Radio KSWC

KSWC (100.3 FM) (100.3 The Jinx) is a radio station broadcasting a CHR format. Licensed to Winfield, Kansas, USA. The station is owned by Southwestern College.

Students who were interested in radio formed a radio club at Southwestern in the late 1940s. The students used the facilities of KNIC, a local radio station to learn more about the craft. During the 1960s, Southwestern's radio station used the call letters KLAS and was a 'carrier current' station on the Southwestern campus, broadcasting through the electrical circuits of the dorms and other buildings on campus. Those were the only places KLAS was heard.

In 1968, Southwestern was granted an official FCC license and began broadcasting with a transmitter purchased from Kappa Mu Psi, a fraternity at Wichita State University, for $125.

After considering different call letters such as WSCW, KSCW, KLAS and KWKS, the official decision was to use the call letters KSWC (Kansas SouthWestern College). Dr. Wallace Gray was acting sponsor for KSWC and the format included programs such as The Sound of Thought With Dr. Wallace Gray (and his faithful floating five) which aired at 8 pm Tuesday evenings and The Lunch Break weekdays at noon. The daily sign on was This is KSWC-FM 88.3 megahertz, signing on the air for another evening of broadcasting. Located on the campus of Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, KSWC-FM is owned by the student body and operated by the radio club of Southwestern College, providing the Winfield area with educational and entertaining features from six to twelve PM seven days a week. We hope you enjoy this evening's program. For over a decade, the station was located at 88.3 FM on the radio dial, but in 1979, new FCC regulations forced the 10 watt station to move into the commercial bandwidth at 100.3 FM, and the station has been located there since.

1980-1985

Dr. William DeArmond took over leadership of KSWC in the late 1970s and made many improvements, including the location of the radio station. To that point, the radio station had several different homes. The first was in the Christy Administration Building during the days of the current carrier station. After KSWC became FCC-licensed, the station moved to Stewart Field House, then moved twice within the fieldhouse.

In 1980, KSWC's growth began as the staff grew from 7 students to over 40 by 1984, and broadcast hours increased from 21 hours a week to 105 hours a week. The studio at the time consisted of two small rooms complete with cement floors and gutted plaster walls, but at a cost of over $4000, the studio was completely rebuilt and outfitted with new equipment.

Throughout the early 1980s, KSWC became very popular in the area. Listeners branded KSWC as a non-commercial alternative to other commercial stations in the area, and was the only station with the freedom to play unique music, from indie to grunge, Top 40 to Nashville, funk to punk, gospel to jazz, disco, rock, classical, easy listening, and new wave music.

In 1983-84, KSWC was the victim of two major thefts, which crippled the station. Each theft closed the station for a day. Over $1200 worth of radio equipment was stolen and never recovered. After the second theft, the station installed a grill over the station window, and a radio student donated the use of his own personal equipment for broadcasting.

1985-2005

Throughout the second half of the 1980s, the 1990s, and the first few years in the new century, student involvement fluctuated, so the total hours per week and programming also fluctuated. During this time, however, the radio station moved to its current location, and actually to the same building that first housed KSWC: the Christy Administration Building basement. Dr. DeArmond continued leadership of the station during this time, as student managers came and went with the years, but one thing didn't change: DJ's still had the freedom to play what they wanted during their 3 hour weekly volunteer shift. DJs were required to play 15 of 30 weekly playlists, during their shifts; a student programming manager set the playlist each week. The standard broadcast day during those years was Sunday-Friday from 3 pm-midnight.

From 2003-2005, KSWC DJs Kate Hutchens, Travis Phillips, Paul Farney, Craig Fisher, Levi Hillman, and Christy Hopkins pioneered a morning radio show called "AM Mayhem," which aired weekdays from 7 am to 9 am. AM Mayhem featured a two-DJ music show format, plus morning news and weather updates, and featured the diverse musical tastes of its hosts. Hosts would often host trivia call-ins for listeners, with quiz winners winning small prizes in their campus mailboxes.

In the 2004-2005 school year, DJ Paul Farney began announcing Southwestern basketball cames with Curt Caden. The games were streamed live and produced by KSWC's Travis Phillips. Because the station lacked a delay, DJs were not allowed to take live calls from listeners, but basketball games and other station programming were available online. For the first time, listeners from around the world could listen to this 10 watt station.

2005-Present

In 2005, Dr. DeArmond stepped down as faculty General Manager and Advisor of KSWC-FM, and J.T.(Tom) Jacobs, chair of the Communication/Computer Science Division became interim faculty advisor during an overhaul of Southwestern's communications division. KSWC received a face-lift, including brand new computer hardware and software, a full production studio, and stronger capabilities for shows, recording and streaming audio. In addition, the studio was fully carpeted and ventilated.

In August 2005, Jacobs turned over day-to-day leadership to student General Manager, Kelly Burgar and student Program Director, Tommy Castor. After 5 months off the air, 2 months of technical updates (including song additions into a new automated system), a new moniker (100.3 The Jinx) and slogan The Station at the Top of the Hill and a staff of approximately 16 students, KSWC-FM went on the air at midnight on October 15, 2005 with Collective Soul's 'Better Now.'

KSWC's management kept the standard DJ volunteer shifts from Sunday-Friday from 3 pm-midnight, but ran the station in automation overnights, mornings and early afternoon hours. Several talk shows were born and eventually found a home weeknights at 9 pm. Hourly newscasts covered sports and local news, and Southwestern football and basketball games with Curt Caden and Tommy Castor found a steady home on the station.

Currently (2009), Blake Carter is the General Manager of KSWC. Tommy Castor, now a graduate student at Southwestern College, advises KSWC.