WSUI
Encyclopedia
WSUI is a public radio station in Iowa City, Iowa
, in the United States
. It is operated by the University of Iowa
and a member of Iowa Public Radio
. Its signal serves most of eastern Iowa. WSUI is one of two National Public Radio member stations serving eastern Iowa, the other being KUNI
in Cedar Falls. It is a sister station to all-classical KSUI
.
WSUI began in 1919 as 9YA, a 10-watt experimental station operating out of the Physics Building. It was granted a full license on June 26, 1922 as WHAA, becoming WSUI in 1925. It is the oldest educational station west of the Mississippi River
.
The studios were located for many years in the University's Engineering Building. They were relocated to a former supermarket building south of campus in the late 1990's, when expansion of the College of Engineering required WSUI-KSUI to vacate their space in the Engineering Building.
The experimental station call sign, 9YA, had been used by the State University of Iowa—now University of Iowa
—since 1911 when the first Morse code
transmitter was installed. Carl Menzer, who started work at the station in 1917 as a student and later went on to become station director, brought vacuum tube
technology to 9YA in 1919, signaling the start of regularly scheduled voice and music broadcasts.
The broadcast towers are located about 10 miles south of Iowa City. A single tower is used during the daytime, but three towers are used as a directional array during nighttime, concentrating the signal northward toward the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City areas.
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is operated by the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and a member of Iowa Public Radio
Iowa Public Radio
Iowa Public Radio is a state network in the U.S. state of Iowa that combines the operations of current Public Radio stations run by Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, and University of Northern Iowa...
. Its signal serves most of eastern Iowa. WSUI is one of two National Public Radio member stations serving eastern Iowa, the other being KUNI
KUNI (FM)
KUNI is a radio station owned and operated by the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. It is one of two NPR outlets for Eastern Iowa; the other being WSUI in Iowa City. KUNI's transmitter is in Walker, Iowa, with its primary signal covering Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City...
in Cedar Falls. It is a sister station to all-classical KSUI
KSUI
KSUI is a radio station broadcasting a Classical music format. Located near Iowa City, Iowa, USA, the station serves the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City areas. The station is currently owned by The University of Iowa....
.
WSUI began in 1919 as 9YA, a 10-watt experimental station operating out of the Physics Building. It was granted a full license on June 26, 1922 as WHAA, becoming WSUI in 1925. It is the oldest educational station west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
The studios were located for many years in the University's Engineering Building. They were relocated to a former supermarket building south of campus in the late 1990's, when expansion of the College of Engineering required WSUI-KSUI to vacate their space in the Engineering Building.
The experimental station call sign, 9YA, had been used by the State University of Iowa—now University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
—since 1911 when the first Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
transmitter was installed. Carl Menzer, who started work at the station in 1917 as a student and later went on to become station director, brought vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
technology to 9YA in 1919, signaling the start of regularly scheduled voice and music broadcasts.
The broadcast towers are located about 10 miles south of Iowa City. A single tower is used during the daytime, but three towers are used as a directional array during nighttime, concentrating the signal northward toward the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City areas.