The Mid-Coast Radio Project looked like it was not going to succeed. The problem was – there was no spot on the radio dial for a new station – all the spots were taken.

There were two low-powered stations at 10 Watts each which occupied the space on the non-commercial end of the FM broadcast band. Only a small portion of the broadcast frequencies on the radio dial can be used by non-commercial, non-profit stations and these two stations took up that space.

The stations were licensed to what was then Park College – KGSP FM, and to the Nazarene Theological seminary – KTSR FM.

As the situation looked hopeless, the membership of Mid-Coast dropped down from the original 30 or so which had showed up for the Communiversity class “Radio Free Kansas City” to 2 or 3 people who stuck with the goal of a community radio station.

Then, in 1978, things changed. The FCC in its infinite wisdom, decided that since there was a limit to the number of stations that could be put on the FM dial, that they had better make sure that all these stations were serving the most people.

10 Watt stations only could cover an area equivalent to a large neighborhood, and they were taking up a spot on the dial.

So in 1978, the FCC made a new rule that these 10 Watt stations either had to boost their power to 100 Watts, or move to another spot on the dial.

Maybe, just maybe, the small, broke organization, Mid-Coast Radio, could take advantage of the new ruling by negotiating with the two 10 Watt Kansas City stations!

Stay tuned . . . more to follow.