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KRBD is a non-commercial 
As with many radio stations, the name is an abbreviation. In this case, RBD is short for "Rainbird," which is one of the mascots of Ketchikan. (Ketchikan averages about 160 inches of rainfall each year.)
The station's first broadcast, on May 22, 1976, opened with the song, "The Fool," by Quicksilver Messenger Service on volunteer Tom Miller's show, "Odds and Ends." At that time, the station had seven licensed volunteers, each one covering a day of the week, and each one responsible for recruiting more volunteers.
At first, the station operated out of a single apartment space on the first floor of the 10-story Marine View Building. Its 10-watt transmitter broadcast mostly to listeners within a few miles of Ketchikan's West End neighborhood.
The community licensee was conceived of and built by volunteers. Soon after it went on the air, the station hired a manager/engineer, Bob Kern, of Ketchikan. KRBD continued to grow along with the State of Alaska's oil wealth. Within a few years, the station moved up to the Marine View's 10th floor, where it occupied two large apartment spaces. As it continued to grow, KRBD increased power to its current 3,400 watts and moved to a downtown Ketchikan location at 716 Totem Way, overlooking Ketchikan Creek.
At one point in the 1980s, the station had 10 employees and was able to send them to various training opportunities in and outside of Alaska. Its volunteer crew also grew, numbering as many as 90 in its heyday in the 1980s. KRBD is notable for having a sizable group of youth and teens comprise a portion of the volunteer body.
When the state's budget declined due to lower oil prices, and later due to declining oil production, so did KRBD's. By 2007, the station had about four employees and a much reduced volunteer corp. Throughout its history, volunteers have played an important role in operating the station, especially in producing its varied music programming.
In the early 1990s, the station moved yet again, when it purchased the building at 123 Stedman Street, a few doors down the street from Totem Way. In 2010, KRBD moved to a fifth location known as "The Rock Pit" on Copper Ridge Lane.
radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
in Ketchikan, Alaska, broadcasting on 105.3 FM. The station airs public radio
Public broadcasting involves radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing ...
programming from the National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
network, the BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is an international broadcasting, international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government through the Foreign Secretary, Foreign Secretary's o ...
, and is a member of CoastAlaska
CoastAlaska is a nonprofit management service organization for seven public radio stations in Southeast Alaska: KRBD, Ketchikan; KSTK, Wrangell; KTOO, KXLL, KRNN, Juneau; KFSK, Petersburg; and KCAW, Sitka.
In the 1990s, when government fundi ...
. KRBD also airs some locally originated programming.
As with many radio stations, the name is an abbreviation. In this case, RBD is short for "Rainbird," which is one of the mascots of Ketchikan. (Ketchikan averages about 160 inches of rainfall each year.)
The station's first broadcast, on May 22, 1976, opened with the song, "The Fool," by Quicksilver Messenger Service on volunteer Tom Miller's show, "Odds and Ends." At that time, the station had seven licensed volunteers, each one covering a day of the week, and each one responsible for recruiting more volunteers.
At first, the station operated out of a single apartment space on the first floor of the 10-story Marine View Building. Its 10-watt transmitter broadcast mostly to listeners within a few miles of Ketchikan's West End neighborhood.
The community licensee was conceived of and built by volunteers. Soon after it went on the air, the station hired a manager/engineer, Bob Kern, of Ketchikan. KRBD continued to grow along with the State of Alaska's oil wealth. Within a few years, the station moved up to the Marine View's 10th floor, where it occupied two large apartment spaces. As it continued to grow, KRBD increased power to its current 3,400 watts and moved to a downtown Ketchikan location at 716 Totem Way, overlooking Ketchikan Creek.
At one point in the 1980s, the station had 10 employees and was able to send them to various training opportunities in and outside of Alaska. Its volunteer crew also grew, numbering as many as 90 in its heyday in the 1980s. KRBD is notable for having a sizable group of youth and teens comprise a portion of the volunteer body.
When the state's budget declined due to lower oil prices, and later due to declining oil production, so did KRBD's. By 2007, the station had about four employees and a much reduced volunteer corp. Throughout its history, volunteers have played an important role in operating the station, especially in producing its varied music programming.
In the early 1990s, the station moved yet again, when it purchased the building at 123 Stedman Street, a few doors down the street from Totem Way. In 2010, KRBD moved to a fifth location known as "The Rock Pit" on Copper Ridge Lane.
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References
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* * * * {{Coord, 55.339, N, 131.626, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title 1976 establishments in AlaskaRBD
RBD is a Mexican Latin pop group that gained popularity from Televisa's telenovela ''Rebelde''. The group achieved international success from 2004 until their separation in 2009 and sold over 15 million records worldwide, making them one of ...
Buildings and structures in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
NPR member stations
Radio stations established in 1976
RBD
RBD is a Mexican Latin pop group that gained popularity from Televisa's telenovela ''Rebelde''. The group achieved international success from 2004 until their separation in 2009 and sold over 15 million records worldwide, making them one of ...