By Susan Taylor
Miriam Raftery contributed to this report
May 21, 2023 (Descanso) -- You might not know that KNSJ 89.1 FM, the station that brings you East County Magazine’s radio show, broadcasts from atop Monument Peak in the Laguna Mountains, a 90-minute drive from its studio in City Heights. A drive to the mountaintop will reveal its beautiful site and fantastic view, but the location can also wreak havoc on cell and radio towers. Last year’s severe winter storms battered the station’s antenna with ice, knocking it off air for weeks.
The good news is that the antenna has been replaced and listeners can resume hearing their favorite shows.
Transmitter replacement was no easy matter and involved money, brave climbers, and a need for constant maintenance. Martin Eder, CEO of KNSJ, hired Soelberg Construction Company to do the work. Owner Victor Soelberg and his two sons shimmy up antennas when repairs of this type are needed, which can be quite frequent. Eder and two other volunteers with the station supervised and tested the reception from the control room next to the antenna before driving down.
When Marie Johnson, Director of Programs, back in the city in confirmed, “I can hear you!”, they knew they were good to go. That was a week ago, and programs are coming through loud and clear now.
In addition to this important action, KNSJ held its official Open House in its new studio on May 20. Many community members pledged donations and testified to the need for a non-corporate radio station that supports social justice, such as attention to the effects of climate change, wage equity, immigration, rural issues and more. The new studio includes capacity for video as well as audio, enabling creation of podcasts to engage the community, plus call-in ability.
East County Magazine’s award-winning show has focused on issues impacting inland cities and rural, mountain and desert communities such as homelessness, housing, immigration, wildfire preparedness, energy projects, land use controversies, and more. Recent stories on our show revealed dumping of elderly patients on the streets by hospitals, Border Patrol agents failing to provide food to detained immigrants, environmental damaged caused by a water district draining Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status, and controversy involving the county’s placement of homeless sex offenders in El Cajon motels.
The new studio is located at 4161 Home Avenue in a space gifted to KNSJ in a labor union and immigrants rights office. Former State Senator Lori Saldana officiated at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Having a professional broadcasting studio will improve the sound quality of shows, since during Covid 19, many programs were produced at home using Zoom and home studios.
Because KNSJ is an all-volunteer operation, it depends on donations and sponsorship from small businesses and organizations. Each month, the steering committee meets to discuss ways to make the station even better. On June 18, a fundraiser will be held at Black Cat bar in City Heights; everyone is welcome to come out and meet some of the DJs and dance to some good music.
In terms of outreach, KNSJ encourages newcomers who want to help with engineering and other radio duties. Interns can learn how a radio station works, and the community can also join in, for example, as guest of DJ’s on shows such as The Women’s Hour and The Electric Picnic, a show about poetry, prose, and spoken work.
ECM seeks volunteers to help with sound editing, script writing and on-air broadcasting.
KNSJ is a project of Activists San Diego, a social change organization with volunteers from all over the county. For more information about how you can get involved with KNSJ radio, you can email info@knsj.org.
Most importantly, tune in. You’ll find a schedule of shows on its website, www.KNSJ.org. You can listen at 89.1 FM on your radio dial, or download the Tune-In app on your smart phone to listen anywhere, or click the "listen now" link at KNSJ's website.