<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0First, let me apologize in advance for how many times we are going to say \u2018Thank You\u2019 in this FTV.\u00a0 There are only so many words that can fit what happened to WOAS-FM 88.5 in the past five months but the most important two are \u2018Thank You\u2019.\u00a0 We would be remiss to not thank everyone who had a hand in helping us turn \u2018lemons into lemonade\u2019.\u00a0 After everything is said and done, it is high time to catch everyone up on exactly where we are and how we got there, and to say thank you again and again.\u00a0 We do not want our listeners to end up doing a <\/span>Where\u2019s Waldo?<\/span><\/i> search (minus the terrific artwork) to find their favorite station this fall.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0First, we need to clear up where to find us on the FM dial.\u00a0 Surprise!\u00a0 For the moment, we are still broadcasting at 88.5 FM.\u00a0 Near the conclusion of our fundraising (more on that in a few minutes), we ordered our new transmitter.\u00a0 Before we could even look at when the installation work would begin, the group in Marquette who purchased 88.5 out from under us informed us they would not be acting on their construction permit (or CP) until next spring.\u00a0 They mentioned they were having trouble getting power to their site.\u00a0 We have been researching which frequency we should apply for and this new development will give us more time to do just that.\u00a0 Until further notice, you can still find us at 88.5 and <\/span>www.woas-fm.org<\/span><\/a> .<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When we ID a new spot on the dial and apply for a new frequency, the FCC will either grant it or ask us to try again.\u00a0 Rebooting our request is always a possibility but we now have more time to cross our \u2018t\u2019s and dot our \u2018i\u2019s.\u00a0 If (how about \u2018when\u2019?) our new frequency is approved, we will then have our own CP to switch over to it for a period of three years.\u00a0 In other words, when we have to change, it can be done in a very short period of time.\u00a0 The CP for the group taking over 88.5 expires sometime late in 2024 and (assuming we apply this fall) ours would be valid until late 2026 or early 2027.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Our engineers (Al and Jim) suggested we go ahead with the installation of our new 100 watt transmitter and keep broadcasting on 88.5 FM until it is no longer available to us.\u00a0 Our Federal Communications Commission (FCC) contact informed us that the agency no longer holds lower power stations to 10 watts.\u00a0 The upgrade in power from 10 watts to 100 watts will give us the opportunity to also apply for an upgrade in our license from a Class D a Class A.\u00a0 Remaining as a Class D station would mean our new frequency could still be taken over by another Class A station.\u00a0 Moving to Class A would secure our spot on the dial, however, we must wait for the FCC to open an application window before we can apply for that status.\u00a0 As I pointed out in <\/span>FTV:\u00a0 The Free Press Visit (8-2-23) <\/span><\/i>The FCC agents I have been in contact with have been more than helpful in sorting all of this out.\u00a0 Time will tell, but all indications are that bandwidth is going to be more and more in demand in the future, so we will keep our finger on the pulse going forward.\u00a0 Again, when we move to a different spot, you will be the first to know.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Okay, it is time for the THANK YOUs I warned you about:\u00a0 #1 – We started the initial fund drive locally back in March of 2023.\u00a0 At the time, we explained we do not have the ability to do a GoFundMe site or any form of electronic payments.\u00a0 Our effort had to be an old fashioned \u2018please write a check\u2019 fundraiser.\u00a0 We had to do something similar in 2020 when our current transmitter lost the will to live and had to be sent to San Diego for repairs.\u00a0 At the height of the COVIC 19 pandemic, we could not justify running a fundraiser when so many groups were struggling just to survive.\u00a0 We simply asked, \u201cIf you have the resources to help us out, we would appreciate it.\u201d\u00a0 It took two weeks to secure the $800 we needed and we were back on the air by the time the 2020 school started.\u00a0 Not long after we started the current fund appeal, we received donations from both the local area and from former residents in far off places (reported in the Ontonagon Herald and on (<\/span>www.woas-fm.org<\/span><\/a>).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0THANK YOU #2 goes out to Detroit Free Press reporter John Carlisle and photographer Ryan Garza who came to town in April to do a feature on WOAS-FM.