By Journal Staff

ONTONAGON– WOAS, a student-run radio station in Ontonagon, was nearly eliminated from the map entirely until its community fought back to defend it.

Ontonagon High School’s WOAS has had its frequency, 88.5 FM, since 1978. Manager Ken Raisanen relayed to the Detroit Free Press that a large company had bought their frequency right out from under their noses.

WOAS, with just 10 watts of broadcasting power, was no match for WHWL 95.7 FM, which has 100 kilowatts of strength. It boardcast across the entire Upper Peninsula as well as parts of Canada and the tip of Lower Michigan.

WHWL’s website states: “Our format is a combination of Bible-teaching programs and traditional, conservative music. The blend is a unique one, and has inspired many positive comments from loyal listeners.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, WHWL has a Federal Communications Commission permit to build a station in Rockland, 13 minutes away from Ontonagon, using the 88.5 FM frequency currently taken up by WOAS.

“They said, ‘By the way, our consultant sent us a list of all these frequencies available for you that you can look at,’ “ Raisanen told the Detroit Free Press. “I said, ‘OK, then why are you taking 88.5? Why, when you sent me all the other frequencies that are available, why that one?’ “ He said, ‘Our consultant says that’s the best one for us.’ ”

FCC Class D stations, like WOAS, are considered “unprotected,” leaving nothing to stop a Class A station like WHWL from overpowering its signal.

WHWL’s manager told the Detroit Free Press that he never set out to displace someone else. His station, he told them, needs to expand and they’re just following the rules set up by the FCC.

“Ontonagon has this long history of people in boardrooms in far-off places like New York and Cleveland and Boston and Chicago making decisions about the economy here, and it goes on today,” Raisanen said to the Detroit Free Press, referring to the village’s past inhabitants being exploited for the mining and lumbering industries.

WHWL’s manager, Andy Larsen, explained that its station-hired FCC consultant recommended 88.5 FM since it was FCC policy that lower class stations must bend to the will of high class stations.

“I inherited the station. And me being a newbie at this, I didn’t realize Class D is unprotected like this,” he admitted to the Detroit Free Press.

Although both actions are not required by the FCC, Larsen sent a message notifying Raisanen of the change as well as a list of other available frequencies WOAS could take. Larsen is even delaying the construction of the new station to allow WOAS time to find a new home.

In the end, the Ontonagon community came through for their small radio station. People heard of their plight and donated money out of their own pocket. Raisanen eventually earned enough to buy a new transmitter that would boost the signal strength to 100 watts–the minimum required by the FCC for a higher class license.

“We’ve got a 45-year legacy, and we’ll be back on the air,” Raisanen said to the Detroit Free Press. “And hopefully, 45 years from now, they’ll be talking about this in historical terms like, ‘Hey, remember back when that guy took our frequency?'”