Radio station KWVH doubles its reach

Wimberley’s community radio station, KWVH 94.3 FM, announced that its long-anticipated signal upgrade is nearly complete. Installers will attach antennas on their new tower site this week when weather permits, effectively doubling the station’s reach across the Wimberley Valley. Its broadcast transmission power increased from 30 watts to 100 watts, allowing thousands more listeners to tune into KWVH, about twice the number of radios that could previously receive their signal. Listeners on the outskirts of Wimberley, in Woodcreek, Driftwood, Kyle, and Canyon Lake will be able to receive critical news and emergency information as well as programming in their cars and homes thanks to the new upgrade.

Overseeing the upgrade was Brach Thomas, the station’s Operations and Production Manager and Tim Kiesling, the station’s General Manager. Thomas is credited with keeping the station on the air during the frigid polar vortex of 2021 that left many citizens in Wimberley and the rest of Texas without power for several days. His ingenuity earned KWVH the Bonner McLane Public Service Award for Outstanding Service to the Local Community from the Texas Association of Broadcasters.

The station also announced that they will soon begin construction on their new community podcast studio. They’ve recently redesigned their website, kwvh.org, to include useful information that’s easier to find, as well as adding stories about the station’s programming, hosts, volunteers, and community. The station has also launched a newsletter.

The announcements came during KWVH’s Annual Meeting and outreach party held at the Wimberley Community Center last week. More than 200 people attended, enjoying drinks, food, the music of the Hill Country Honeys and the opportunity to meet volunteers, show hosts, and other VIPs.

General Manager Tim Kiesling also confirmed that, “KWVH has just completed a 24-month project to increase our signal strength that significantly improves our streaming services for listeners across the country, who are located outside our immediate listening area.”

One of the speakers at the event was Tim Tempfer, Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation supervisor, who explained the role that KWVH plays in the community.

“In an emergency or a disaster,” he said, “tune your radio to 94.3 to get accurate information about health and safety warnings, road closures, fire travel, shelter locations, and other rescue and emergency news.” He cautioned people to forego social media during an emergency because it is often rife with misinformation, and encouraged citizens to prepare for emergencies with “Go Bags.”

Board President Tom Lind also announced that a structure was now in place to attract substantial donors. “This nonprofit is on the air now because of the incredible work of its amazing volunteers and donors,” he said.

Supported entirely by fundraisers, donations, underwriters and grants, the station is “practically owned by the community,” he said, but because of its status, “the station has not previously been eligible for federal or state funding.” With the station’s upgrade, it is now eligible for additional federal grants and funding.

In 2011, KWVH evolved from an idea generated by Susan Raybuck, Founder and Board Member Emeritus. A recent KWVH press release stated that “With grit, determination, duct tape, and bailing wire, the dream of creating a community radio station in Wimberley grew.” Wimberley’s Memorial Day flood disaster in 2015 provided the spark, prompting the Federal Communication Commission to grant KWVH an emergency broadcast license. Its first on-air FM broadcast was August 22, 2016, with a lineup built by Susan Raybuck, Mike Crusham and John Brown. Today it provides a 24-hour schedule of news, information, and entertainment.