photo: courtesy of Pete of Accord

       Around 2:20 pm, on Feb. 23, 2008, with the link established, and the studio equipment readied, Bill Rett fired up some program material from the board - and for the first time ever, 88.1 fm broadcast! Reports were that the station "sounded great". Even a couple of id's got done (Chloe).

       So, after 10 years of sweat, we did it.

       We will keep a close eye on the link all week to make sure it stays up, but according to Terry (who masterminded this part of the journey for us), the signal and link are strong.

       Congratulatons, Lake County Community Radio!

       andy

       Chris Mallock and Supervisor Ed Robey up the roof at 149 Main St, sweating and physically preparing the infrastructure for our Mast/STL/antenna system.

       And Terry Sauer down in the studio setting up one of our two computer networks - this one will control all the multiple pieces of broadcast equipment both on the mountain and in the studio - all from the laptop computer in master control.

       I also want to thank Yale, on this day, for his help, willingness, ideas, and the loan of his vehicle to move this project along on its natural course.

       It amazes me how complicated and sophisticated this has all become.

       We still have a few days of work ahead to prepare for Feb 16. Thanks to the above folks for their contributions. I will let everyone know asap about job assignments for next Saturday. But so far, so good.

andy

      After a hectic/successful week, here is where we stand. I realize that all this tech stuff is somewhat perplexing to everyone (as it is to me, also), but here are the steps, and our progress to date, and the plans for the future.

      We were required to re-build the tower for technical reasons. Because of what went down this week, that has now gone up.

      We needed to install our antenna and cable on that same tower. That is now done.

      On December 6, the tower crew will return to Mt Konocti to finish connecting the antenna and cable. On that same day, Bill and I will test the cable with nitrogen to make sure there are no leaks (leaks in the cable will make your show sound bad). On that same day (if the equipment has arrived) we will set up the transmitter, audio processor, etc. connect them all, and run some tests.

      If we are happy with everything at this point, we will order (through a private party) the FCC-required testing of our antenna pattern (since we have a directional system, this is a very expensive, involved test that assures us and the FCC that we will not interfere with other stations). If we pass this test, then we are home free, and this station will become a reality (if we want to drive up to Konocti to do our shows).

      The next step - after successful testing - will be to link the studio to the mountain - so we can control both the transmitter and the programming from the studio (so we don't have to drive up to Mt Konocti). I will give out more details when we get to that point in the process.

      In the meantime, we are continuing to build the audio/computer/phone part of the studio, in hopes of timing everything just right, so that when the mountain link is ready, so will be the board, phones, cd players, turntables, mics, and all the rest.

      As you all know, our deadline is April 25, 2008 (less than five months away). If we are not ready by then - no radio station.

      You have my assurance that everyone involved is working as hard as possible to meet this deadline.

      However, 88.1 is not yet a done deal. If there is a weakness at this point, it is that we are still well short of the funds needed to get the job done/run the station in its initial period. So, any ideas, donations, crazy schemes, prayers, are not only welcome, but essential. At this point - after all this work, all these years, and having jumped over so many obstacles, it would be a shame to see this fail because of a few bucks.

      Thanks to all (and for what you have already done). At this critical juncture, I will keep the group updated regularly on our progress to the point of adnauseam.

andy

       That's us, folks, a major northern California media outlet, or we could be.

       This is not pirate radio anymore, or an lpfm station, or hobby radio. This is bigtime - and from the view atop Konocti last week, from the size our antenna, and from the watts/power we will eventually being boardcasting at, I can assure you that we will boom, and be such a major outlet.

       In the crowded radio air-wave scenes of L.A. or the Bay area, a new station at 88.1, would just be another in the pack of statons, and we would go un-noticed. But in the greener/freer pastures of Lake County, a new station like this could make a huge difference in everyone's lives. Already, the local commercial media have shut down (for the most part) local news, reporting, culture, and any kind of extended hand into the community. KPFZ could revitalize that bridge into Lake County life.

       Unlike building Hoover Dam or the Golden Gate Bridge, we have a time limit to complete this project (due to FCC regulations). That deadline is less than five months away. If we do not get this station on the air by April 25, 2008, our rights to build such a station will revert to other radio organizations - organizations who are waiting, watching, and dribbling from the mouth to see us fail. The bottom line of all this is - that there will never be another chance to make independent, community radio in Lake County again within our lifetimes (or our children's, or their children's lifetimes) if we do not succeed.

       Inititiative from the radio community is required at this point. I, for one, am pretty exhausted from this task. I can't speak for anyone else involved, but there is a group of us who have been working out butts off to build the mountain, the studio and everything else for quite some time now. It's been a steady pace of getting permits, leases, agreements, writing grants, getting founding memberships, tabling, organizing our database(s), getting out our "thank yous" and "newsletters", making policy, putting on events, going to endless meetings, finding studio space, dealing with the bureaucracy, gathering for mailings, doing construction, and finding funds, and lots, lots more over the past 2 1/2 years.

       What I am hoping is that - over the course of the next five months - that when called upon you will respond. In whatever way you can. Already, many of you have taken up the banner, so bless you. But we need a final punch, a more concerted effort, and, especially, some frickin' money. Hope you will all be there for the final trumpet call (and hit up on that rich aunt for some donation money).

andy

       It was cold, the road muddy, the trees filled with snow/frost, big chunks of ice falling from the tower this morning on Mt Konocti. It was glove, wool hat, and heavy jacket weather.

       It only took a couple of hours for the connection from the antenna and transmission line to be sealed, then the line pressurized with nitrogen, and checked for leaks (I guess the pressurized nitrogen line keeps water from leaking into the cable - and water in the line is the death-nell to a radio station).

       Anyway, all successfully completed. Thanks to Bill Rett and Jack Olsen (from P&R tower) who made the drive from Saramento for free to climb our tower and do the work.

       The next step up on the mountain is to install the transmitter, audio processor, and all the remote gear which controls our programming/transmitter from the studio in Lakeport (dry and warm). Unfortunately, that equipment has not come in yet. I will contact those of you who have volunteered to take deliveries this coming week.

       But this was the completion of the biggest, hardest physical step in getting 88.1 going. Now, it's more brain than brawn.

thanks

Looks like the first landing on the moon.  Epic.

Roberto

Epic is a good word choice for this, Roberto.  Two weeks ago, if you drove from the Mexican border to the Oregon border, you would not pass through another county in California that did not have its fm antenna, and its community radio station secured - except for Lake County.  Now, that has changed.

andy