KNOM Radio Mission http://www.knom.org/wp 96.1 FM, 780 AM, Yours for Western Alaska Sun, 09 Mar 2014 19:06:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1 Still part of the family http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/08/29/still-part-of-the-family/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=still-part-of-the-family http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/08/29/still-part-of-the-family/#comments Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:51:19 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=1355 Les in KNOM's Studio C

Speaking of our facilities and equipment: we’d be remiss not to offer our thanks to Les Brown, the longtime volunteer engineer who, although retired from daily service at our mission, still contributes his considerable expertise and guidance to KNOM.

Les (seen here at KNOM during his last visit to Nome, in 2011) has been part of our mission since its early days, four decades ago. From his current home in Southcentral Alaska – nearly 1,000 miles from our station – Les is often a long-distance resource on a variety of equipment and engineering topics. With a photographic memory and an encyclopedic knowledge of all things radio, Les has been a guiding voice more times than we can count.

Now more than ever, we’re reminded that so many hands and hearts contribute to make our mission possible. We’re so grateful for Les’ contributions – and for yours – for keeping KNOM on the air.

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This article is part of the September 2013 edition of our newsletter, The Nome Static.

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Engineer’s corner: “Shake, shake, shake” http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/05/31/engineers-corner-shake-shake-shake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=engineers-corner-shake-shake-shake http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/05/31/engineers-corner-shake-shake-shake/#comments Fri, 31 May 2013 19:55:14 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=1105 Rolland in the engineering room

As promised in last month’s edition of the Static, we’re happy to present the latest on KNOM’s equipment and technical issues with a new segment – the Engineer’s Corner – courtesy of volunteer engineer Rolland Trowbridge:

On one morning in early May, the transmitter-to-studio data link, or TSL, quit working. This link allows volunteers at the studio to know the health of KNOM’s AM transmitter without having to go to the transmitter site (located several miles outside Nome, on the tundra near the edge of the ocean). The link is the only warning that something is wrong at the transmitter, and on this day, the link was mute.

I drove out to the site, walked the last quarter mile over thigh-deep snow, and found that the TSL (transmitter link) was not getting power, and neither was the backup power supply that protects the link. The circuit breaker wasn’t blown, so I plugged the transmitter link into another outlet, and just like that, I had everything running again – except that I didn’t know what had happened to the bad outlet.

The next day, I took the outlet cover off and found all the screws to the outlet were loose. I picked another random outlet that wasn’t being used and checked the terminal screws on it, and two of them were loose. Shaken loose.

The transmitter site bears the brunt of the intense winds that are so frequently whipped up from the Bering Sea. I have been in the building with 60-knot winds, and it literally shakes. Everything in that building gets rattled.

This requires extra diligence. Every year, we take sections of the transmitter and tighten every connector in them to prevent loose wires that burn up. Now, I am adding all the outlets and wiring to that list and putting them on a tightening schedule.

This is all part of doing ministry in this corner of God’s world, and I thank you for your support.

 

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This article is part of the June 2013 edition of our newsletter, The Nome Static.

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Construction update http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/04/26/construction-update/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=construction-update http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/04/26/construction-update/#comments Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:15:25 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=1019 Work on our studio expansion project – the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios – has reached an important milestone! Thanks to your continued support, our dedicated construction crew has been able to complete the outside “box” of our annex: its floor, walls, and a sturdy, insulated roof, all of which can be seen, inside and out, in the photos above.

Our studio renovation, as you may know, will convert KNOM’s broadcasting tools from its aging, analog equipment to all-digital hardware, which will be far less expensive and complicated to operate, repair, and maintain. The new construction will be essential to our mission’s continued operations for many years to come.

Now that the outside of our new studio space is close to completion, the more complex work of installing our digital hardware – and raising the funds for this crucially-needed gear – lies ahead. As we go to press, our digital studio funds stand at $487,946.19; it’s enough to pay for the empty building with about $14,000 left over to go toward equipment, which we estimate will cost $358,430. To learn more or to help, visit our Digital Studios page or call 907-443-5221.

 

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This article is part of the May 2013 edition of our newsletter, The Nome Static.

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A roof over our heads! http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/03/29/a-roof-over-our-heads/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-roof-over-our-heads http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2013/03/29/a-roof-over-our-heads/#comments Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:35:31 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=963

Our photo gallery is back this month, and as you’ll hopefully glean from the images above, work is continuing at an exciting pace for the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios!

The new building, as readers may know, will be an annex to our existing building; it will be home to much-needed studio space and allow us to renovate our broadcast hardware with digital gear: far more cost-effective, easily repaired, and “future-proof” than what we use now.

The four photos this month show a crucial part of this winter’s work: the (relatively rapid) construction of our new studios’ floor, the erection of its walls, and the laying of panels for its roof. All of these pictures were taken from second-floor vantage points in our current building; as you can see, our intrepid construction crew is working deftly even at precarious heights!

As we go to press, work continues on the roof of the building and on insulation for the entire structure; we’ll have more photos in our May Static. To learn more – or to help our project keep moving forward – visit our digital studios page.

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This article is part of the April 2013 edition of our newsletter, The Nome Static.

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In Western Alaska, winter’s coming – and quickly http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/10/27/in-western-alaska-winters-coming-and-quickly/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-western-alaska-winters-coming-and-quickly http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/10/27/in-western-alaska-winters-coming-and-quickly/#comments Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:15:08 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=310 Frozen Snake River mouth, Nome

In winter, the ice on Western Alaska’s rivers – such as the mouth of the Snake River in Nome – becomes thick enough to support people and small vehicles.

