A Brief History of RadioDriftless

The spark for the creation of Driftless Community Radio was lit during the "Kickapoo Conversations" sponsored by the Valley Stewardship Network in the winter of 2003. During this series of town-hall vision sharing meetings, local citizens met to present their ideas, hopes and dreams for the preservation of our rural area's natural beauty and to develop planning for a sustainable future.

As a means of giving a tangible voice to area issues, the idea for the creation of a non-commercial community radio station was given overwhelming support.

“Driftless Community Radio is a volunteer-based, listener sponsored, non-commercial, free-speech educational endeavor, that creates programming to enhance the cultural diversity of our area. With an emphasis on providing non-professionals the opportunity to learn the art of broadcasting, we will strive to offer our listeners an alternative resource for music, news and information. As we are also a station that holds true the values of cooperation, peace and social justice, we will work towards giving voice to those issues that can help create a sustainable future for our community, our country and our planet.”

Radiodriftless.org is an effort to reach our community and the rest of the world with alternative programming focused on music, news and information that is not currently offered to us by local stations. We have decided to "become the media!"

Through the rapidly expanding medium of internet streaming, we hope to provide a stage for creative experimentation with audio as art, political expression, educational tool and joyous entertainment. Organized by a core group of radio-activists, radiodriftless.org offers it's support and participation in the growing movement for independent media worldwide.

FM News Update

PUBLIC NOTICE

On October 17, 2007, Driftless Community Radio, Inc. filed an application with the Federal Communication Commission to construct a new noncommercial Class A FM broadcast station on Channel 220 (91.9 MHz) at Viroqua, Wisconsin.

The officers and directors of Driftless Community Radio, Inc. are David Curry, Tamara Dean (Secretary), Erin Ford (Vice President), James Hallberg, David Klann, Kreigh Rasikas (President), and Kelly Whited-Ford (Treasurer).

The application proposes a new noncommercial FM broadcast station with studios to be located at a location to be determined in the city of Viroqua. The proposed station is to have an effective radiated power of 480 watts (horizontal and vertical) and an antenna with a radiation center which will be located 134.7 meters above average terrain, 480 meters above mean sea level and 80 meters above ground. The tower and transmitter for the proposed station are to be located at 53385 US Hwy 14, Viroqua, Vernon County, Wisconsin (geographic coordinates: 43 degrees, 36’ 28” N; 90 degrees, 53’ 24” W).

A copy of the application, and any amendments which may be filed in connection therewith, is available for public inspection during normal business hours at:

McIntosh Memorial Library
118 East Jefferson Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
608-637-7151

After more than four years since the organization of Driftless Community Radio, the often “seemingly impossible” goal of creating a live non-commercial FM radio station for the good, kind people of our rural area is about to (hopefully!) become a reality.

As many of you know, we have retained excellent support for the engineering and legal aspects of the application. We will soon be applying to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, selecting a board of directors, writing by-laws and all the other big steps to become legit in the eyes of the feds.

The RadioDriftless Internet stream has served as our “placeholder in cyberspace” where volunteers have spent countless hours spinning discs and creating amazing programming for all of our faithful listeners. (yes, we are building up to an appeal for $$$, it's coming up here real soon…) and they are anxious to take it “live” on the FM band.

(Here it is…) to help support the cost of the legal and engineering aspects of the application, we need your financial contributions to help make this all become more than a dream. We are not guaranteed a license and may (more than likely) have to compete with other groups for the available frequency in our area. We would also like to keep our Internet station up and operating as an organizing tool for the conversion to FM until the feds approve our application and issue us the license.

You may help contribute securely with your credit card on our Contributions page via Pay-Pal, or send checks to our mailing address:

Driftless Community Radio
PO Box 53
Viroqua, WI, 54665

Support listener sponsored, non-commercial, free speech, community controlled radio. Driftless Community Radio. Thanks!

Being Part of RadioDriftless.org

RadioDriftless invites volunteer broadcasters to be involved in the unfolding life of the station.

If you live in the area and would like to participate as a live-stream host of a show, work behind the scenes in production, computer tech assistance, alternative news writing, poster/flyer art or are just wanting to hang with us media moguls. Contact us by e-mail: headphones@radiodriftless.org or by snail: radiodriftless.org, PO Box 53, Viroqua, Wi. 54665. Tell us about your interests, experience and ideas.

We work from a small studio, running Linux-open source computers and garage-sale, discarded and pieced together sound equipment. We have a wish list of items we'd like to add to our arsenal.

If you live outside the area, you can participate by sending us your original music/sounds and written permission to use it. Depending on the style we'll review it and hopefully find air time for it. Please send us an e-mail address or a way to contact you. We cannot return submissions but we will try to play them.

Maybe the best way to participate is to listen. Get to know us by giving us your ear. We hope you will enjoy the variety of programming you hear on radiodriftless. Thanks for your support!

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