WCOM
Encyclopedia
WCOM-LP is a community low-power FM radio station
, broadcasting from Carrboro, North Carolina
. It broadcasts from a radio tower over Mary Scroggs Elementary School soccer field in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
. Its studios are located in Carrboro at 208 E. Main Street, near the Cat's Cradle. It is the first low-power FM station in the area, and began broadcasting in June 2004. In November 2004, the station began broadcasting a full lineup of local radio programming, including some Spanish language programming. It airs a Variety
format.
WCOM-LP is the first low-power FM
community radio station in the area to be set up under a program established by the Federal Communications Commission
in 2000. The station was assigned the WCOM-LP call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
on February 5, 2003
.
As a low-powered station, WCOM-LP only produces a 100-watt signal; as such, it cannot be heard far from the tower. Its limits are just before the Chapel Hill Public Library and just past Weaver Street Market
in Carrboro. During the afternoons, Fayetteville
station WRCQ
often bleeds over into WCOM-LP's radio space, due to WRCQ's high-power transmitter being fairly close by (about 60 miles).
a test signal—a 30-minute loop in English
and Spanish
explaining the goals of the station. Since the technology
was not yet in place to link the studio to the transmitter
, that test signal came from a CD cabinet at the base of the transmitter at Scroggs.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
, broadcasting from Carrboro, North Carolina
Carrboro, North Carolina
Carrboro is a town in Orange County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 19,582 at the 2010 census. The town, which is part of the Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan statistical area, was named after North Carolina industrialist Julian Shakespeare Carr.Located near Chapel Hill and...
. It broadcasts from a radio tower over Mary Scroggs Elementary School soccer field in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
. Its studios are located in Carrboro at 208 E. Main Street, near the Cat's Cradle. It is the first low-power FM station in the area, and began broadcasting in June 2004. In November 2004, the station began broadcasting a full lineup of local radio programming, including some Spanish language programming. It airs a Variety
Variety (radio)
The term variety as a radio format is loosely defined as a format that plays music across numerous genera.Freeform variety is associated with a wide range of programming including talk, sports, and music from a wide spectrum. This format is usually found on smaller, non-commercial...
format.
WCOM-LP is the first low-power FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
community radio station in the area to be set up under a program established by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
in 2000. The station was assigned the WCOM-LP call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
on February 5, 2003
2003 in radio
The year 2003 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* October 10 - Facing an investigation surrounding allegations of illegal drug use, American right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh publicly admits that he is addicted to prescription pain killers, and will seek treatment.-Debuts:*March...
.
As a low-powered station, WCOM-LP only produces a 100-watt signal; as such, it cannot be heard far from the tower. Its limits are just before the Chapel Hill Public Library and just past Weaver Street Market
Weaver Street Market
Weaver Street Market is a worker- and consumer-owned cooperative selling natural and organic food with a focus on local and fair trade products. The original market is situated in the heart of Carrboro, North Carolina in Carr Mill Mall and plays host to a large number of community events...
in Carrboro. During the afternoons, Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
station WRCQ
WRCQ
WRCQ is a radio station broadcasting an Active Rock music format. Licensed to Dunn, North Carolina, USA, it serves the Fayetteville area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media.-History:...
often bleeds over into WCOM-LP's radio space, due to WRCQ's high-power transmitter being fairly close by (about 60 miles).
History
In June 2004, WCOM-LP began broadcastingBroadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
a test signal—a 30-minute loop in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
explaining the goals of the station. Since the technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
was not yet in place to link the studio to the transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
, that test signal came from a CD cabinet at the base of the transmitter at Scroggs.