780 AM | 96.1 FM 

“YOURS FOR WESTERN ALASKA”

(907) 443-5221

As the snow falls, thanks from a listener

Temperatures – and snowflakes! – continue to fall, and the ground is solidly frozen. Cold mornings and evenings are highlighted by beautifully colorful sunrises and sunsets. We are truly blessed to be a part of this radio mission serving Western Alaska. Last week, we received a phone call from a listener. She thanked us for […]

November 1997: Building the generator shed

November 14, 1997 Contractor Randy Pomeranz begins to fabricate the walls for the KNOM transmitter site’s generator shed. Time – and the remaining days of temperate weather – are running out, and the 66-kilowatt generator is waiting to be installed.

Remembering Tom

The temperature is dropping, and the days are getting shorter. Although Thanksgiving is weeks away, we continue to count our blessings and be thankful for our amazing KNOM family. Two years ago, we bid a sad goodbye to longtime KNOM general manager Tom Busch. The following was posted November 1st on our Facebook page by […]

Halloween, 1970: The AM tower is complete

October 31, 1970 The AM tower construction is complete. Nome Joint Utilities runs a power line across the tundra to the tower, and it is lighted. It’s finished just in time. Two days later, blizzards shut down Nome for almost three weeks.

In Western Alaska, winter’s coming – and quickly

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 […]

A failed sensor and a frozen pipe

At times, KNOM staff and volunteers face a variety of challenges. Last week brought engineering, computer, and plumbing difficulties, but with the help of professionals and an energetic staff, each problem was identified, and, when possible, solved. Among our glitches was a malfunctioning temperature sensor at our studio building. The sensor is designed to feed […]

A missing girl found, and the threats of fall storms

Recently, KNOM coordinated with the Nome Police Department to locate a missing 10-year-old girl who had disappeared on her way home from school. Just as we always do for all missing-person cases, we immediately began broadcasting announcements with the girl’s description and her last known whereabouts, in the hopes that someone in our listening range […]

October 1992: Seas surge in fall storm

October 5, 1992 The worst storm in eighteen years strikes Nome: a low-pressure center swells a storm surge to eight feet above normal, with waves cresting ten feet above that. Covered with flotsam and jetsam, Nome’s main thoroughfare is under water, and where it runs along the beach, half of it is gone. Several roofs […]

Signs of winter, a missing girl found, and prayers for Father Armand

The first dusting of snow has fallen on the hills just north of KNOM. Soon, the tundra will be covered with a carpet of snow and ice. With the change of the seasons, critical weather reports on KNOM can help save lives and keep families safe. We are blessed with this opportunity to serve KNOM’s […]

September 2001: Our broadcasts on a terrible day

September 11, 2001 Starting at 6am, KNOM airs 68 hours of live, continuous news coverage on the terrible events of today, interrupted only three times: for weather, for important announcements, and for the Rosary.