-----------------------------------------------------------Juniors DISC JOCKEY Tony Bono remarks. "This really ;s my natural habitat. It's where I'm com/ortoblt!, You put a/ish in waler, you put me in my radio stolion. " - ContribUfM "You can't see the Queen of England and you can't win a free trip to Mexico, but you can listen to commercial-free music. What more could you want?" That's the "No-Contest Contest" offered by WKMQ radio, FM %, according to Tony Bono, the station ' 5 owner. manager and single-handed operator. Bono, a junior journalism major and Bible minor at Harding, owns the world's smallest radio station known to the Federal Commu nications Commission. Set up in his parents' basement in Alton, Ill ., Bono's station is a neighborhood tradition. His broadcasts reach approximately 15 houses, having a potential audience of 50. Bono' s father, a technical engineer for a commercial radio station, constructed the basic system in 1956. The younger Bono saved his pennies and ordered additional equipment, which was modified and used with the system. The station went on the air on June 21, 1971, when Bono was 14. The present set-up, described by Bono as a "simple mono system," includes two reel-to-reel tape machines, two turntables, two c~rtridge machines, half a dozen amplifiers, two high quality stu dio microphones, seve ral smaller mikes and four or five studio headphone sets. Bono has "About 600 albums, 100 cartridges, miles and miles of reel tape and 45' s all over the place - probably a couple thousand of them." His entire inventory he estimates to be worth $5-10,000. His latest format, Bono calls "Beautiful Rock: KQ 96." He likes to play mellow, contemporary songs, especially soft rock. "I choose my music carefully," he says . "Not only can it not have bad words, it can'1 have..,. negative meaning - not even a neutral meaning. All of my songs have to have something positive to say." Whatever the station's name, personality or position on the dial, Bono's programming is very professional. He includes news , sports, weather and public service announcements, as well as music. "The station sounds a lot like anybody else's, except I don't have to do commercials," he explains. The FCC places very few restrictions on the small station. Bono and his father have made a few adjustments through the years such as installing a more acceptAmanda Risinger - Searcy, AR Rachel Ritchie - Mons. Belgium Linda Roberts - Houston, TX Donald Robertson - Booneville, AR James Robertson - New Boston, TX Judy Robertson - Beebe. AR Patricia Robinson - Garland, TX Teresa Robinson - Birmingham, AL kenneth Rose - Dallas, TX Mark Rossio - Florissant. MO Karen Roush· W. Des Monies, IA Terry Rusk· Sioux City. IA Rhonda Rutledge· Searcy, AR Linda Sapio - Norcross, GA Charles Savage - S. Zanesville. OH Sarah Schlesier - Brinkley, AR Lori Schloffman - Tulsa. Ok Richard Schmill - Santa Rosa. CA Marilyn Sewell - EI Dorado, AR Davene Sexton - Detroit. MI Donna Shackelford - Searcy. AR James Shelton - Kensett, AR Sara Sheridan - Si lver Spring, MD Mark Sherrill· Nacogdoches, TX Timothy Shoaf - Whites Creek. TN Edith Simpson - Tupelo, MS John Simpson - Memphis. TN Michael Sims - Livonia, MI Tomas Sitton - Avondale Estates. GA Lawton Skipper - Sarasota. FL Carol Smith - Dallas, TX Cheri Smith - Little Rock, AR Dam Paul Smith - Jeddah. Saudi Ambia Emma Smith - Paragould, AR Emmell Smith III - Paragould. AR able antenna, but their major concern is that they not interfere with a larger station . At the beginning and end of each broadcasting session, Bono makes the follwing announcement : "This is a low power FM transmi ssion, as authorized by the Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C. If this transmission causes any interference, call us at 462-0181 and transmission will cease. This is WKMQ in Alton, Ill., the world's smallest legal radio station. We operate on a frequency of 95.7 megahertz with a power so low you can't even measure it. " The last word Bono received from the FCC was "have fun." He is. He transmits when he's home for vacations, and meanwhile, he has gained two semesters of experience at KHCA. Eventually, he would like to help set up a Christian radio station. What about his own station? "It's been a successful experiment for ten years," he says. "I'll take it with me wherever I go. I'll set it up where I hang my hat, and it'll continue to be the world's smallest radio station as long as the FCC allows it to exist." - Snippi Schramm 187 Noell-Smith
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