Yellowknife (Feb 13/06) - The Native Communications Society (NCS) has almost completed a major upgrade to its radio service throughout the NWT.

New equipment has been installed at satellite downlink sites in 28 communities, meaning more reliable, clearer signals.

The NCS is a non-profit society that has operated CKLB radio for 25 years, providing programming in native languages focused on aboriginal issues.

About seven months ago, it was told by satellite provider Cancom that CKLB's signal was being shifted to a new band on the Anik F1 satellite. Without new equipment, that change would have put CKLB off the air.

"We recognized right away that this was going to be a huge undertaking for NCS," says board chair Joachim Bonnetrouge.

He says staff and funding agencies pulled together to complete the project and he is happy and relieved everything worked out well.

New satellite dishes were installed in the southern NWT. In Northern locations, existing large dishes were modified.

New receivers were also put in all 28 locations.

"It's a huge upgrade for us," NCS executive director Dane Gibson says.

Cancom donated 30 new receivers, as well as 16 small satellite dishes. To make the most of its resources, NCS also upgraded antennas and transmitters while replacing the receivers and satellite dishes.

Gibson says the new transmitters mean CKLB has a stronger signal. The project cost the organization more than $70,000.

"Fort Smith, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake weren't being served by CKLB and we were able to get them back on the air," Gibson says.

"Wrigley is the final piece of the puzzle and we are planning a trip up there very soon to get them back up after many years."