Aerial again damaged

Press, 10 March 1984, Page 9

Aerial again damaged

Christchurch’s student-run alternative radio station, Radio, U, has had its aerial damaged by vandals for the second year in succession. Tire, station, based in the Canterbury Students’ Association building, Ham Road. has been off the air three times in the last two days for the aerial to be repaired. - Two of the metal support lines on, the 20m aerial were damaged,s said the station manager, Mr Peter Claxton. It appeared that a vandal using bolt cutters had cut one cable near the ground. The other snapped under the strain; *Tt4ra« somebody with a

grudge against Radio U. It was premeditated and done by somebody with the right gear,” said Mr Claxton. The station had to hire a crane, which cost about $2OO, to replace the damaged cables. The time off air during repairs had been an “inconvenience” to listeners and advertisers, he said. Persons who tampered with the aerial ran the risk of suffering an electric shock, said Mr Claxton. Radio U was off the air for four days last year after vandals twisted its aerial, causing about $4OO worth of damage.