\u00a0 John initially hoped the article would help with the fund drive but mentioned it would be an interesting story even if we had already reached our $3,000 goal.\u00a0 The pair spent the bulk of a day interviewing our DJs and other volunteers, taking numerous photographs, and gathering information about the 45 year history of WOAS-FM.\u00a0 A lot of the discussion centered on what the future might hold.\u00a0 We could not advertise their visit until the Freep published the article.\u00a0 Not only did the story hit the Detroit Free Press website and paper, it was a front page feature replete with a large photo of DJ Will Immonen hard at work behind the broadcast board.\u00a0 The article posted on the website featured more photos of the DJs and volunteers they had interviewed.\u00a0 As soon as the article was published on July 13, 2023, we were free to write our own account.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We were pleasantly surprised as the Freep article resulted in immediate feedback.\u00a0 We were suddenly getting emails and phone calls from across the state.\u00a0 Folks who had read John\u2019s article reached out to us.\u00a0 Some wanted to know if they could send a donation to help the cause and others sent us words of encouragement to hang in there.\u00a0 We heard from Bill Keith, the General Manager WSDP 88.1 The Park that broadcasts from Salem High School in Canton, Michigan.\u00a0 Pete Bowers, the station manager for WBFH-FM from 1976 to 2017 sent us greetings.\u00a0 Pete\u2019s claim to fame was founding High School Radio day in 2012:\u00a0 \u201cThere already was a national College Radio day.\u00a0 I thought we should put the spotlight on high school radio and have a day of our own.\u201d\u00a0 A showrunner from WRJ – AM in Detroit called and hooked us up for a ten minute on air interview with Mitch Albom.\u00a0 Mitch was excited to talk about the number of radio people who got their starts in high school and college radio stations over the years.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0About the time we thought things would settle down, Kinjal Patel called seeking information about WOAS.\u00a0 Kinjal said she was gathering information to see if she could put together a \u2018feel good story\u2019 about WOAS for NBC\u2019s Nightly News.\u00a0 As of this writing, she is waiting for me to let her know when the new unit is installed with an eye toward sending someone up from an NBC affiliate in Chicago to do a piece about WOAS.\u00a0 We kind of like the idea that the dark clouds that gathered when all this drama began have parted and people are beginning to view rays of sunshine peeking through.\u00a0 We are honored people have found inspiration in our story.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There were also a series of emails we received from Fred Jacobs.\u00a0 Fred is an old time radio guy who runs Fred Jacobs Media downstate.\u00a0 Fred picked up our story from the Free Press and posted it on his JacoBlog.\u00a0 Fred\u2019s Blog reaches a larger audience of people with professional interest in radio.\u00a0 Fred took the time out to praise high school radio stations for acting as a feeder corp into the larger world of broadcasting.\u00a0 Fred was particularly complimentary about what we have been doing at WOAS and he topped off his generous praise by providing our address which generated even more donations..\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I won\u2019t lie to anyone – when the news first came to us about 88.5 being taken over, my first reactions were anger and disbelief.\u00a0 Not being a professional radio person, my only recourse was to contact the FCC and find out more about our situation.\u00a0 They confirmed that what was taking place was legal but did not necessarily sound the death knell for WOAS.\u00a0 Once we were informed that we can indeed apply for a different frequency by filing a form called A MINOR\u00a0 MODIFICATION OF A LICENSED FACILITY APPLICATION, we sat down and plotted our next move.\u00a0 At that time, we were still under the impression that 88.5 would be gone by the end of summer of 2023.\u00a0 The media attention and help offered from all over the map has been overwhelming.\u00a0 Our\u00a0 initial anger has been replaced by a feeling that, \u201cyes, we can make lemonade from the lemons we were handed.\u201d\u00a0 I was satisfied we were taking all the right steps and that everything would work out in the end.\u00a0 Just when it appeared that nothing could top the response we got up to that point, I got a call from Dan Makarski.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ordinarily, it is not good form to single out one person when so many have come forward to help us with our transition from 10 to 100 watts.\u00a0 I have to make an exception in this case.\u00a0 Dan Makarski cold called me one day and introduced himself.