College radio

[mista]

I was cruising through the Springs and came across KAFA 97.7. It's the Air Force Academy's station. They play some cool stuff that leans Alternative.............definitely what the springs needs! Anybody else heard this station?

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

Obviously, 97.7 is unlicensed as NOTHING shows up on radio-locator or fccinfo.com someones probably running an FM transmitter a little too hot.

 

[dougw9wi]

Obviously, 97.7 is unlicensed as NOTHING shows up on radio-locator or fccinfo.com someones probably running an FM transmitter a little too hot.

Unlicensed by the FCC but not illegal.

The Air Force Academy is a federal institution - and federal government use of radio is not regulated by the FCC.

Other federally-operated broadcast stations that don't require FCC licenses:
- WRNV 89.7 at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
- WKDT 89.3 at West Point
- the Voice of America and associated stations, including Radio Marti on 1180 in the Florida Keys
- various federally-operated travelers information stations, usually in national parks
- Armed Forces Radio stations in isolated areas of Alaska and on a Navy base in Puerto Rico

There have been occasional temporary federally-operated stations over the years, recent ones including a FEMA operation in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew, and a test from Maryland of a portable station that would eventually be shipped to Bosnia.

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

What have stations like WRNV, WKDT and thsoe in isolated Alaskan areas run for programming.

 

[dougw9wi]

What have stations like WRNV, WKDT and thsoe in isolated Alaskan areas run for programming.

In the first two cases, I'd presume they sound like a typical college station, as that's essentially what they are.

The Alaskan stations were operated for the benefit of servicemembers in places too isolated to have civilian stations.