The transmission tower for KMHS stands over Eastside on Thursday.-World Photo by Alex Powers

COOS BAY —Fans of Marshfield High School athletics and classic country music got welcome news this week: The Coos Bay School District is adding a radio channel on the FM dial.

 Eleven years after first broadcasting its AM signal, KMHS unveiled an FM channel following Federal Communications Commission approval. The new station, which has a frequency of 91.3, will pick up the popular hits broadcast that was available to listeners who previously tuned in to AM 1420.

The AM band will feature selections of classic country music compiled by Ron Nance, the station’s program director.

Once students return to campus and fall sports are under way, both channels will broadcast a greater variety of boys and girls athletic events.

The school has long wanted an FM station, Nance said, but the FCC application process took a long time.

“It’s literally been years to get the go-ahead,” he said.

Adding to the wait was a windstorm that knocked down the school’s transmission tower. A temporary structure was erected behind Pete Susick Stadium, which broadcast the school’s AM signal, but not with the previous intensity.

Nance said the Marshfield signal was overpowered some nights by a Centralia, Wash., station broadcasting classic rock music.

Earlier this spring, a new tower was installed in Eastside and began broadcasting the AM signal. With the addition of the FM channel, Nance is excited about the program’s future.

“We are in the best shape we’ve ever been in,” he said.

The new arrangement means existing programming will shift to the FM band, which is broadcast in stereo and has a better sound, Nance said.

Its content is selected by students, who choose tracks from top song listings in Billboard’s trade magazine. Students also help design the commercials that air on the station.

“Programming is the main thing that sets us apart from most Bay Area radio stations,” Nance said in a press release. “We are 100 percent locally programmed 100 percent of the time.”

Students also provide the action described by the station’s sports announcers. Next school year, Pirates boosters can tune in more often to their boys and girls squads.

While volleyball games have periodically crackled across the airwaves, Nance said the plan is to broadcast the entire season, while football games will  transmit exclusively on the FM band.

During the winter, when the boys and girls basketball teams are playing at the same time, the FM channel will allow Nance to broadcast the games on both school stations. And next spring, there is talk about broadcasting some softball games for the first time, in addition to Marshfield baseball games.

When games aren’t on the AM channel, Nance will provide the country music programming. Nance admits he is fond of the genre, though he said there was more to the decision than playing to his tastes.

“We thought it would be an opportunity to go in a different direction and perhaps pick up some more listeners and some more revenue,” he said.

Business Manager Rod Danielson said the radio station is self-sufficient, garnering small profits each year thanks to students selling air time to advertisers. The district did need to pay $75,000 to build the new tower in Eastside, though plans call for paying back about half that cost with the revenue generated by the station over the next five to seven years.

Staff Writer Alexander Rich covers Coos Bay School District issues for The World. He can be reached by calling 269-1222, ext. 234; or by e-mailing to arich@theworldlink.com