WRGP
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WRGP Radiate FM is the student radio station of Florida International University in Miami, FL. WRGP broadcasts on 88.1 MHz in Homestead, Florida and operates a broadcast translator on 95.3 MHz in Miami, FL. with the call sign W237CP. WRGP maintains offices and studios at the FIU University Park Campus in Miami. The station's primary broadcast signal originates from the 400 Ft. level of the WTVJ tower in Princeton, FL and the translated 95.3 MHz signal originates from atop the Green Library at University Park. The combined broadcast area reaches from Marathon Key to North Miami.
[edit] PROGRAMMING
Radiate FM's programming is varied, featuring independent artists from numerous genres. Specific genres of specialty shows air 7 nights a week and a rotation of music from all genres airs throughout the day. Radiate FM charts weekly with the trade publication College Music Journal and as a non-commercial educational radio station runs numerous public service annoucements furnished primarily by the Ad Council. WRGP also carries coverage of FIU Golden Panthers Sports and runs regular news updates throughout the day featuring news and information pertinent to both FIU Students and the community at large.
[edit] HISTORY
Mid-1984
Student Government Association, Staff and Faculty begin studying the establishment of an FIU Radio Station.
Late 1985
$63,000 is allocated by SGA for the radio station project. The second floor of University House (Later known as the Graham Center) is chosen as the location for the studio.
Early 1986
Stuart Blanck named inaugural General Manager
September 1986
Kessler and Gehman Associates of Gainesville, FL begin the studying the possibility of applying for an FM license on 88.1 MHz in Miami.
October 1986
The WCIX (Later WTVJ) Channel 6 TV Tower in Princeton is chosen a possible FM transmitter site.
November 1986
A survey performed by Radio Systems of Edgemont PA is performed. It is decided that the radio station will be broadcast on an AM Carrier Current system, which essentially turns the University House electrical system into a transmitter antenna. A phone line will connect the Tamiami and Bay Vista Campus (Later Biscayne Bay Campus) transmitters, which will allow the station to be heard at the north campus as well This will be used until FM status is granted.
Early 1987
530 KHz is chosen as the frequency for WFIU radio. The call sign WFIU (which was already licensed to another station) is dropped in favor on KFIU. (Stations starting with K are found west of the Mississippi River however such matters were loosely regulated at the time.) Roy Pressman, Chief Engineer of WLVE 93.9 FM is contracted for studio design and construction.
Spring 1987
24 Hours a day, seven days a week, a group of ordinary students run cable, install hundreds of connectors and dozens of pieces of equipment, soundproof glass and work to insulate the thin walls of the three rooms allotted to the station. Stuart Black, exhausted after working 48 hours straight with no sleep, gets into a serious car accident and is hospitalized for 6 months. Stuart makes a full recovery.
John Villate succeeds Stuart Blanck as General Manager
August 1988
KFIU 530 AM begins broadcasting with the song American Dream by John Mellencamp.
Early 1989
Ben Sardinas named 3rd General Manager
Call sign changed from KFIU to WUFI
FM application process continues
WCIX is purchased by the CBS television network. Negotiations for tower space start over again with the new ownership group.
April 1989
WUFI ceases programming while the University House building is renovated. Up to this point it had been an open-air building. The renovation fully enclosed the complex. WUFI is off the air for over a year.
June 1990
WUFI returns to the airwaves but a casualty of the building renovation is its connection to the Bay Vista Campus. WUFI is now only heard at University Park on 540 AM.
Fall 1991
Agreement reached with WCIX TV for use of the Princeton tower for WUFI FM
Spring 1992
Charles Michaels named 4th General Manager, FM application process continues.
August 1992
Hurricane Andrew comes ashore, destroying most of southern Dade County, taking with it all 1752 feet of the WCIX tower.
September 1992
WAYF 88.1 FM is granted an FCC license in Palm Beach. Their 50,000 watt signal and large service area ruins any possibility of WUFI locating its antenna anywhere other than south Miami-Dade County. WUFI's FM future now hinges upon WCIX rebuilding the Princeton tower. Even then, WUFI will be relegated to a signal far less than the original 2,400-30,000 watts envisioned.
Early 1993
CBS Television opts to rebuild the Princeton Tower
July 1993
RadioTechniques of Haddon Heights, NJ contracted for analysis of the new WCIX tower. The analysis is required before FCC permitting application can be submitted.
December 1993
Engineering Analysis complete, FM application submitted to FCC in Washington, DC
April 1994
Application accepted for filing and review by the FCC
May 1994
Amendment to application filed with the FCC
September 1994
An FCC review of the application find erroneous information that requires amending. FIU is given 60 days to comply
November 1994
Second amendment to application filed
Spring 1995
The FCC declines to wave their Main Studio requirement for the WUFI Application. The Main Studio Rule states that all radio stations must have their studios in the same city that they are licensed to (in this case, Homestead, FL.) FIU enters into negotiations with Miami Dade Community College to install a studio at their Homestead Campus.
Billy Jones Named 5th General Manager
WCIX Channel 6 is sold to the NBC Television Network. Included in the deal is the newly constructed Princeton tower site. Negotiations with NBC Ownership begin.
Summer 1995
Station Staff hold a contest to select the new call sign. Among the suggestions: WPTR, WIFU, WGPA and WRGP
September 1995
It is decided that FIU will maintain studios in both Homestead and University Park
November 6, 1995
The Federal Communications Commission grants a permit to Florida International University for the construction of an FM broadcast station on 88.1 MHz, Channel 201A in Homestead.
