One more WOAS-FM Update for June 2025
Just a couple of housekeeping updates before we get to the task at hand – namely installing our new tower bays so we can get back to broadcasting off our tower. We will still be posting on the website while off the air until the All-School Reunion at the end of July, but feel free to check this space for our regular From the Vaults and other postings.
After doing a presentation about the recent station upgrades (Ontonagon County Historical Society in late April 2025), I have had requests where people can go to see the expanded version of the feature that was done on The NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt in November of 2023.
This link will take you to their archives – https://www.nbcnews.com/video/michigan-community-saves-school-radio-station-that-has-been-on-air-since-1978-1975117449760
FTV articles about the subject can be found on our site (www.woas-fm.org) the most recent one being FTV: WOAS FM Update 91.5 (1-15-25).
During our fundraising to refurbish the station, the one thought that kept getting pushed to the back burner was, “Okay, once the equipment concerns are met, how deep down the FCC regulation rabbit hole will we have to go to get the station’s new frequency?” Rudy, our contact at the FCC, assured us that we would not be starting over, just filing a ‘minor modification of an existing license’. As our fundraising campaign was coming to a close, I got an email from Todd Urich at an organization called CommonFrequency, or CF for short. He offered to do our license modification paper work at no charge. My focus changed to supplying Todd with the information he needed to write the application. After a nine month process, I was floored by the depth of the technical data he had assembled. The FCC acknowledged receiving our paperwork on June 17, 2024. We expected to hear back in a few weeks but were later informed that the Commission had been ‘slammed with applications’ but they were processing our application.
On December 19, 2025, literally days from the anniversary of WOAS-FM going on the air in 1978, we received approval to make the switch.
We were so thankful to Todd and CF that mere words can not describe our gratitude. I emailed Paul McClain, the editor in chief of RadioWorld magazine and suggested they do a feature about CF. The photo of Derrick and Todd was taken from the May 7, 2025 issue which can be viewed in full at this link: https://www.radioworld.com/resource-center/digital-editions/read-the-may-7-2025-issue-of-radio-world
The photo above shows CFO Derrick and CEO Todd of CommomFrequency – photo taken from RadioWorld article May 7, 2025
The last hurdle is being tackled as we make the switch to new tower elements tuned to the new 91.5 frequency. With installation and testing done, we hope to begin broadcasting again from our tower (and on-line) the weekend of the All-School Reunion at the end of July. Have a safe summer and look for WOAS-FM 91.5 to be back on the air when school resumes.
Top Piece Video: The title of Fontanna Bass’s hit song says it all – CF rescued us from going down the FCC regulation rabbit hole! Thanks guys!!