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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RADIO PROFESSIONALS GIVE BACK TO VIRGINIA TECH RADIO STATION
BLACKSBURG, Va. (May 14) -- In the wake of the tragic events that unfolded at Virginia Tech on April 16, a tremendous amount of support has been extended to the students and staff of the university. In the weeks following, officials from Clear Channel Radio, the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), and many other companies teamed up with the campus radio station, WUVT 90.7 FM, to support the station’s aged transmitter.
Since the beginning of the spring semester, the current transmitter has experienced extensive technical difficulties due to its age and undesirable environmental conditions in the top of the dormitory, Lee Hall; this led to the station broadcasting at a significantly lower power level. Steve Davis, the Senior VP Engineering at Clear Channel Radio and Chriss Scherer, the President of SBE, expressed their desire to return the station to its full licensed power as soon as possible.
Kevin Sterne, Chief Engineer of WUVT, helped return the station to partial power after the malfunctions began. On April 16, Kevin was in Norris Hall during the Virginia Tech shootings. Kevin sustained a gunshot wound but the doctors have since said that he will make a full recovery. Kevin says that instead of flowers and gifts, he asks that people help him achieve his career-long goal of upgrading the station and the transmitter.
After hearing about Kevin’s strong passion for the radio station, officials from Clear Channel and the SBE contacted WUVT to help. After coordinating efforts between organizations, WUVT was able to achieve full power on April 28. The 22 year old Broadcast Electronics transmitter has been repaired; however, Harris and Clear Channel are sending a back-up transmitter for stand-by in case of another equipment failure.
In addition to the WUVT broadcast facility returning to full power, Clear Channel Radio and the SBE have been working with WUVT General Manager, Kim Foley, Business Manager, William Glynn, and the university to help secure WUVT’s future in the New River Valley. The university is supporting WUVT in attempting to relocate the equipment to a tower on Price Mountain.
Clear Channel is donating a Harris Z5 transmitter, transmitter building, antenna sufficient to generate 10 KW ERP, and engineering help to WUVT to assist in the upgrade at Price Mountain.
Dane Erickson of Hammett & Edison has offered to prepare the engineering portion of the FCC filing required for the WUVT-FM upgrade. SBE has also offered their FCC Counsel, Chris Imlay, to finalize and submit the FCC filing once signed and authorized by WUVT-FM. SBE is promoting donations to be made to the station on behalf of the engineer recently wounded. In addition, Orban has provided WUVT with an Optimod 8500 processor. Telos/Omnia/Axia, CBS, and Dielectric each offer to provide whatever assistance they can. Tom Silliman, President of Electronics Research, Inc. also offers help in retuning the donated antenna to the 90.7 frequency.
In the light of a tragic event, many organizations have come together to lift the spirits of WUVT. WUVT is still looking for cash donations or in-kind donations of equipment or services still needed (see below for a complete list); if you believe you can provide assistance to help WUVT see the project through to completion, please contact General Manager Kim Foley at 540-231-9880 or Kimfoley@vt.edu.
WUVT is Virginia Tech’s independent, student-run, not-for-profit radio station. WUVT’s mission is to promote education, understanding, and diversity of music. It serves the Virginia Tech community along with many surrounding counties. For more information on the radio station or to get involved in the station, please visit www.wuvt.vt.edu.
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Items WUVT is still looking for:
