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April 1998: Fighting a spring blizzard

By on April 22, 2013 in History

April 24, 1998

The last week of the month brings multiple days of a rip-roaring blizzard to Nome, and KNOMers run outside every hour to clear the station’s satellite dish of snow, which blocks signals.

In the dead of winter, snow does not cause this problem, as it is too dry to stick to the antennas.

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Forgiveness

By on April 15, 2013 in Inspirational Spots

Our inspirational spot for the week:

Forgiveness is not being a door mat; it’s opening the door.

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April ice, and a prestigious award

By on April 15, 2013 in Stories

The winter weather continues: temperatures hover near zero as more ice forms on the Bering Sea. The frigid temperatures bring dazzling, clear, sunlit days and awe-inspiring nights – with the moon and stars shining brightly in the night sky.

We gladly share the congratulations of the entire radio broadcasting community for KNOM’s 2013 Crystal Heritage Award from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). We are so grateful to the thousands of KNOM supporters and wish that the entire KNOM family could have stood on the stage to accept this special accolade. (To do so, of course, the stage would need to have been larger than the deck of an aircraft carrier!)

At last week’s award ceremony at the annual NAB Show, the presenter for the Crystal Awards stated:

KNOM is a friendly voice, a community resource, and a vitally-needed lifeline. It is a source of companionship, entertainment, inspiration, and information, and in extreme moments – especially in the midst of dangerous weather conditions – its broadcasts can save lives. For its listeners and the communities of its region, KNOM truly is “Yours for Western Alaska.”

Thank to all who make this critical work possible!

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April 2004: In the media

By on April 15, 2013 in History

April 16, 2004

This month’s issue of Catholic Digest features a 6-page article on KNOM, condensed from a piece in January’s St. Anthony Messenger.  The magazine titles the article “Best Little Radio Station in America?”

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The gift

By on April 8, 2013 in Inspirational Spots

Our inspirational spot for the week:

Life is the gift that keeps on giving.

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Coming soon: a special award – and warmer weather

By on April 8, 2013 in Stories

The winter weather is lingering as the daylight grows, and temperatures are hovering around 5 degrees above zero. Warmer days are just around the corner, and soon, the ice will begin to melt. Many times, however, chunks of ice on the shore of the Bering Sea remain well into June, blowing out to sea only as the summer solstice looms. KNOM keeps listeners up to date on these potentially dangerous ice conditions.

It’s for efforts like these and many others that KNOM will soon be receiving the Crystal Heritage Award from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB); the award honors the community service work of our devoted staff, volunteers, and supporters, and we’re so excited to receive it. National recognition for our little mission radio station is a tribute to the years of service provided by KNOM. We thank the thousands of supporters and the hardy radio pioneers who first put KNOM on the air. For the last four decades, they have poured their heart and soul into keeping KNOM on the air.

You can find out more about this award, the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios conversion process, and all the other things that are happening at KNOM by continuing to explore this website – we invite you to stay a while!

If you have never visited before, you will find a great variety of pictures, information about KNOM’s history, our staff, more than a decade of issues of our monthly newsletter (The Nome Static), programming information, audio files, and a lot more. We are not yet able to stream the KNOM signal due to very poor internet speeds in our part of the world, but we have heard plans of improved internet coming to our region in November. So: stay tuned!

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April 1982: New stations in the neighborhood

By on April 7, 2013 in History
April 11, 1982
This month, Tom Busch and pioneer Alaska broadcaster Augie Hiebert discover plans by the Canadian government to construct new AM stations that would virtually destroy long distance radio reception in the Alaska bush. They research options that will eliminate this threat.
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Supernaturally

By on April 1, 2013 in Inspirational Spots

Our inspirational spot for the week:

When someone does you wrong, don’t do what comes naturally. Do what comes supernaturally.

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Happy Easter!

By on March 31, 2013 in Stories

From all of us at KNOM, a very Happy Easter!

In Western Alaska, there are already a few signs of spring. The temperatures are warming slightly, the days are rapidly becoming longer, and the moon looms large in the night sky, casting a soft light upon the frozen Bering Sea and ice-covered tundra. The stunning landscape is a reminder of the majesty of God’s love.

In isolated villages – where a priest rarely, if ever, is present to celebrate Mass – KNOM beamed Easter Mass from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Nome. We are blessed that Fr. Ross Tozzi was present to preside at the community’s Easter celebration; his words and those of the congregation were heard throughout Western Alaska.

From time to time, the KNOM volunteers fly out to select area villages. (The flights are typically free, thanks to a longtime sharing agreement with Bering Air in Nome.)

Last week, volunteer music director Josh Cunningham traveled to the Yukon Delta village of Bethel for the Cama-i Music Festival.  He spent three days recording music, interviewing village elders, and sending back reports for KNOM’s Update News broadcasts.

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April 1999: A stormy Easter

By on March 31, 2013 in History

April 4 (Easter Sunday), 1999

The weather is fine for Easter egg hunting today, but at nightfall, a blizzard suddenly kicks up.

The wind blows so hard at KNOM’s transmitter site that it holds the shutters for the exhaust fan closed.

By the time Les Brown and volunteer Michael Warren make it to the building in the maelstrom, waste heat has driven its temperature to ninety-eight degrees. Les jams the louvers open, and the site cools down with no ill effects.

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