KAFM-FM, the community-radio service licensed to Grand Junction and heard at 88.1 FM, with an additional signal at 96.9 FM in the Palisade area.
Origins: KAFM grew from a 1992 effort by Grand Valley residents to establish a locally owned and programmed station. The Colorado Gives Foundation’s account connects that campaign to the sale of KPRN’s license to Colorado Public Radio, which left Grand Junction without locally originated programming. After seven years of planning, fundraising, and securing licenses and equipment, KAFM began broadcasting in March 1999.
Signal and public role: KAFM says it operated at its original 16-watt signal from 1999 to 2010, when the FCC approved an increase to 300 watts. The station raised $116,000 for transmitter and broadcast-booth upgrades. Today KAFM describes its service as volunteer-oriented and member-supported, combining locally curated music with public-service, cultural, and community programming. The station later created the Radio Room as a venue for concerts, exhibits, and community events.
Facility address: KAFM identifies its station at 1310 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction. Its licensed operator is Grand Valley Public Radio Company, Inc., a nonprofit corporation.
Station information
| Call sign | KAFM |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 88.1 MHz |
| Community of license | Grand Junction, Colorado |
| Service | Community radio |
| Licensee | Grand Valley Public Radio Company, Inc. |
| FCC facility ID | 24780 |
| FM class | A |
| Effective radiated power | 300 watts |
| Height above average terrain | 396.6 m (1,301 ft) |
| Station address | 1310 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction, Colorado |
Sources: KAFM, The Station; Colorado Gives Foundation, KAFM history and address; FCC public inspection file, KAFM; FCCInfo Grand Junction FM facility table.
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