Meetings in 2009 - Highlights

Bud obtained $5,000 for equipment from different faculties at UBC-O to create a very low power (5 watt) station. The money was placed and allocated within the UBC-O endowment. Bud and Professor Sharon McCoubrey oversee the release of these funds.

Cam visited with Okanagan College over the summer to see if that might be a feasible location to broadcast. The OC campus is central to Kelowna while the UBC-O campus is at the bottom of a small saddle. As FM is line of sight it was felt that perhaps broadcasting at the OC would be best for the station as it would reach more people. OC staff were very supportive but were unable to find space for a station.

One idea abandoned was to stream online from a studio at UBC-O to a receiver at OC. The OC indicated that it would be somewhat difficult to provide space for even a relay computer. As well the weak 5 watt signal may not have reached UBC-O effectively breaking the link between studio and antenna. In the end this idea was deferred.

In the summer it was decided the best course of action was to use the studio space allocated at the UBC-O (as per their building plans and earlier discussions) and broadcast from the top of the brand new students centre at UBC-O. The bulk of the station would use existing equipment including transmission wire purchased for last year's station for '7 Blocks of Busking', 4 track mixing board and computer. The station would cover most of campus clearly but provide very little coverage of Kelowna.

Pricing was sourced for a variety of equipment. A second hand 10 watt exciter was sourced directly from CFBX. A new circular antenna put the final budget just under $5,000 for all the necessary broadcast equipment.

Alex, as Student Radio Club President, contacted the SU and also contacted the Phoniex newspaper and told them of our plans. The SU had planned for the Phoniex newspaper to use the same room as the Student Radio Club within the brand new Student Services building.

The Phoniex requested the Radio Club not be granted space due to privacy and noise conflicts. They support a campus station but felt a shared space would not be feasible. The SU Administrator and SU CIRO Board member met with Alex twice and (paraphrasing) told her that as the Club had not shown 'significant support' for a radio station on campus the SU would not support a campus radio station in any of their facilities at this time.

Bud has recently approached the University to see if the University has space to host a studio and antenna.