104.6 FM

At the edge of Pinehaven sits a repurposed fire watch tower that was once the location of The Bell. In the late 20th century, the original bell was removed and a radio tower was erected next to the fire watch building. The inside of the tower was equipped as a small radio station, and 104.6FM was formed.

104.6FM is an in-between station, one that can only be found when within a certain range of Pinehaven. It is the only station that exists inside the mountain, and everyone within the village limits is aware of it and the ones who operate it. Villagers regard the outpost with a sort of quiet respect, staying away from the tower but acknowledging it as a symbol of protection.

The tower is under the management of the Pinehaven Chief of Police and, to a lesser extent, the United States Government.

## Layout

The tower stands an estimated 50 feet in the air, made of wood and metal with a concrete base at the bottom. The characters describe it as "sitting on stilts". It has two sets of stairs: a fire escape near the front for quick escapes, and a spiraling staircase in the center that leads to the concrete block at the bottom.

The inside is comprised of a small broadcasting room that faces a glass look-out wall, a tiny bathroom, and a kitchenette with a coffee machine and a microwave. There is a storage closet next to the bathroom, just big enough for a single-size mattress, where Evelyn slept for several years. The building is square-shaped, with the bathroom and closet having been added after the radio station was established. The kitchenette is in the corner of the broadcast room with no wall between them. The building has been expanded over the years to accommodate full-time employees, but is still described as being uncomfortably cramped.

On the ground level, there is a shed several yards from the radio tower that stores a generator, repair tools, and supplies for storms and emergencies.

There are several security cameras surrounding the outside, hooked up to monitors in the tower to watch for suspicious activity. This became necessary after an attempted break-in.

After the events of "Dead Air", the tower has been completely destroyed except for the concrete base. Operators 28, 29, and 30 have since started working from a shed while construction of a new tower takes place.

## Operators

There are 30 known radio DJs, also known as Operators, who have worked at the 104.6FM Broadcast Station since the 1980s. The job of an Operator is to fulfill the duties of a small-town Radio DJ while also watching the forest for anomalies, activating emergency protocols when necessary, and serving as the direct connection between town government and Pinehaven's civilians.

Known Operators include:

* Number 6: an unnamed male and partner of Number 7. His body was mangled up in the radio tower by The Amalgamate.
* Number 7: Eric, a former forest ranger who filled the position of sole Operator after the death of his partner, 6. Eric left a series of cassette tapes to chronicle his experiences. He was killed after only a few months on the job.
* Number 8: an unnamed female Operator who took over after Number 7's death. She recorded one cassette of her own to document 7's death, then left the recordings hidden behind a wall in the broadcast station.
* Number 28: Evelyn McKinnon, a former townie whose father once worked for the Pinehaven Fire Department. Although she accepted the position, she was unaware of the true nature of the job due to her family's secretive behaviors surrounding Pinehaven's history. She works as the main host of 104.6FM and is the longest-surviving Operator to date.
* Number 29: Daniel Esperanza, an out-of-town actor who settled for a radio job when nothing else worked out. He was injured during his first day on the job, but chose to return out of sheer stubbornness. He works as Evelyn's co-host and records most of their ads.
* Number 30: Steven Finn, known as simply "Finn", a former police officer who works part-time between his duties as a Forest Ranger. He fills in as a replacement host and performs various chores, like running deliveries and performing repairs.

To date, Operators 28, 29, and 30 are the longest-surviving employees, lasting over 3 years.

## Function

104.6FM is an emergency broadcast station masquerading as a radio station. The frequency it emits has the ability to chase away supernatural anomalies who are sensitive to the sound. The music, while technically unnecessary, functions as a signal to the people of Pinehaven that their protective 'bubble' is active. When the music is gone, it means the station is in trouble. This is usually a sign that a Fog Day is in effect.

The station has a second later of protection called "The Bell", a powerful ultrasonic frequency that is activated in short bursts when the radio signal is compromised. While The Bell is a useful tool, it is only necessary when the radio is not properly functioning. It also seems to affect more than anomalies, as it is proven to irritate hearing aids as well.

1. ↑ In Dead Air, Finn mentions that the government has been involved in the past, "making things worse".

At the end of the Dead Air, the Police Chief has disappeared and the trio are waiting for a new supervisor.
2. ↑ During "We're Always on the Air at 104.6FM", Jennifer Cook's ex-boyfriend Elijah began stalking Evelyn at the broadcast station.
3. ↑ In "Accounts from a Lonely Broadcast Station", Daniel Esperanza has to remove his hearing aid when The Bell is activated due to the immense discomfort it causes him.