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WOAS Yuper Class D (Article)

R

RF101

This is a huge article about a little Class D high school radio station in the Upper Peninsula. They're struggling to find a new frequency thanks to the recent NCE Window.




www.freep.com

U.P. radio station had same dial spot for decades until bigger station took frequency

For 45 years, student-run radio station WOAS in the Upper Peninsula held the same spot on the dial. Then another station decided they needed it more.
www.freep.com

Headline : " U.P. radio station had same dial spot for decades until bigger station took frequency"

"ONTONAGON — Tiny little radio station WOAS was just sitting at its frequency, minding its own business, when a bigger station came along and took away its spot on the dial.

“This guy reluctantly sent me an email last April, basically saying, ‘Oh, by the way, we bought up your frequency and you’re gonna have to find a new frequency,’ ” said Ken Raisanen, the 69-year-old manager of WOAS 88.5-FM, the student-run radio station that’s been broadcasting from the Ontonagon High School building in the western Upper Peninsula since 1978."


..... ( much more with photos)

Kudos to reporter John Carlisle of the Detroit Free Press
 
There are apparently multiple sides to this story beyond what the Freep article touched on.

As a general matter, my personal sense of ethics as an engineering consultant is that I will do everything I can to avoid having a client project disrupt one if the remaining class D FMs or a community LPFM. And if it's inevitable, I will do everything I can to make sure the displaced station gets the legal and engineering assistance it needs in order to land safely on a new frequency. That's just the right thing to do.

It's tough in a case like this where the class D was apparently aware for years that it faced a threat, but never mustered the resources or the urgency to deal with it. The best case scenario for them would have been to have applied for higher power and protected class A status in that 2021 window. As a one-station owner, they would easily have won out against the religious group owner on points. Now it's rather more complicated for them.
 
IIRC 87.9 was designated for translators and maybe class D to move to if no other frequency could be used. Maybe this would work for them. However I just checked FCC records and they no longer show any stations on 87.9 not even any translators . I do remember a class D on that frequency being displayed on the FCC site years ago.
 
The rules for the use of 87.9 are very strict and preclude any use near the Canadian border, so that's not an option here.
 
www.nbcnews.com

Michigan community saves school radio station that has been on-air since 1978

One Michigan school’s radio station has been broadcasting out of the library since 1978. But when a larger station wanted to take over 88.5 FM, the community stepped in to raise enough money to save WOAS. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa shares more.
www.nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com


Wow! An actual NBC News story about WOAS. I am not sure what a new transmitter will do to solve the Marquette issue. WOAS needs to find a new frequency and jump to Class A instead of Class D.
 
RF101 said:
www.nbcnews.com

Michigan community saves school radio station that has been on-air since 1978

One Michigan school’s radio station has been broadcasting out of the library since 1978. But when a larger station wanted to take over 88.5 FM, the community stepped in to raise enough money to save WOAS. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa shares more.
www.nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com


Wow! An actual NBC News story about WOAS. I am not sure what a new transmitter will do to solve the Marquette issue. WOAS needs to find a new frequency and jump to Class A instead of Class D.
Click to expand...

I see no Apps, CPs or STA's to move frequency.. and theres no way a 100 watt transmitter costs $18,000

What i suspect is going on is that either the station manager and or the tv person got details mixed up or didnt have/give the full story

$18,000 would cover the study to move to another channel as Class D and sockaway some cash to file for an upgrade to an Class A when the time is rightand associated other gear.. a bigger than 100 watt transmitter, a new antenna, engineers time, etc

Why they havent filed anything yet is beyond me, theyve had months.

I think its prob. a case of whoever is in charge not knowing exactly what they do or mis understanding things.. or not telling the full vstory.

We're missing pieces here.
 
I saw that story when it aired on the NBC national news and about screamed. it's always amazing to me when a broadcast reporter turns in such a poorly researched story about another broadcast outlet.
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
<...>
I think its prob. a case of whoever is in charge not knowing exactly what they do or mis understanding things.. or not telling the full vstory.

We're missing pieces here.
Click to expand...
Yes, an incomplete puzzle many of us are looking at going "Huh?"

First off, why didn't the "engineer" (technical liaison, perhaps?) didn't work with the district (the license holder) on getting things lined up for a frequency move/upgrade? Not enough priority, perhaps?

Next, a room full of those educators (the school board) probably had a lot of other pressing items on the agenda over the last decade or so.

Finally, the station manager is focused on keeping the day-to-day activities on the station running for the benefit of his students as well as the district. Besides, as I read the story, this guy inherited the function from the individual who spearheaded getting things up and running way back when.

No succession planning, no planning or budget for more hours annually of dedicated engineering & technical support...several things dropped along the way it would seem.

Hopefully, a resolution is imminent.
 
kwthom said:
Yes, an incomplete puzzle many of us are looking at going "Huh?"

First off, why didn't the "engineer" (technical liaison, perhaps?) didn't work with the district (the license holder) on getting things lined up for a frequency move/upgrade? Not enough priority, perhaps?

Next, a room full of those educators (the school board) probably had a lot of other pressing items on the agenda over the last decade or so.

Finally, the station manager is focused on keeping the day-to-day activities on the station running for the benefit of his students as well as the district. Besides, as I read the story, this guy inherited the function from the individual who spearheaded getting things up and running way back when.

No succession planning, no planning or budget for more hours annually of dedicated engineering & technical support...several things dropped along the way it would seem.

Hopefully, a resolution is imminent.
Click to expand...
Migrate to AM.
 
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