Groups seeking FM radio stations clear the air
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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Supporters of Radio Port Townsend and Sequim Community Broadcasting worked out agreements with Port Townsend Seventh-Day Adventist Church representatives that will allow three groups to operate on the Eastern Olympic Peninsula without crossing signals.
That has led to the FCC accepting all three applications, which now await final approval.
"We think they're acting quickly," Radio PT leader Sherry Jones said of the FCC. "We think within the next few weeks."
Radio PT removed its proposal from conflict with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church's application by changing its frequency to 91.9 and relocating its transmitter tower site to the northwestern edge of the Quimper Peninsula, said Jones.
Sequim-area use
The move opens the 91.5 FM frequency, originally proposed for Radio PT, so Sequim Community Broadcasting can use it to serve the Sequim-Dungeness Valley area. That allows the church group to move forward with plans to broadcast from a tower in the Olympic foothills southwest of Discovery Bay.
Radio Port Townsend will broadcast to Jefferson County from the edge of Port Ludlow north throughout the Quimper Peninsula.
Sequim Community Broadcasting submitted an amended application to the FCC in December, requesting a change in frequency to 91.5 FM, a power level decrease to 700 watts, and a transmitter site at a 450-foot elevation about 3.5 miles west of the city of Sequim.
"This will allow the signals not to overlap," said Rick Perry, a leader behind the Sequim radio station proposal.
"Everything looks great, so we're just waiting for the FCC."
He said the group was working on obtaining federal nonprofit organization status to raise donations to offset the costs of re-engineering the application and legal fees.
The group has raised nearly $69,000 in pledges that will ultimately go toward building the station's studio and equipment for the volunteer staff project.
Church leader Glenn Gately was unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
Church broadcasts
The Port Townsend Seventh-day Adventist Church elder has said the church would broadcast church-related teachings that include healthy living.
As proposed, it will have the largest reach of all three of the stations, broadcasting throughout most of Jefferson County and into Eastern Clallam County, halfway to Port Angeles.
Canadian officials must also sign off on the three applications after determining that they do not interfere with signals north of the border.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: January 16. 2008 9:00PM
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