WQAC hopes to update equipment, bring in digital technology

LAURA SACHJEN

Staff Writer

The College’s radio station WQAC 90.9 “The Duck” provides a variety of music and specialty shows for the entire campus community. Big changes will be happening for this campus in-stitution, as the Federal Communica-tions Commission is mandating that all radio stations crossover to digital transmission within the next few years.

WQAC is the only organiza-tion on campus that works for students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More than half of this time is made up of DJs. WQAC is also 100% student operated. The sta-tion gets new DJs all the time, and there are 50 DJs ever semes-ter. They have as little as one hour of airtime, and up to a maximum of five hours per week.

The station plays music from a broad variety of musical styles. Styles played range anywhere from hip-hop to classic rock, and everything in between. What is played depends on the tastes of the DJ working at the time. Specialty shows are broadcast between the hours of 6 a.m. and midnight.

WQAC also sponsors concert events along with other organizations, like ACUB. They brought Shaking Tree to Alma in August, and Hudson Chase stopped by for a concert last month. The radio station also provides the musical accompaniment to ACUB’s Evening of Elegance held in February.

WQAC 2nd year General Manager Michelle Monsour (04) believes that having an organization such as a radio station is important for the campus.

“Music is a big part of students’ lives,” Monsour says. The station brings a new style of music that is unfamiliar to most on campus, and it’s a welcome change from the repetitive nature of commercial stations.”

WQAC is a 100-watt station with a broadcast range of five miles in every direction. The FCC mandates the wattage that each radio station is allotted.

Even though a five mile radius may not seem like much, it’s a long way from where WQAC used to be. Bob Murray, Director of Planned Giving and 1998 graduate of the college, remembers being a DJ during the days when the station operated on carrier current. WQAC ran on AM by way of the campus electrical system, so only radios on campus could pick up the signal.

Murray is excited that the station will be crossing over to digital transmitting. Digital transmitting doesn’t mean that more people will be able to receive the station; it just means that the quality of sound will be better.

“As an alumnus this is very exciting,” he says. “It shows that we’ve got a great radio station, and it’s getting even better.”

For the digital crossover, WQAC will have to replace all of its equip-ment. The rough estimate for costs is $41,000. “We will not be asking for all of the money from the College,” Monsour says.

A giving fund has been set up to cover the costs of the equipment. It will be much like how the Kiltie Band received new uniforms. Alumnus Tony Trupiano is interested in spearhead-ing the fundraising effort.

While the digital crossover is required by the FCC, it also gives WQAC an excuse to replace its equipment. 95% of the station’s equipment has not been replaced in 11 years.

The digital format will provide lis-teners with a higher quality of sound. The station will need different receivers, and according to Chief Engineer David Hensley (04) it is currently looking at one that can play for both traditional and digital radios.

“The crossover means that we can get in on the cutting edge,” he says “but we’ll still be able to play to listeners with old legacy equipment.”

Librarian Steven Vest is WQAC’s advisor, and he believes that the radio station can be an important tool for students. “It is a good way for students to get experience with a semi-business environment while still in college,” Vest says.

Vest thinks that more students should participate in the organiza-tion. “I wish that more students would get involved,” he says. “The radio station is the campus’ undervalued resource.”

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