Redwood Community Radio (RCR), based in Redway in Southern Humboldt County, CA broadcasts continuously from four FM transmitters in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, also reaching parts of Trinity and Del Norte Counties. Simultaneously on the internet, RCR provides a live stream, a complete program archive, public resources on our website, and active social media platforms with thousands of followers.

KMUD's transmitter on Pratt Mountain, near Garberville in Humboldt County, went on-air in 1987, after about seven years of organizing by a dedicated group.

Our transmitter on Cahto Peak in Mendocino County, KLAI Laytonville, went on-air in late 1990, after Mendocino County residents mounted a fundraising campaign in 1988 with benefits in Laytonville and Caspar.  Some residents in Fort Bragg, Mendocino, Albion, Whitethorn, Bell Springs, Dos Rios, etc., receive a stronger signal from our transmitters in Humboldt.

The KMUE signal that serves northern and central Humboldt County also reaches parts of Del Norte and Trinity Counties.  KMUE started broadcasting in 1996, after a donation was made by a woman who had lived in Northern Humboldt, and then moved to Southern Humboldt where she could hear KMUD. RCR made the decision to add to that investment in order to broadcast to the northern area.

After years of broadcasting from several small cabins at the south end of Garberville, RCR was able to purchase its own building in 1996, following a community-wide capital campaign. In 1997, the Redway building was remodeled by a Building Committee, 136 volunteers, one part-time paid coordinator and a few contractors, and the organization moved in during October 1997.

In 2012, RCR was funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Digital Conversion Program to convert the broadcasts on KMUD and KMUE to Hybrid Digital (HD). It is called “hybrid” because it allows conventional radios to continue to broadcast the analog signal.  This allowed RCR to completely rebuild the whole KMUE installation at a different site with an increase in signal strength, as well as replace the transmitter and other components at the KMUD site.

In 2023 RCR received grants from Humboldt Area Foundation / Six Rivers Community Foundation, and from the Berg Foundation, and was able to replace the aging original soundboard with a modern digital board, and completely remodel the main broadcast Studio C, including a new hardwood floor and handmake desk.  A great deal of volunteer time was invested in this remodel, along with staff time and contractor time.