By Susan Taylor

Miriam Raftery contributed to this report

May 21, 2023 (Descanso) -- You might not know that KNSJ 89.1 FM, the station that brings you East County Magazine’s radio show, broadcasts from atop Monument Peak in the Laguna Mountains, a 90-minute drive from its studio in City Heights.  A drive to the mountaintop will reveal its beautiful site and fantastic view, but the location can also wreak havoc on cell and radio towers.  Last year’s severe winter storms battered the station’s antenna with ice, knocking it off air for weeks.

The good news is that the antenna has been replaced and listeners can resume hearing their favorite shows.

Transmitter replacement was no easy matter and involved money, brave climbers, and a need for constant maintenance.  Martin Eder, CEO of KNSJ, hired Soelberg Construction Company to do the work.  Owner Victor Soelberg and his two sons shimmy up antennas when repairs of this type are needed, which can be quite frequent. Eder and two other volunteers with the station supervised and tested the reception from the control room next to the antenna before driving down.