by CLAUDIA BRADLEY
Staff reporter
KLOI-FM 102.9 community radio station is on the air! Eight years after the concept of creating a local community radio station on Lopez Island was developed, the station went live on the airways last weekend.
Webcasts at www.kloi.org have been streaming from the studio for the past few months. Saturday, April 12, the antenna was raised atop a 65-foot pole to facilitate broadcasting via radio waves. Zack Blomberg of Flower Mountain Tree Service on Lopez climbed the pole to install the antenna and attach the cables that run to the studio. “Mounting the antenna was just a little bit of excitement in a day’s work.”
Andy Gunn, staff engineer of the Prometheus Radio Project in Philadelphia, Penn. and Jan Schiefer, technical coordinator of KYRS-FM community radio in Spokane, were on hand to assist with the technical aspects of raising the antenna or “barn raising” as they call it. “I’m impressed with the talent here on Lopez that has put this station together,” said Schieffer.
Local volunteers have put in countless hours to get the station on the air. Dave Ahneman, who has worked for KCTS and KIRO television stations, was recruited to make sure all the FCC rules were met and helped acquire the necessary hardware to wire the antenna to the studio. Electrical engineer Ken Booth wired the connections in the broadcast booth and will be responsible for looking after the required Emergency Alert System.
Chris Arnold is the chief operations technician who will keep the station on the air with his expertise in electronics and editing. He holds a Broadcast and Technician licence granted by the FCC. The Arnold family has agreed to allow KLOI to use the front 45 feet of their property for the antenna and studio of KLOI.
Software engineer Robin Minkler will assist with maintaining the computer interface to the radio station and record programs in the studio for later broadcast.
The low power FM station operates at 18 watts, serving a 15 mile area. KLOI is owned and operated by the non-profit organization Gathering Island Voices and Expressions (GIVE). The mission of the station is to provide access to local and global music, progressive, alternative news and public affairs. It will also be a venue for education, creative expression and news in the event of a natural disaster.
Programming will be on 24 hours a day. Local residents are encouraged to participate in live or pre-recorded programming. “It’s very easy to do a live show,” said KLOI Board member Carol Steckler. “We are open to any ideas.”
For information on the KLOI program schedule, visit www.kloi.org. Persons interested in appearing live or otherwise contributing to the program schedule may call Steckler at 468-2138.
