WNCW
Encyclopedia
WNCW is a noncommercial public radio station
licensed to Isothermal Community College
in Spindale, North Carolina
, with a varied format including folk, blues, jazz, reggae, celtic, world, rock, bluegrass, indie and news.
The station's main signal, at 88.7 FM, covers a large broadcast area from a tower on Clingman's Peak near Mount Mitchell
. It has an effective radiated power
(ERP) of about 17,500 Watt
s but covers most of western North Carolina because of the tower's elevation. It operates four translators—92.9 FM in Boone, North Carolina
, 100.3 FM and 99.1 in Charlotte, North Carolina
, and 97.3 FM in Greenville, South Carolina
. Combined with its translators, WNCW provides at least secondary coverage of portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
, Georgia
and Virginia
.
Until 2003, it operated a translator at 96.7 FM in Knoxville, Tennessee
. The station still has an application for a new translator in Knoxville.
WNCW also repeats its broadcast on the 1000 watt WSIF (90.9 FM) at Wilkes Community College
Wilkes County, N. C.
1989
October 13th, WNCW 88.7 signed on to its airwaves from the tower at Clingman's Peak of Mt. Mitchell. The earliest description of WNCW's original program said that the station weekday program was Crossroads, a program featuring a broad range of music genres, similar to today; in the evenings, listeners could hear classic radio dramas like the Lone Ranger and Sherlock Holmes followed by classical music.
The station's call letters WNCW stand for Western North Carolina Windows.
1992
In July, The Alternative Radio Coalition begins and ARC Overnight started.
1993
In tribute to the passing of Frank Zappa, WNCW played a set of Zappa everyday around lunchtime. It began airing weekly on Fridays known as "Frank on Friday"
WNCW adds a translator at 97.3 Greenville SC
1995
WNCW installs a translator in Boone in 1995.
1997
WNCW produced its first Crowd Around the Mic.
1999
Begins streaming programming on the World Wide Web.
WNCW's Warren Haynes Christmas Pre-Jam tradition begins with a live in Studio B performance including Little Milton, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi.
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...
licensed to Isothermal Community College
Isothermal Community College
Isothermal Community College is a two year community college located in Spindale, North Carolina. Named after its location the thermal belt, it is part of the North Carolina Community College System. This college is also the home to the public broadcast station WNCW...
in Spindale, North Carolina
Spindale, North Carolina
Spindale is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spindale is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
, with a varied format including folk, blues, jazz, reggae, celtic, world, rock, bluegrass, indie and news.
The station's main signal, at 88.7 FM, covers a large broadcast area from a tower on Clingman's Peak near Mount Mitchell
Mount Mitchell (North Carolina)
Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in the eastern United States. It was the highest point in any state of the United States until Texas joined the union in 1845. The nearest higher point east of the Rocky Mountains is Harney Peak in the Black Hills...
. It has an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) of about 17,500 Watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s but covers most of western North Carolina because of the tower's elevation. It operates four translators—92.9 FM in Boone, North Carolina
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
, 100.3 FM and 99.1 in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, and 97.3 FM in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
. Combined with its translators, WNCW provides at least secondary coverage of portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Until 2003, it operated a translator at 96.7 FM in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. The station still has an application for a new translator in Knoxville.
WNCW also repeats its broadcast on the 1000 watt WSIF (90.9 FM) at Wilkes Community College
Wilkes Community College
Wilkes Community College , a member of the North Carolina Community College system, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond. The college is located in the city of Wilkesboro, North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge...
Wilkes County, N. C.
History
In 1986, Isothermal Community College received support of the State of NC and the federal government to begin the process of planning and starting a public radio station for Western North Carolina along with the communities it would be serving.1989
October 13th, WNCW 88.7 signed on to its airwaves from the tower at Clingman's Peak of Mt. Mitchell. The earliest description of WNCW's original program said that the station weekday program was Crossroads, a program featuring a broad range of music genres, similar to today; in the evenings, listeners could hear classic radio dramas like the Lone Ranger and Sherlock Holmes followed by classical music.
The station's call letters WNCW stand for Western North Carolina Windows.
1992
In July, The Alternative Radio Coalition begins and ARC Overnight started.
1993
In tribute to the passing of Frank Zappa, WNCW played a set of Zappa everyday around lunchtime. It began airing weekly on Fridays known as "Frank on Friday"
WNCW adds a translator at 97.3 Greenville SC
1995
WNCW installs a translator in Boone in 1995.
1997
WNCW produced its first Crowd Around the Mic.
1999
Begins streaming programming on the World Wide Web.
WNCW's Warren Haynes Christmas Pre-Jam tradition begins with a live in Studio B performance including Little Milton, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi.