Engineering Star
Volunteer engineer Les Brown’s latest visit to KNOM produced some very bright results.
Transmitter Replacement Update
KNOM’s AM transmitter is overdue for a replacement. A recent grant from a regional Alaska nonprofit puts the station within striking distance of the funds needed for this crucial overhaul. Can you help?
A Helping Hand from Van
Engineer Van Craft continues to provide invaluable help to our mission, especially with refinements to our brand-new digital studios.
Les Brown, Back in Town
KNOM was blessed last month with a short but sweet visit from a person who may be familiar to longtime supporters and Static readers: Les Brown (pictured at top), the retired volunteer engineer whose depth of technical acumen and broadcast expertise — and many years of service in rural Alaska — make him an institution with […]
Still part of the family
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 […]
July ’71: A long journey to help KNOM
July 25, 1971 Pro bono consulting engineer John H. Mullaney has flown to Nome from Gaithersburg, Maryland to supervise the installation of new high voltage filters, and KNOM resumes operation at 6:55 this morning. Mullaney donates the entire week’s work.
June ’87: Fixes at the transmitter site
June 8, 1987 Chief engineer Timothy Cochran and general manager Tom Busch extend the 120 ground wires at the AM transmitter site to 320 feet, 1/4 wavelength at KNOM’s frequency. Because of a shipping error back in 1971, the ground wires had been a hundred feet short for 16 years, but the money is finally in place […]
Engineer’s corner: “Shake, shake, shake”
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 […]
“A call that changed my life”
We continue to be amazed – both by the challenges that life in rural Alaska presents, and by the goodwill and hard work that those challenges bring forth from those within our KNOM family. This month, we conclude with the reflections of our volunteer engineer Rolland Trowbridge. [box]The following is an excerpt; we encourage you […]
February 2002: Les and a polar bear
February 5, 2002: As he does every morning, engineer Les Brown drives to the remote KNOM transmitter site, walking the final 400 feet through deep snow in the morning darkness. Les is unaware that someone in a nearby cabin spotted a polar bear prowling the area overnight. Thankfully, Les finishes his work and returns to […]