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Tag Archives | Rolland Trowbridge

Time to tighten up

By on June 17, 2013 in Stories

This time of year, we scramble to make sure that we perform routine maintenance on the KNOM buildings and equipment.  As we go through this process, we encounter unusual circumstances. (Several years ago, as we were doing a visual inspection of the AM transmitter site, a herd of muskoxen decided to graze near the tower.)

KNOM volunteer engineer Rolland Trowbridge has discovered that the AM transmitter building (sitting on four wood pilings) sways a bit in the wind. Higher velocity wind causes vibrations that are loosening screws and nuts in the wiring and broadcast equipment.

Rolland has been busy tightening components of the AM transmitter – and even the screws holding the wiring in the building outlets.

His attentiveness and his dedication to mission have been a true blessing to KNOM.

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A DIY solution for an askew building

By on June 4, 2013 in Stories

We’ve been working hard to stretch our financial resources. Sometimes, that means being creative in problem-solving, even when the ground is literally shifting underneath us – as it has, in recent weeks, at our AM transmitter site.

KNOM’s AM transmitter building and tower sit on the outskirts of Nome, about 3 miles east of town. From one season to the next, the ground at the site thaws and re-freezes, as it does all over Western Alaska.

These cycles of freezing and melting cause the wooden piling supporting our transmitter building to slightly shift its position. In the spring – during the melting period Alaskans call “break up” – the piling tends to push up, or “jack up,” from the ground.

This spring melting was to blame for a slight slant in the foundation of our transmitter building, recently observed by our volunteer engineer, Rolland Trowbridge.

We had planned on hiring a crew to come and level the building. But by tapping past experience and using equipment on hand – some of it borrowed from supporters, some of it more than 50 years in age – we shot levels and jacked down the south side of the building about five inches, bringing the structure back to its proper level.

By going the DIY route (do it yourself), our mission saved about $1,500!

As always, we thank those whose support makes every minute of our mission possible – from broadcasting to problem-solving.

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“A call that changed my life”

By on April 26, 2013 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2013 (All), The Nome Static, May 2013

Rolland and sled dogs

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.

The following is an excerpt; we encourage you to read Rolland’s full story (.PDF file).

The PrecipiceA year ago, I received a call from KNOM’s general manager, Ric Schmidt, asking if I knew anything about automatic generator controls. Little did I know that that call would be a call to mission – and a call that would change my life.

I came to Nome on my family’s sailboat in 2009 after sailing over Canada through the Northwest Passage. We started in Michigan after ten years of preparation to take an epic trip with no clue where we would end up… After completing the passage, a storm ripped away our life raft, and we put into Nome to make repairs… Soon, we settled in and made Nome home.

I signed on for a year, and what a year. Every day, Nome’s environment does its worst… with extreme elements trying to tear apart everything that exists. Fortunately, KNOM has decades of experience in dealing with this. It is a true pleasure to work on something that has been built and designed to handle the environment it is in… I think I will be staying a while.

There has been a razor-sharp focus at KNOM for more than 40 years to build and maintain a reliable, low-cost-to-maintain station. I am proud to be part of it.

In the coming months, look for more from Rolland in a new segment for the Static: an Engineer’s Corner, with updates on KNOM’s equipment. Photos: Rolland, a sled dog musher, with one of his dogs; Rolland and family aboard their sailboat, the Precipice.

Again, you can read more of Rolland’s incredible story here.

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KNOM Radio Mission, 2012: Twelve Snapshots

By on December 12, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Year-End 2012

January

The Russian tanker Renda

In Nome, KNOM’s news department is on the front lines for a story with worldwide interest: the Russian tanker Renda makes an unprecedented winter fuel delivery, escorted in its journey through the frozen Bering Sea by the US Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. The delivery comes in the wake of an epic, fall 2011 storm that delayed Nome’s final fuel shipment.

