cable service.)
The Audio-Reader signal is available
worldwide on the Internet.
Our radio signal is presented as a multi-rate RealAudio stream. The weekday
readings of USA Today are available for listening or download, starting about 9 a.m. daily, in
Windows Media Player format.
The Audio-Reader signal is transmitted as a subcarrier on the signals of these FM stations:
- KANU Lawrence KS - 91.5 and
other KPR stations
- KANZ, Garden City KS - 91.1
- KCKS, Concordia KS - 95.3
- KCUR, Kansas City MO - 89.3
- KRPS, Pittsburg KS - 89.9
- KXCV, Maryville MO - 90.5
- KZNA, Hill City KS - 90.5
Smoky Hills Public Television
Smoky Hills Public Television stations carry the Audio-Reader signal on the SAP (Separate Audio
Program) channel. This means you can listen to Audio-Reader using almost any stereo television
or VCR, by switching the audio to the SAP channel. During some PBS programs (such as
"Mystery") the SAP channel will be used for audio description of the visual action, and the
Audio-Reader signal will be pre-empted. Following is a list of the cities where the KOOD TV
signal is available on cable, and the channel number to tune to receive it.
| Agra | 9 |
| Alton | 9 |
| Atwood | 21 |
| Barnard | 9 |
| Bazine | 9 |
| Beloit | 3 |
| Bennington | 9 |
| Bird City | 3 |
| Bison | 9 |
| Brookville | 9 |
| Burdett | 9 |
| Burr Oak | 9 |
| Bushton | 9 |
| Cawker City | 12 |
| Chase | 9 |
| Claflin | 9 |
| Colby | 3 |
| Concordia | 3 |
| Delphos | 9 |
| Dighton | 9 |
| Dorrance | 9 |
| Downs | 9 |
| Ellinwood | 2 |
| Esbon | 9 |
| Garfield | 9 |
| Geneseo | 9 |
| Glasco | 9 |
| Glen Elder | 9 |
| Gorham | 9 |
| Grainfield | 9 |
| Great Bend | 9 |
| Grinnell | 9 |
| Hanston | 9 |
| Hays | 9 |
| Healy | 3 |
| Hill City | 9 |
| Hoisington | 9 |
| Holyrood | 9 |
| Hoxie | 7 |
| Jamestown | 3 |
| Jennings | 10 |
| Jetmore | 9 |
| Jewell | 4 |
| Kanopolis | 9 |
| Kanorado | 10 |
| Kensington | 9 |
| Kinsley | 8 |
| LaCross | 9 |
| Larned | 9 |
| Lebanon | 9 |
| Lewis | 8 |
| Lincoln | 9 |
| Lindsborg | 9 |
| Logan | 22 |
| Lorora | 22 |
| Lorora rural system | 9 |
| Lorraine | 9 |
| Lucas | 9 |
| Luray | 9 |
| McCracken | 9 |
| McDonald | 9 |
| Macksville | 9 |
| Minneapolis | 9 |
| Munjor | 9 |
| Natoma | 9 |
| Ness City | 7 |
| Norton | 9 |
| Oakley | 3 |
| Oberlin | 11 |
| Offerley | 9 |
| Osborne | 9 |
| Otis-Bison | 9 |
| Palco | 9 |
| Park | 9 |
| Phillipsburg | 9 |
| Plainville | 9 |
| Quinter | 5 |
| Randall | 9 |
| Rozel | 9 |
| Russell | 5 |
| Rush Center | 9 |
| Salina | 2 |
| Scandia | 9 |
| Schoenchen | 9 |
| Selden | 9 |
| Sharon Springs | 24 |
| Smith Center | 9 |
| St. Francis | 3 |
| St. John | 22 |
| Stafford | 9 |
| Stockton | 9 |
| Sylvan Grove | 9 |
| Tipton | 9 |
| Utica | 9 |
| Victoria | 9 |
| WaKeeney | 6 |
| Wilson | 9 |
| Winona | 10 |
| Woodston | 10 |
Following is a list of the cities where the KSWK TV signal is available on cable, and the channel
number to tune to receive it.
| Cimarron | 3 |
| Copeland | 3 |
| Deerfield | 15 |
| Ensign | 3 |
| Fowler | 8 |
| Garden City | 3 |
| Hanston | |
| Healy | 3 |
| Holcomb | |
| Hugoton | 9 |
| Ingalls | 3 |
| Johnson | 4 |
| Kismet | 8
|
| Lakin | 16 |
| Leoti | 5 |
| Liberal | 48 |
| Meade | 23 |
| Minneola | 8 |
| Montezuma | 3 |
| Plains | 20 |
| Satanta | 20 |
| Scott City | 9 |
| Sublette | 20 |
| Syracuse | 3 |
| Tribune | |
| Ulysses | 4 |
In these cities, the signal is on the TV cable. In several cities, this is the only way to receive
Audio-Reader. Except where specified, the cable frequency is non-standard and requires a
receiver from Audio-Reader. Agreements with local cable companies vary; some charge for
installation of a second cable drop to feed the Audio-Reader radio, some don't. Some charge a
monthly fee for a second drop, some don't. All require you to subscribe to basic cable service.
- Abilene
- Clay Center
- Coffeyville
- Ellis
- Emporia
- Hays
- Junction City
- Larned
- Manhattan
- Overland Park and all TeleCable areas, 91.9 (standard FM radio hooked to cable)
- Parsons
- Russell
- Salina
- Seneca, 88.9 (standard FM radio hooked to cable)
- WaKeeney
Some
other cities across the US have radio reading services which pick up the Audio-Reader
signal off the
Kansas Lions Sight Foundation Satellite Network and rebroadcast some
programming. These include:
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Orlando, Florida
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Houston, Texas
If you live in or near one of these cities, you may get more details by contacting your local radio
reading service.
The signal is
transmitted from Lawrence Kansas via the
Kansas Lions Sight Foundation Satellite Network. Private satellite dish owners will probably not be able to receive our signal, now that it's digital.
However, here are the details for those who wish to try:
- Satellite: Galaxy 4R
- Transponder: 3C
- Downlink: 3755.5 MHz
- Int. Freq: 65.5 MHz
- EIRP: 13 dBW
- Allocated B/W: 100 kHz
- Modulation: Digital SCPC (ComStream 64 kbps format)
- Network ID: 10
- Channel ID: 13
Since our broadcast is a part of an FM station's signal, you can easily
find out if Audio-Reader
can be received in your area by tuning in one of the stations that carry our program. If you can
get a reasonably good signal on your radio, you can probably pick up Audio-Reader with one of
our receivers in the same location. (Using your own portable or car radio, you won't hear the
Audio-Reader signal, but you'll be picking up the same station that carries our signal.) The
circles on the coverage map indicate the areas where there is a good signal, but the addition of an
outside antenna on a tall pole or rooftop will greatly extend the reception area. Geographic
features can also make a dead spot inside a large area with good reception.
If an
external antenna is required, purchase and installation are the responsibility of the listener.
If you already have a good antenna to pick up TV, it can also pick up the Audio-Reader signal as
long as it's pointing in the right direction. If you must add a new antenna to pick up Audio-Reader, use a
standard TV or FM radio antenna. Good units start at about $30 at Radio Shack, K-Mart, Wal-mart, etc., plus
the cost of the materials for the installation.
To hear Audio-Reader, you need to be able to receive the FM station carrying the signal, or hook
up to the cable system. In some cities both are available.
If you have further questions about where Audio-Reader service is available, please call 1-800-772-8898,
or email to
reader@ku.edu
Copyright © 2006 by the University of Kansas: Text Only
