Here is a section of the old tower with a ton of stuff mounted on it.  I can see at least a dozen cell antennas, a bunch of microwave dishes, vertical UHF and VHF antennas (look like police and/or fire stuff), and various others.  While they’re not still broadcasting from this tower (though it is my understanding it can serve as a backup for KCMS), they’re sure making good use of it.

     I ran across this very excellent article on the history of KRAB radio, written by Jack Caldbick, and thought I’d share it.  I grew up two blocks from this station and spent quite a lot of time there in my youth.  I’m really sorry it didn’t survive as it was a quintessential representation of radio counter-culture and a significant contribution to the community.

     http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=10784

     This is the old tower where KCIS, formerly known as KGDN 630AM, and KCMS formerly KBIQ 105.3 FM, used to transmit from at the Kings Garden campus, part of Crista Ministries, in now Shoreline Washington.

     In the early 1970’s, KBIQ was one of the most powerful FM stations on the West Coast, transmitting with an effective radiated power of 240Kw. Now they are transmitting from cougar mountain with a mere 54Kw.

     The AM station used to be daytime only, and that massive tower had a seemingly small (compared to the tower) ceramic insulator at the base supporting all that weight but insulating it so that it could serve as an AM transmitting antenna as well as a tower for the FM antennas.

     I do not know if the insulator is still there. It can no longer serve as an AM antenna because a directional array was required to protect other stations at night. I wasn’t able to find a public vantage point where I could see the base of the antenna anymore.  And they have a plethora of other antennas on the tower that didn’t used to be there, cellular antennas, microwave antennas, and others.

     KCIS 630, a Seattle area radio station operated by Crista Ministries, has been operating with a directional array at night to allow them to operate at high power by protecting another station that they otherwise would interfere with.

     When I was young, they used to be a Daytime only station, and then for a while they were operating with a very low power at night from their location in Shoreline, and then they got their directional array and were able to operate at high power at night.

     God used this station, through their ministry, to provide me a great deal of comfort during some troubled times of my life and I’m sure he uses it to help many others.

     One tower in their AM directional array was destroyed in the unusual late August windstorm we had this year.  I’m a believer in God, the Bible, and in Romans 8:28, but it is hard for me sometimes to see how something like this can be used for the good of anyone.

     Click on the image to see their article on the KCIS station blog.  This structure was only partially insured.  They need your help to pay for the uncovered portion of the repair expenses.  You can help them by donating here: https://donate.crista.org/kcis.