Richard Hill in the studio of Radio Free Moscow where his show Neurohack discusses the latest trends in science and technology and how it affects modern society. Hill's show airs Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Jake Barber/Argonaut

It’s been almost four years since Radio Free Moscow first began broadcasting, and it plans on celebrating with a party.
Beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, Radio Free Moscow will celebrate its fourth birthday to the sound of live music.
The station first hit the airwaves on Oct. 12, 2004. In what’s become a tradition for the station, it’s going to hold a birthday celebration that’s aimed at raising money and having a good time, said Leigh Robartes, the manager of the station.

While the exact dates of the party and coming onto the air don’t match up, Robartes said the plan is to have the birthday celebration on the closest weekend to the actual day in order to ensure the highest possible turnout.
This year the celebration is being held at the 1912 Center. There is an entry fee at the door, $5 for students or $10 for the general public. The fee covers the cost of snacks and live music.

Bob Hoffmann, a volunteer was one of the founding members of the board of directors for Radio Free Moscow, said they hope to raise between $2,000 and $5,000, and he would be happy if they hit the $3,000 mark. The money is strictly used to finance the operations of the radio station.

After applying for a low-power transmit permit in 2001 from the FCC, everything came together in time to start broadcasting in 2004.
The low-power transmitter currently used by Radio Free Moscow only has enough power to broadcast to the city of Moscow and a couple of outlying areas.
“It’s only possible to pick up the signal in those outlying areas if the radio is really good quality,” Robartes said.
Radio Free Moscow has applied to become a full- power station. Robartes said they’re planning on moving to 90.3 FM and broadcasting full power from Paradise Ridge.

With the new full-power output, Radio Free Moscow would reach the city of Pullman as well as many outlying areas. It’s a time-consuming process to get a permit from the FCC, so the station won’t be making the move for at least a few years.
Radio Free Moscow is void of advertisements and is solely made up of volunteer DJs. Robartes is the only paid employee.
“It’s a lot like college radio, except with community members instead of college students,” Robartes said.
The station supplements the local broadcasts with syndicated news from around the country.
The event will include a silent auction, featuring donations from local businesses. A partial list of items in the auction can be found on Radio Free Moscow’s Web site — www.radiofreemoscow.com.

There will be a raffle to raise money for the station, also featuring items donated from local businesses, Robartes said. Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance at Paradise Creek Bicycles.
Anyone who attends the party is encouraged to wear a costume, and prizes will be awarded. The categories for the prizes won’t be announced in order to encourage creativity.
“We’ll have beer and wine,” Hoffman said “This isn’t a sit-down dinner. There will be music, dancing, mingling and very few speeches.”

Live music this year includes Finn Riggins, a band that has roots in Moscow. Finn Riggins is currently touring the country and is  based out of Hailey, Idaho.
Also included are James Mees & the Grown Children from Portland, and local duo Brian and Katrina.
Aside from the annual birthday party, the station raises money by sending letters to people on a mailing list  who have donated in the past and accepts donations on its Web site. The Web site also offers a streaming broadcast at no cost for anyone interested in listening.

Anyone can DJ on Radio Free Moscow. After turning in an application, the applicants take a class about radio operation since many of the prospective DJs have no experience in broadcast radio, Robartes said.
There are three schedule changes a year, each one allowing for new voices to find a place on the station.

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