February

Pete Kaiser wins the 2012 NS450

KNOM covers the inaugural running of a sled-dog race honoring a community leader in Western Alaska. The Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 sends dog teams from the community of Unalakleet (YOU-nuh-luh-kleet) to the finish line in Nome. In the pre-dawn hours, musher Pete Kaiser finishes first, and KNOM’s Laureli Kinneen calls the finish live.

March

Martin and Rohn Buser

KNOM rallies to cover all angles of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (the 1,000-mile competition from Anchorage to Nome). The race is an inspiration to thousands, and in 2012, a new generation takes center stage: 25-year-old Dallas Seavey wins the race, while young musher Rohn Buser finishes alongside his father, Martin, a multiple-time Iditarod champ.

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Merry Christmas from your KNOM family

By on November 23, 2012 in Photos, The Nome Static, The Nome Static, 2012 (All), The Nome Static, Christmas 2012

The KNOM Staff, 2012

The photo above was taken on the future site of the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios, our studio annex project. From left to right: Father Ross Tozzi; Eva DeLappe; Lynette Schmidt; Lucus Keppel; Kelly Brabec; Betsy Brennan; Rolland Trowbridge; Dayneé Rosales; Joshua Cunningham; Laureli Kinneen; Ric Schmidt; Laura Collins; Margaret DeMaioribus; David Dodman.

We can’t thank you enough for all you do for our mission. From all of us at KNOM Radio, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Prayers for Father Armand, and new ways we’re saving power

By on October 1, 2012 in Photos, Stories
LED light

An example of the LED bulbs we soon hope to install throughout KNOM’s facilities.

We continue to give thanks and celebrate the faithful service of KNOM’s spiritual advisor, Father Armand Nigro, S.J. He has been offering prayers and Masses for the intentions of thousands of KNOM’s supporters, our staff, and listeners. We ask for your prayers for Fr. Armand as he deals with a variety of health challenges. He continues to pray for you and your intentions.

KNOM’s dynamic carrier control project continues to pay dividends in power savings. The latest billing information reveals that we are saving $101.00 per day in electricity costs! Many thanks to the Nautel Company, Chuck Lakaytis, Frank Jazzo, Jack Mullaney, Rolland Trowbridge, Les Brown, and engineers at the FCC.

The quest to find ways to trim the budget and to save money continues with our LED lighting project: a planned initiative to replace the fluorescent lighting fixtures in our facilities with cost-efficient LED bulbs. As always, we are working to save every penny we can! We thank you for the opportunity to serve.

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Construction underway!

By on September 16, 2012 in Photos, Stories
Drilling a hole

Construction workers drill the first hole for the foundation pilings of KNOM’s new studio annex.

Construction of the Tom and Florence Busch Digital Studios has begun! The pilings are in place, and the contractor will arrive soon to build our super-insulated addition. Please pray that more supporters come forward to make this last dream of the late Tom Busch a reality.

We are so thankful for your gifts and for all the blessings we have received, especially lately! Engineering volunteer Rolland Trowbridge is replacing five dysfunctional power modules in the Nautel AM transmitter; one of the modules actually caught fire for a brief time. Thankfully, the fire was limited only to the module itself! The new transmitter equipment brings us an unexpected expense of $5,000-6,000. However, the cost would have been much higher if the entire AM transmitter building had caught fire.

There are always challenges to meet and obstacles to overcome as we work to keep KNOM on the air in service to dozens of remote communities. Thank you for making our mission possible. We thank all who help KNOM.

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Back in the building! – Fr. Ross, John, and Tom

By on August 26, 2012 in Photos, Stories

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!

By on August 5, 2012 in Photos, Stories
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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DCC update: even more savings!

By on July 8, 2012 in Photos, Stories
Chuck, Les, and Rolland install DCC

Chuck Lakaytis, Les Brown, and Rolland Trowbridge (left to right) in the midst of installing the power management system known as dynamic carrier control at KNOM’s AM transmitter.

We so appreciate everyone’s support for KNOM and for our efforts to trim energy costs.

With the cost of gasoline at almost $6 per gallon here in bush Alaska, you can understand why we are looking high and low for ways to save.

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