The snow covers mountains, hills, and the tundra. On clear nights, we are blessed with colorful auroras as the night sparkles with stars and planets. The scenic majesty of bush Alaska is breathtaking during the day and at night. As the seasons change and the thermometer falls towards zero, we thank all who help us make a positive difference every minute of every day.

Soon, the Bering Sea will turn to a slushy soup of ice crystals. Then the shore ice will fasten itself to the beaches (and the rivers, as pictured above) and the light will fade, declining about six minutes each day. As the seasons change, KNOM is constant in broadcasting critical weather, news, information, inspiration, and entertainment. We owe so much to so many who have helped us for nearly five decades: from planning to engineering, construction, and operation. We are truly blessed!

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Back in the building! – Fr. Ross, John, and Tom http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/08/26/back-in-the-building-fr-ross-john-and-tom/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=back-in-the-building-fr-ross-john-and-tom http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/08/26/back-in-the-building-fr-ross-john-and-tom/#comments Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:30:00 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=214 Father Ross – pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Nome and president of the KNOM Radio Mission board of directors – is back in Nome from a short sabbatical. Fr. Ross was a KNOM volunteer in the late 80s and has been a part of the radio mission in one way or another ever since. He was ordained a priest in Nome on July 15, 2001. We are so thankful for his service, guidance and love for KNOM’s critical radio ministry.

Tom Bunger and John Kelsey

Tom Bunger and John Kelsey in KNOM’s engineering room.

Last week, the technical dynamic duo of John Kelsey and Tom Bunger (pictured above) visited KNOM to help with a myriad of engineering issues. They coordinated with engineering volunteer Rolland Trowbridge to fix, restore, renew, and update radio equipment throughout the KNOM studio building. The improvements will extend the life of some of our equipment and increase the productivity of our computer systems. We thank all who keep KNOM on the air!

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Rain, fish, boats, and Rolland! http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/08/05/rain-fish-boats-and-rolland/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rain-fish-boats-and-rolland http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/08/05/rain-fish-boats-and-rolland/#comments Sun, 05 Aug 2012 15:30:49 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=164 Rolland

KNOM engineer Rolland Trowbridge performs maintenance checks on our backup power generator.

Summer storms continue to dump lots of rain, and some streams and rivers are swollen with water and fish. We have seen wonderful examples of folks sharing their catch with elders and families who really savor these fresh food staples.

Recently, KNOM opened its doors to the Coast Guard to inform our listeners about voluntary inspections of boats and other craft intended to help ensure public safety throughout Western Alaska’s waterways. You can be proud of the caliber and caring nature of these young men and women. They are committed to keeping us safe.

Super volunteer engineer Rolland Trowbridge continues to save our mission time and resources. He just got back from a well-deserved vacation with his family. He wasted no time in replacing the fan on our satellite receiver, fixing headphones, and documenting equipment upgrades. Our sincere thanks to Rolland and to everyone who makes KNOM possible.

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Fish and wildlife reports, and help from a KNOM alumnus http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/07/29/fish-and-wildlife-reports-and-help-from-a-knom-alumnus/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fish-and-wildlife-reports-and-help-from-a-knom-alumnus http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/07/29/fish-and-wildlife-reports-and-help-from-a-knom-alumnus/#comments Sun, 29 Jul 2012 15:30:58 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=142 Tom at KNOM's hardware racks

Engineer, technology guru, and former KNOM news director Tom Bunger recently paid a visit to our station and helped us improve our networking and internet connectivity. Here, Tom makes some tweaks to KNOM’s internet wiring. Photo by David Dodman.

Fish are moving upriver, muskoxen are roaming the tundra, and bears are perched at the edge of streams looking for their next meal. Summer in bush Alaska means wildlife and fish reports on KNOM will keep everyone informed and safe.

As summer progresses, our daily high temperatures are typically about 50 degrees, and we have been experiencing record precipitation. We wish we could share our rain with the drought-stricken areas of the “lower 48.” We pray for them and for relief from their extreme dry conditions.

Former KNOM news director Tom Bunger pitched in last week as we worked on technology issues. Tom was visiting Nome and devoted some time to help us streamline our computer and internet operations. His suggestions and work should show immediate savings of $300 to $500 per month.  Thanks, Tom!

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July 1971: Thanks to a nurse, a last-minute fix http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/07/07/july-1971-thanks-to-a-nurse-a-last-minute-fix/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=july-1971-thanks-to-a-nurse-a-last-minute-fix http://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2012/07/07/july-1971-thanks-to-a-nurse-a-last-minute-fix/#comments Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:31:40 +0000 http://www.knom.org/mission/wp/?p=98 Sally Duggan, Kitty Orris, and Ida Schilter

Sally Duggan, Kitty Orris, and Ida Schilter: three of the 71 nurses who, during KNOM’s first 15 years, supported the station by donating their entire salary to the radio mission. The nurses worked at Nome’s hospital but lived in KNOM’s volunteer housing.

July 13, 1971

One day before scheduled sign-on, a copper strap burns apart in the antenna tuning unit, removing the antenna from the transmitter. Six small resistors burn in the transmitter’s final section. In isolated Nome, they are impossible to replace.

However, support nurse Kitty Orris (pictured, in the middle of the photo) has just escorted a patient to Anchorage, where she is able to purchase the parts for transport by air the next morning.

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