Hot Springs radio station

HOT SPRINGS - It started back in 2006. David Max, now a resident of Hot Springs, was living in Missoula and found himself in legal battles to try an create a radio station.

Max was working towards trying to help set up a full power non-commercial (NC) educational radio station. He, with a group with other individuals, entered into a highly competitive field of different groups who were applying for different radio signals. The group he was part of was called, “Missoula Community Radio (MCR).” It would have been broadcasted into Missoula from the Bitterroot Valley.

Max explained that it was an expensive battle involving hiring a broadcast service for engineering and hiring a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lawyer.

Eventually, one signal was given to a new age non-profit group and Max’s group, MCR, tied with a Christian non-profit group for a different signal. Due to legal issues involving paperwork, MCR bowed out and received a small settlement from the other group.

Max, not being discouraged, waited for the opportunity to apply for a low power NC station signal. However, he would have to wait some time until congress would pass legislative that would allow groups to set up community radio stations.

“I basically waited six years till 2013 when congress finally moved legislative forward to open this window back up and it had been a long wait,” he said.

As soon as he could, Max, with the help of others signed for two low power 100 watt stations, one in Missoula, again titled Missoula Community Radio, and one in Hot Springs called, “ourRevolution.”

He explained Hot Springs title, “The idea is that you don’t have a revolution with out evolution.”

Without any opposition he was granted both applications and today, he and other members of both communities are working towards two approaching deadlines to get both stations up and running.

“The things we need are a transmitter, we need an antenna... and we need an emergency broadcast system, which is probably one of the hardest and most expensive pieces of equipment to buy, Max said. He said the approximate piece for the emergency broadcast system, which is a requirement, is $2,500 and the software for it is $600.

“You could essentially run one of these stations in a closet,” Max said. However, Max has bigger plans for the Hot Springs radio station, he explained he is just looking for the best studio.

He described what he believes the station can be for the community, “A place where community members can come in and do some sound editing, can acquire content off the internet, can bring in records, CD’s, tapes, whatever they want to play on the air... sit down at a computer and cut tracks and actually produce content.”

Max also wants to see if a program for high school students could be started, where they could produce media for the radio station, either music or media news.

The output range of the station, due to it being a 100 watt low power station, Max believes that it will be able to be picked up out to Lone Pine, and possibly Camas Prairie.

It also Max’s belief that the radio station would not just be a great cultural outlet for the community, but also an essential tool during times of emergency.

“When things get difficult and things go dark, problems happen and people stop communicating,” Max said, explaining that in recent history during times of disaster, the only form of communication was low power community radio stations. As part of the project, Max wants to have solar panels built into the system in case of power grid emergencies.

If Max is capable of setting up the radio station before his deadline of mid-July, he wants to eventually get the radio station to be on air for eight hours and if it works, eventually a constant 24 hour continuous run time. He believes with free content, and an active community, it will be possible.

As of right now Max is working on generating awareness, the funds and acquiring the needed equipment and space. He feels that as he has told people in the community about the project, he has found on overwhelming interest in a community radio station. He also wants people to contact him if they have any questions regarding the project.