WGAG-FM was a high school radio station at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, Florida. The station operated on 89.3 MHz between 1977 and 1981.

WGAG-FM
Frequency89.3 MHz
BrandingFM 89
Programming
FormatDefunct (was Variety)
Ownership
OwnerOak Ridge High School
History
First air date
November 3, 1977
Last air date
1981
Call sign meaning
"Green and Gold"[1]
Technical information
Facility ID49924
ClassD
ERP10 watts
Transmitter coordinates
28°28′15″N 81°23′15″W / 28.47083°N 81.38750°W / 28.47083; -81.38750

History

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On September 29, 1975, Oak Ridge applied for a construction permit for a new 10-watt noncommercial radio station to serve Orlando. The application, backed by faculty adviser and station manager Jack Howard, was approved in October 1976. WGAG-FM "FM 89", also known as "Green and Gold Radio" for the school's colors, began regular programming on November 3, 1977.[2] Its regular programming included rock, beautiful music and easy listening programs, along with military-sponsored programs and political commentaries by the school's student body president[2] as well as local and school news.[3] Initially broadcasting from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.,[2] its broadcast day was extended to 9 p.m. by 1979.[3]

WGAG-FM operated with an array of equipment donated by seven local radio and television stations, as well as donated records and lumber for construction.[2] Its transmitter had been manufactured in 1947,[1] and the age of the donated equipment presented issues at times for staff. The station, operated by the school's radio club, ran on a shoestring budget: $200 a year, brought in by selling doughnuts and clearing lawns.[1]

Oak Ridge's radio station, however, quickly found an insurmountable obstacle: a major change in Federal Communications Commission regulations relating to Class D 10-watt radio stations. In 1978, the FCC announced it would cease licensing new Class D stations and encouraged as many as possible to upgrade to "full-service" Class A operation, with an effective radiated power of at least 100 watts. The power increase was a financial impossibility for Oak Ridge High School, resulting in the closure of WGAG-FM in 1981 and the school instead pursuing the idea of creating a television production studio to be operated by students.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Roberts, Lisa (December 5, 1979). "Oak Ridge dials 89 for learning". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 7, 2019. (Continued)
  2. ^ a b c d Buckley, Bettina (March 22, 1978). "Oak Ridge radio station has 15-mile broadcast radius". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Richards, Dan (November 21, 1979). "Oak Ridge High School". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  4. ^ Roen, Sara (May 10, 1981). "TV studio may tune up in fall at Oak Ridge". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
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