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WINSTON-SALEM — There’s nothing like staying in bed on a Saturday morning with a fresh cup of Colombian roast and listening to the soothing sound of — static?

That’s what most will hear if they tune into 88.5 WFDD, the Triad’s public radio station, this morning.

After the station’s main transmitter was damaged Sunday — possibly by lightning — WFDD has broadcast with a backup, reaching a fraction of its regular audience, station officials said.

Although General Manager Denise Franklin is “incredibly optimistic” that the transmitter will be fixed by the end of the weekend, she said severe weather could cause further delays.

Crews are assessing the damage.

“The hope is that we’re going to be able to do a relatively quick repair job and get it working,” she said.

While the regular transmitter has a 60,000-watt signal, the auxiliary one comes in at just 500 watts, allowing for clear signals only in the Winston-Salem area. The station is streaming online, though.

“Once people are in front of a computer, they can hear us clear as a bell,” she said. “But in the car, that’s the trouble.”

Franklin isn’t sure how the downtime will affect the station financially, but corporate sponsors have been understanding.

“We don’t know what to tell them,” she said. “Once we get up and running we can tell them, 'This is what you were counting on. This is what you got.’ ”

While many are surely missing their Morning Edition and classical music, Franklin said listener comments remain positive.

“They’re not angry,” she said. “They just say, 'We miss you. What’s the update? We can’t live without you.’ ”

Contact Tricia Nadolny at 373-7028 or tricia.nadolny@news-record.com