WCOM

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WCOM 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, NC. Its studios are located in downtown Carrboro at 201 North Greensboro Street. 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. WCOM 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.

WCOM only produces a 100-watt signal, so it cannot be heard from too far away from the tower. Its limits are just before the Chapel Hill Public Library and just past Weaver Street Market in Carrboro. During rush hour, the local 103 rock station bleeds over into WCOM's radio space. This may or may not be due to an illegal signal boost during those selected times.

[edit] History

In June 2004, WCOM began broadcasting 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.