Good news for WMPG fans: USM’s campus and community radio station is working towards increasing their signal strength further into Maine, widening the station’s broadcast coverage area to reach more listeners.
“We want to be able to reach listeners beyond our current coverage area,” said station manager, Jim Rand, “to places where USM has campuses, like Lewiston, Saco and Bath.”
Weak signals have thus far prevented those campuses from being able to listen to WMPG on the radio.
The station’s current output of 1.1 kilowatt (kW) will be increased to 4.5kW, expanding their potential listener base from 35,000 to 185,000. A second application is pending the FCC’s (Federal Communications Commission) approval to install a low-power frequency in Hallowell that will provide coverage in Lewiston.
Greater coverage not only will allow more people to pick up WMPG on their radios, it will also attract more businesses willing to provide underwriting grants, an income source that helps to finance the station’s operating costs. Since WMPG is not a commercial radio station, it doesn’t rely on advertising revenues for its operation.
WMPG began their “Power Up” campaign this month to raise money to increase their coverage, which means moving their signal from Gorham to a larger tower on Blackstrap Hill in Westbrook.
Greater coverage will not change the station’s programming.
“The product is fine,” says Rand, “We’ll just be reaching more people.”
WMPG submitted their application for a power increase in the spring of 2007, finally receiving approval on Dec. 17, 2008. The FCC has allotted three years for the completion of the upgrade, which WMPG believes can be accomplished in two. The station needs to raise $200,000 to realize their goal.
“We are applying for a grant that would cover part of the cost,” says Rand, “but we will be having a lot of events like concerts and bake sales to raise money. We’re going to make it fun.” WMPG will need to raise about $5000 every month in order to meet their costs.
The costs involved cover all the expenses of upgrading the transmitter and all equipment necessary to make the transition to a stronger signal.
The power increase will not make WMPG the most powerful college radio station in MAine. The FCC recently approved UMaine Orono’s station, WMEB, a power increase from 6.8kW to 10kW that is scheduled to go into effect this fall. WMEB raised money from concert revenues and student fees to pay for their upgrade.
WMPG’s popularity has grown despite its small coverage area. Thousands of free downloads of shows are made each week. Listeners can also stream WMPG from the station’s website.
Since its humble beginning in Anderson Hall’s fifth floor lounge in Gorham in 1973 with 10W of power, only enough to broadcast on campus, WMPG has grown incrementally over the years, increasing to 50W in 1984, and to its current power of 1.1kW in 1988. The new increase will mark a serious accomplishment for the station and the community.
“WMPG is not only USM’s station, it’s also been an important part of the greater Portland community. We are volunteer driven,” said Rand.
Maps of WMPG’s current and potential signal coverage can be seen on their website:
www.wmpg.org