The reason you've had trouble hearing KFCF (FM 88.1) over the past week is because the station suffered a transmitter amplifier failure. It was off the air a short time before returning to reduced broadcast strength (40 watts rather than the regular 1,000 watts).

Rychard Withers, executive director of the Fresno Free College Foundation that operates the radio station, is more confident this week that the problem will be fixed by the end of June or early July.

He initially was told the replacement part was unavailable from the manufacturer, but an alternate supplier was found.

The replacement will cost about $1,000, a large amount for the station that operates only on donations. So far, almost $600 has been raised.

"We appreciate all the calls and support. We even heard from a lot of people from across the country. Some people heard about the problem through David Gans, who was in town doing a fundraiser for us, through his SiriusXM Grateful Dead channel," Withers says.

Donations can be made by calling (559) 233-2221 between 9 a.m.-noon and from 2-5 p.m. weekdays or go to kfcf.org.

The replacement part should be enough to get the radio station back to full broadcast strength. Once the power supply is replaced, then the station will check the amplifier modules for damage. If there is additional damage, it may mean a new transmitter is needed and that would cost about $10,000.

Another chance at love

Lindzi Cox, a former member of the Fresno State equestrian team, is one of 20 contestants set to lay it all on the line for love and/or money in the ABC reality competition series "Bachelor Pad."

The battles begin at 8 p.m. July 23 on KFSN (Channel 30.1).

You might recall that Cox, 27, was rejected by Ben Flajnik in "The Bachelor" series finale that aired in March.

According to an ABC press release about the next edition of "Bachelor Pad:" "She was heartbroken and buried herself in work and her passion, horses. But, Lindzi is determined to move on. She does not care for anyone that gossips and is ready to compete for money and love."

The show, hosted by TV cupid Chris Harrison, features 15 characters from the "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" franchises, plus five "super fans," who will live together in a mansion where they will have a second chance at love and compete for $250,000.

Each week, contestants will square off in head-to-head challenges to compete for immunity and the opportunity to go on a date with contestants of their choice. The winner of each challenge will then grant immunity to one of his or her dates via the presentation of a rose. At the end of each episode, the contestants will vote among themselves -- the men will vote off a woman and vice versa -- to determine which cast members will be eliminated from the competition.

This isn't the first local contestant on "Bachelor Pad." Before Cox made her love life the object of TV attention, Kasey Kahl, an advertising account executive from Clovis, was one of 25 suitors on the sixth edition of the reality show "The Bachelorette" that aired in 2010. He was sent packing by Ali Fedotowsky. Kahl came back to appear on "Bachelor Pad" and survived until the final week.

Other news

• Sound career choice: In late 2011, I wrote about how Visalia native Avi Kaplan and the four other members of the a cappella group Pentatonix -- Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado and Kevin Olusola -- had won NBC's reality competition series "The Sing-Off."

  It's great to hear that the group used the win to launch a career that includes touring and their first recording. Their EP, "PTX Vol. 1" is scheduled for release on Tuesday.

• Lineup changes: The MyNetworkTV, seen locally on KAIL (Channel 7.1), will add "House," "Numb3rs" and "White Collar" to the 2012-13 television schedule starting in the fall. "Law & Order: SVU" will return with back-to-back episodes each Monday night and the two-hour block of the award-winning series "Monk" remains on Friday nights.