The Van!

Ahhh the van.... We love this thing. An entire radio station in a van. We have a computer, big hard disk (about 1/2 the complete KBFR library), dual CD players, mics and mixer with a transmitter and 1/4 wave magnetic mount (for the roof) antenna running it.

We also have a wireless router that allows us to hook into the internet at several hot spots around Boulder. These are wifi based and we find them by driving around and finding open routers (wardriving) and by using wifi connections that listeners offer us in their homes or businesses (we just park out front and hook in wirelessly to the internet).

When we're hooked into the internet, we can stream, live, to the STL from pretty much anywhere in Boulder.

When we don't have a wifi connection (or feel like REALLY putting out a signal) we simply drive up flagstaff or one of the other roads that lead up into the mountains and fire up the transmitter (150watts). Man.. being 1000 feet above town is like being on one very big tower and our reach is incredible. That's one nice thing about Boulder. It's nestled up against some very serious mountains that go straight up.

The computer in the van is also capable of recording, so we will sometimes go to the show. We're trying to find bands that will let us broadcast them from their practice places (garages, warehouses, basements, bars and venues in town, wherever there's some good local music action). We've done a few but would like to get it to the point where we can do it at the drop of a hat. Carl and Sargent Socket are getting it down pretty well and, soon, I'm hoping we'll see weekly live broadcasts (either from the van directly, or via wifi/stream to the STL site).

Monk@kbfr.org