Imagine stepping into the student center’s bathroom and being greeted by the familiar tunes and lively chatter of WKNH, Keene State’s very own radio station.
Many older students and student center staff may remember this as a daily occurrence. Now, WKNH has hit pause on these “bathroom broadcasts.”
Patrick Garcia, the college radio station’s production manager and lead technician, gave some context on the matter.
The station’s operational tech consists of a radio receiver and an amplifier, according to Garcia. The amplifier gives power to the speakers in the bathrooms and the hallway outside the station as well as the station itself.
The station’s speaker still works, however the years-old amplifier “finally kicked the bucket” and will not broadcast effectively outside the station, Garcia explained.
The connectors used to plug in the amplifier are broken but the manufacturers do not make the outdated model.
“Last year [the amplifier worked] on and off,” Garcia said. “We actually would punch it and it would start working again, that was the only way to fix it.”
Because of its low voltage, electricians for the building refuse to help fix the amplifier and Garcia said he has taken it upon himself to learn how.
To restore functionality, Garcia began learning how to solder last weekend. Soldering is the use of melted soft metal to reattach electrical components.
If he is unable to repair the existing amplifier, the team is exploring options for acquiring secondhand alternatives.
However, should those efforts prove unsuccessful, WKNH may need to invest in a new amplifier.
“It would take funding,” Garcia said. “They’re not super expensive, but the way the school is budgeting this year, it’s hard to get any money.”
He also mentioned that the radio station is not permitted to conduct fundraising activities on air, necessitating that all fundraising efforts occur on campus.
Garcia said WKNH anticipates resolving the situation as swiftly as possible, aiming to resume broadcasts sometime after Thanksgiving break. Additionally, there are plans to extend broadcasts to Lloyd’s Marketplace alongside the bathroom facilities.
Josie Eichler, a senior at KSC and a desk receptionist for the Student Center Administration Office on the third floor remembers the radio playing in the bathrooms in past years.
Eichler said she wished it was more consistent and thinks it would be great for the radio station to play in Lloyd’s.
Another senior and a building manager for the student center, Angel Bouchard, also shared her memories of the broadcasts.
“Sometimes it was really loud and it would scare me,” she said about the bathroom broadcasts.
Another student center employee said he only recalls hearing the broadcast in the upstairs bathroom. Troy has been working at Lloyd’s for nearly two years and shared his interest in the idea of the radio being played there.
“I think [Lloyd’s] would be more controlled,” he said, motioning to Starbucks and the market in the student center.
WKNH General Manager Ryan Rotigliano did not reply to requests for an interview before the deadline.
Lillian Hendel can be contacted at
lhendel@kscequinox.com