\u00a0 He told me he had lived in Ontonagon until the age of 12 when his father worked for Knox Jamison in the early years of the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park.\u00a0 The family moved to Detroit and Dan went on to become a lawyer but he has summered here for many years.\u00a0 Dan asked if it would be okay to send out word about our fundraiser to his friends and associates.\u00a0 He made no promises, but he felt pretty confident about the generous folks in his orbit who would be happy to help out.\u00a0 I would like to go on record to say, \u201cDan, I think you understated your case!\u201d\u00a0 During the first two weeks of August, we were inundated with checks and notes of support from all over Michigan, many of which name checked Dan as the reason they made contact.\u00a0 For this reason, Dan Makarski gets a solo THANK YOU #3 to share with all the people he contacted.\u00a0 There are a lot of good people in the world who are not afraid to respond when help is needed.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0THANK YOU #4 gets spread out among people who have made contact via notes and donations from Pennsylvania, New Mexico, North Carolina, Florida, California, Arizona, and (of course) all over Michigan.\u00a0 Our good friend and former WOAS DJ Tommy BoDean (Tom Dean) contacted us from his newest gig at the University of Florida.\u00a0 In true Tommy fashion, he offered to help out anyway he could.\u00a0 Mark Szaroletta, our original electronics, computer, and expert sound guy during my tenure as GM contacted us from his new base of operations in Lower Michigan.\u00a0 It has been great to hear from all of you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Somewhere out there, our former GM, the late Mike \u2018Zenith\u2019 Bennett, is grinning from ear to ear.\u00a0 It was always Mike\u2019s dream to up our power to 100 watts and become a Class A station.\u00a0 In the years after he moved from Ontonagon, Mike would often stop by or call and ask, \u201cHow\u2019s it going?\u00a0 If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.\u201d\u00a0 It is great that we are still in contact with Mike\u2019s son, Sam, who has provided us with both kinds of support, monetary and moral.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mike took charge of the station in the late 1980s to mid- 1990s era and expanded our reach to involve more people in the community.\u00a0 He shored up the foundation originally laid down by station founder Thomas Graham Lee and the second station manager, Margaret Muskatt.\u00a0 Most of the original equipment used to put WOAS on the air in 1978 came to us used and by the time Mike took over operations, much of this original equipment began to fall.\u00a0 \u2018Zenith\u2019 brought in enough money and new blood to ensure WOAS wouldn\u2019t fade away.\u00a0 What we are doing now in the station\u2019s 45th year is a natural extension of what Mike started when WOAS was being run by the Community Schools program (which he was the head of until the program folded state-wide).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In a nutshell (it is obviously too late to make a long story short), we have a path forward and have been absolutely gob-smacked by the outpouring of moral and monetary support we have received.\u00a0 I made the comment in an earlier article that \u2018Ontonagonites are a generous lot\u2019 and it gives me great pleasure to extend that thought to everyone of you who have answered the call.\u00a0 We will update you again when we finally settle into a new frequency and in our quest to move up in class.\u00a0 In the meantime, keep tuning in to WOAS-FM\u00a0 88.5 and\/or <\/span>www.woas-fm.org<\/span><\/a> -YOUR SOUND CHOICE.\u00a0 In April of 2022, the future of WOAS-FM was blanketed in dark clouds of uncertainty.\u00a0 What a difference a year can make.\u00a0 Thank you all!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Top Piece Video:\u00a0 Tommy James, Love Beads, and his song inspired by a billboard for the investment company MONY . . . close enough!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0First, let me apologize in advance for how many times we are going to say \u2018Thank You\u2019 in this FTV.\u00a0 There are only so many words that can fit what happened to WOAS-FM 88.5 in the past five months but the most important two are \u2018Thank You\u2019.\u00a0 We would be remiss to not thank […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,11,8,7,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bands-musicians","category-education","category-from-the-vaults","category-local-music-news","category-woas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2931"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2934,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2931\/revisions\/2934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.woas-fm.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}