Change is in the air at Redwood Community Radio. Literally.
Taking each frequency in turn:
After a few years as a weak and troubled translator on 88.5, KMUE 88.3 was built in 1996 with equipment that, in the words of Technical Director Simon Frech, “was certainly not the best equipment moneycould buy, it was what we could afford.” RCR was using money raised locally, the station was built without any outside funding. The Kneeland transmitter site has its problems. The building is a bit tired and not air-conditioned, something as important to electronics as to some humans. The project in the works now will be completely new and will include a change of location, a new antenna, a new, more powerful and reliable transmitter, and sophisticated remote control equipment. The “construction permit” from the Federal Communications Commission specifies March 16 as the date by which KMUE’s 
new signal must be on the air. Installation of the transmitter starts February 22nd, progress and weather permitting, the new antenna will be mounted on the KEET TV tower on February 28.
KMUD will get a new transmitter and station-to-transmitter link. Right now, this STL is a special Verizon phone line carrying the signal from the studios on Redway Drive to Pratt Mountain. It will be replaced by a wireless broadband connection providing the reliability and greater bandwidth demanded by HD.
KLAI was also planned for new equipment and an HD signal, but CPB disapproved of our relatively low-cost plan, insisting on a much more expensive approach. The application was withdrawn; these improvements will have to wait.
Shelter Cove (K258BQ) will get a new transmitter for its HD signal. The translator currently in service is about 20 years old, it’s been a real workhorse, but we are looking forward to a state-of-the-art unit to take its place.
This project is made possible by a federal grant administered by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for $170,000. RCR has to come up with approximately $107,000 in matching funds.
Here are the specific figures:
| Total cost | CPB match | RCR match | |
| KMUE | $168,950 | $90,000 | $78,950 |
| KMUD | $91,850 | $68,480 | $23,370 |
| K258BQ | $17,000 | $11,900 | $5,100 |
| $277,800 | $170,380 | $107,420 |
The down payment for Marian Mapes-Bouck’s property covered the first $60,000 of our matching funds (thank you again Marian!). So we need to raise about $50,000 to make this happen.
For more information about HD radio please visit the wikipedia page and hdradio.com
Also, you may want to visit the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and 170 million Americans for Public Broadcasting