December 5, 1995
WRGP is selected at the call sign for 88.1 FM
January 1996
Bidding for FM transmitter equipment opened
February 1996
FCC assigns call letters WRGP to what was up to that point known as BPED-931213MS Channel 201A Homestead, FL
Negotiations with NBC as well as Miami-Dade County Building and Zoning continue.
December 1996
Transmitter plant contract awarded to Harris Broadcast of Richmond, IN.
April 1997
Delays in construction require an extension to the original FCC construction permit. It is granted on April 7
Ian Grocher Named 6th General Manager
July 1997
The FCC revises the main studio rule. WRGP may now broadcast exclusively from the University Park Campus. The Homestead Studio concept is cancelled.
November 18, 1997
An additional extension to the Construction Permit is requested as negotiations for tower space NBC continue
February 1998
Lease agreement with NBC is reached. The FCC suspends the WRGP construction permit as no progress has occurred in the construction process.
January 1999
The WRGP construction permit is reinstated by the FCC. WRGP has a 6 month deadline to complete installation and file for a full broadcast license
April 1999
Michael Falcon Named 7th General Manager
May 1999
WRGP commences broadcasting on 88.1 FM. The station is now known as Radiate 88. The decided format is modeled after Top-40 and mainstream hip-hop stations.
June 24, 1999
WRGP files for a broadcast license
October 18 1999
WRGP is granted a full FCC broadcast license.
Late 1999
Brian Smatt named 8th General Manager
Early 2000
Orlando Machado named 9th General Manager
Late 2001
WRGP switches to a more underground format, choosing to focus on independent artists from all genres.
Early 2003
Messod Bendayan Named 10th General Manager.
The amount of music received by WRGP on a weekly basis increases substantially.
Translator application process continues Radiate 88 dropped in favor of Radio Golden Panther which is the phrase from which the call letters are derived.
Early 2004
Victor Escala named 11th General Manager
Translator Applications for nearly two dozen FM frequencies in Miami Dade Counties are submitted to the FCC.
June 2004
Miami FM Frequency 95.3 is approved by the FCC for use by WRGP. The call sign W237CP is assigned to the new station
July 2004
WRGP contributes to CMJ charts for the first time
Fall 2004
The Radio Golden Panther is tag dropped and the station is simply referred to by the call letters and frequency.
December 2004
North Miami Frequency 95.3 FM is granted to WRGP by the FCC with the call sign W237CT. This frequency will serve the Biscayne Bay Campus. 96.9 FM (W245BF) is also approved for use in North Miami though ultimately WRGP will only use one of them.
March 2005
SGA approves funding for the WRGP Translator Project.
April 2005
Brennan Forsyth named 12th General Manager
June 2005
WRGP is renamed Radiate FM: FIU Student Radio
July 2005
The FIU Facilities Departments requests that a structural analysis of the Green Library roof where the tower is to be installed be performed before a construction permit is issued. Donald Hodgetts P.E. of South Miami, FL. is contracted to perform the study.
September, 2005
Numerous hurricanes over the summer delay construction, though no damage comes to any of the facilities WRGP intends to use for tower placement.
October, 2005
Preliminary Analysis of the roof is completed, outlining the type of anchoring material to be used. Hurricane Wilma causes further construction delays.
April 25, 2006
A 40 ft. Rohn 55 tower is erected on the roof of the Green Library. Taking part in the installation are Chuck and Rich Breit of Breit's Tower Service in Miami, FL. and Tom Morris and Merritt Burrus from WRGP.
May 18, 2006
Installation of the translator plant begins. Roy Pressman of Pressman Engineering and Technology oversees the installation, Student Engineer Tom Morris and General Manager Brennan Forsyth assist.
May 19, 2006
A 3-bay Bext antenna array and Andrew heliax transmission line are installed on the tower. It is then verified that 88.1 FM is being received at the translator site before the Crown FM100 translator is activated for the first time.
5:45 PM
General Manager Brennan Forsyth powers up the translator for the very first time, simply whispering the words "Hello, Miami" as the carrier signal is switched on. With this, six years of waiting comes to an end and, unbeknownst to him, DJ Gino Fuentes is being heard from The North Keys to North Dade on 95.3 FM. Later that evening, Brennan announced the very first legal ID on the new frequency: "W237CP, Miami."
May, 22 2006
After a 48 hour test run, 95.3 FM is shut down in preparation of a grand unveiling on June, 2 2006.
June 2, 2006 1:00 PM
Radiate FM officially begins broadcasting on 95.3 FM. "We Want The Airwaves" by The Ramones serves as the inaugural song and it is dedicated to all those who made 95.3 FM possible, the state of modern FM radio and what Radiate FM can mean for radio in Miami.
| FM radio stations in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market (Arbitron #12) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
By frequency: 87.7¹ | 88.1 | 88.3 | 88.5 | 88.9 | 89.7 | 90.3 | 90.5 | 91.5 | 92.3 | 93.1 | 93.9 | 94.9 | 95.7 | 96.5 | 97.3 | 97.9 (West Palm Beach) | 98.3 | 99.1 |99.9 | 100.7 | 101.5 | 102.7 | 103.5 | 104.3 (West Palm Beach) | 105.1 | 105.9 | 106.7 | 107.5 ¹ Audio for TV channel 6 (NBC) |
||
