KDIC

For other uses, see KDIC (disambiguation).
KDIC
City Grinnell, Iowa
Slogan 88.5 the Robot
Frequency 88.5 MHz
First air date May 20, 1968 (as KDIC)
Format Variety
ERP 130 watts
HAAT 38.0 meters
Class A
Facility ID 25391
Transmitter coordinates 41°44′56″N 92°43′10″W / 41.74889°N 92.71944°W / 41.74889; -92.71944Coordinates: 41°44′56″N 92°43′10″W / 41.74889°N 92.71944°W / 41.74889; -92.71944
Owner Grinnell College Trustees of Iowa
Website kdic.grinnell.edu

KDIC (88.5 FM) is a non-commercial radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Located in Grinnell, Iowa, USA, the station is licensed to Grinnell College Trustees of Iowa.[1] Live streaming is available through kdic.grinnell.edu and through the KDIC smartphone apps for iOS and Android.

Programming

KDIC has a one- to two-hour block format from 5PM-1AM every day. The DJs are mostly students as well as some members of the Grinnell community. A select number of shows are podcasted and available at kdic.grinnell.edu.

History

On December 6, 1948, KGRW began broadcasting as Grinnell College's first radio station. It broadcast popular and classical music, news, and interviews.[2] Eventually that station was shut down.

KDIC went on the air on May 20, 1968 on 88.9 MHz using a 10-watt FM transmitter located on the second floor of Darby Gym. During the first year, eighty-five students provided enough staffing to allow for 121 hours a week of programming.

In 1971, after experiencing increasing interference on 88.9 MHz, the FCC approved the frequency change to 88.5 MHz where it continues to broadcast to this day. In 1984, transmitter power was increased to 130 watts.[3]

The licensee failed to file for license renewal by October 1, 2004 and the station's license expired on February 1, 2005. The FCC approved a Special Temporary Authorization (STA) October 18, 2005 and the station resumed operation, ceasing again May 12, 2006 in anticipation of the end of the academic year. The FCC granted a second STA on September 22, 2006 and on January 31, 2007 approved the renewal of the KDIC license.[1]

Railroad track antenna incident

There have been unconfirmed reports that any time between the 1950s and 1970s D.J.s at either KDIC or KGRW illegally connected the radio transmitter of the station to train tracks that go through the Grinnell College campus allowing for a transmission radius that was hundreds or possibly thousands of miles.[4][5][6] There was a time when the station broadcast in an illegal manner outside its area and it lost its license.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 "KDIC Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/6RpG2Metb
  3. ↑ KDIC History
  4. ↑ Peter Comings (April 11, 2001). "Oh, And One Other Thing: Memory's". Petoskey News.
  5. ↑ Jose Fritz (August 31, 2005). "The Oldest Urban Legend in Radio". ARCANE RADIO TRIVIA.
  6. ↑ Laura Dripps (7 October 2011). "KDIC gets remastered by local masterminds". Scarlet & Black.
  7. ↑ "RG-S: Students". Grinnell College Libraries Special Collections.


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