Welcome to the 2011-2012 broadcast year.   Changes in the OASD staff and programs will make this a busy year for everyone as we all wear more hats or at least different hats.  We are looking forward to the day when the pendulums swings back and education will return to 'educating all' and not 'educating those who can afford to pay for it'.  Regardless, we will get off the soap box and promise that our 'no budget, all volunteer' station will continue to be YOUR SOUND CHOICE and an avenue of expression not found in every public school in America!

On the plus side, the return of hourly study halls will no doubt cue up a full day schedule of DJs (something we couldn't do the past two years).  We also look forward to adding new DJs and features to the schedule as the fall gears up.  While we have heard nothing further than the initial reports passed on to us by some of his family friends, it is our understanding that former manager Mike 'Zenith' Bennett has been ill - we wish him and his family our best.  UPDATE - Former WOAS-FM GM Mike Bennett passed away this over Labor Day weekend with his family at his side and blues music in the air.  We are pretty sure he was mad that he didn't make Marquette Bluesfest this year, but now he gets to talk to the old blues guys face to face.  Watch the FTV articles for our tribute to Mike 'Zenith' Bennett - the Airman has earned his wings!

UPDATE #2 - It is January 2012 and we are still singing those pesky web streaming blues....apprently the ISD has gained so many new clients (and we have reduced our local web support due to deep money woes) that we are at the bottom of a long, long list!  Yes, this makes us angry - but what can you do when you are riding someone else's system and are classified as the eternal 'LD' (later, dude).  As they said at the press conference for Apollo 13, " We are WORKING on it' - only difference is, no lives in the balance (even though I feel like I COULD stroke out any minute!).  WOAS may change to WAPW for 'We Are Patient, Whot'.

Our 'beta streaming' test of the web stream is almost complete.  The ISD was inundated with new web clients this summer so as soon as they can clear the decks, we should be able to finally provide the public with our audio stream.  Our new server has worked flawlessly during tests and we also have a new computer for the school and radio web sites that will make it easier to update them without the endless download cycles we had last year on the old machine.  Join us as we boldly race into the new century . . . finally!

Thank you for your patience.  We are excited to get more of our DJs involved on line and hear more from you, our listeners!  We aren't there yet, but at least the train has left the station!   ker - GM

UPDATE #3 - FEBRUARY HAS ARRIVED - and the ISD tech schedule has changed and with it our tech-bud Doug has been scheduled out of our rotation - he assures me that even snail-like progress is better than none at all - so keep your fingers crossed.  Our extremely mild winter continues but at least we now have a winter scene out the window instead of grass showing.  We still can not download photos to this site yet (another LD problem waiting to be solved) but if you check out the OASD web site (www.oasd.k12.mi.us) you will get a shot of what this means!

UPDATE #4 - MARCH 15, 2012 - I had a nice phone discussion with 1975 OASD grade Dave Martinen today - he wanted to know 'if the radio stream was available on the web site' and I had to say 'sorry not yet' -  Dave commented that he was always a ham radio fan and there was no WOAS when he left Ontonagon.  I explained our frustrations with not being able to move the web streaming forward after securing a server that could handle the load.  Despite this, Dave said 'I would like to make a donation to the station - do you take donations?"

Yes, David - we do.  We don't run pledge drives and our only sources of income are the revenue from the two vending machines in the building (which is split with the JH student council) and a small amount of money generated by the FUNDING FACTORY RECYCLE PROGRAM that we participate in (the Ontonagon Area Schools owns the station but currently provides NO operating funds - we are a 100% volunteer station.  Should you like to join David in making a tax free donation to WOAS-FM, it can be sent to the station at 701 Parker Ave Ontonagon, MI  49953.

Thanks for the call, David, it was good to hear from you.  Former GM Mike Bennett's son Sam also stopped by to say hello and we chatted about the station and his father's recent memorial service at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.  Rest in Peace, old friend!   ker, Manager