PORT TOWNSEND — “You are listening to KPTZ 91.9 FM Port Townsend.”
Those words went out across the airwaves for the first time at 8 a.m. Saturday morning as Port Townsend’s new community radio station made its inaugural broadcast.
The words were spoken by Colin Foden, board president of the all-volunteer community station, which has been in the planning stages for 4½ years.
Foden’s announcement, which was recorded, was followed by a live morning news report by Ann Katzenbach.
Her five-minute report covered the weather, tides, ferry cancellations, announcements of events, including a food drive, and the winning entries in a wearable art fashion show the night before.
Katzenbach was followed by a pre-recorded selection of music by DJ Max, who chose Nigel Kennedy’s “Hello, I Love You” to kick off the program.
About a minute and a half into the number, the computer running it hit a glitch, resulting in dead air.
It was filled when programming manager Larry Stein grabbed his “tugboat,” a Leo Kottke CD, and loaded it into a portable player.
“I had a retired ferry captain who was my guru,” Stein said. “He said always have a tugboat by your side when you run a sea trial.
“I call Leo Kottke my tugboat.”
Also on hand for the premiere was Barney Burke, who returned at noon to DJ his program of classic blues music.
Burke, whose program will normally be Friday nights at 8 p.m., said having a radio program is something he has wanted to do his whole life.
“My grandparents, George and Margaret Burke, started a radio station, KGMB, in Honolulu in the ’20s,” said Burke, a Jefferson County Public Utility District commissioner.
Burke, Stein and Bill Putney, the engineer, literally built the radio station, dividing a portable classroom at the former Mountain View School into workspace with soundproof booths for recording and broadcasting.
Nancy Sendler, the “primo volunteer,” also was on hand for the broadcast.
Katzenbach said KPTZ will have news every morning at 8 a.m. and throughout the day weekdays and at some point go to 7 a.m. news broadcasts.
The signal from the 190-foot broadcast tower at the north end of Jacob Miller Road covers the east and central Strait of Juan de Fuca region — from Sequim to Whidbey Island.
The KPTZ 91.9 FM studio is located in an annex building near Mountain View Commons, 1919 Blaine St., Port Townsend.
For information and the program schedule, visit www.kptz.org or phone 360-379-6886.
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Jennifer Jackson is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend. She writes about Port Townsend and Jefferson County in a column every Wednesday. jjackson@olypen.com