KUSP History Corner.

"It's Movin' Day!
Winter to Summer, 1979

          The winter of 1978-1979 found KUSP staff in search of a place to move to, something that would allow KUSP to give a place for staff and volunteers to gather and relax, and also a place to put our huge record and tape library.

          Actually, the search began in 1975, but after much controversy, the search was abandoned until it became obvious that our month to month relationship with Jack O'Neil (the landlord of our humble abode) was about to crash and burn. We had managed to expand another 120 square feet, and install a production room, but we were quickly running out of places to put people and equipment.

The KUSP office, Late 70's

          The staff of KUSP at the time of the above photo included Lance Linares, Gretchen Goldstein, and Steven Slade. During the last few years at O'Neil's, the staff was sharing desks and phones, typewriter and chairs. Computers were not even dreamed of at that time.

The early 1979 vintage control room (that's me on the left) and the office (below), pictured are Corky Walsh at the typewriter and Laura Sutherland standing.

          With a sense of mission, and a little bit of apprehension, we began looking for another location, one with a little more space, and the critical line-of-sight (for our microwave system) to Mt. Toro, our transmitter site. This requirement ruled out almost everything except places near the beach, which pleased most of the Foundation, who were used to the spectacular view from the Yacht Harbor.

          We stumbled upon the newly vacated Twin Lakes Church building, just a few blocks east of the Harbor on 7th Avenue. We explored the place, and when we visited the roof, we realized it was likely the right place. The entire building (which was huge, an entire city block) was empty. We became the first new occupants, but not without a complete renovation of the 2nd floor. The renovation was undertaken by Mac Hartley, Paul Hostetter and Don Mussell, along with Lance Linares, Bruce Larsen, and a host of other KUSP volunteers. Two months later (Summer, 1979), we moved in on a Sunday Night. The actual move of equipment took a few hours, but hooking it all back up took all night and into the next day.

          We took KUSP off the air at 10:00 PM, after a last sample of the "sounds of the surf", direct from the front window. We then sliced the wires and blew away the dust.

          The entire budget for the move was less than $3,000. This covered the lumber, nails and other construction materials used. All labor was donated!

Peter Feistman at the controls on the first evening at 8th Avenue.