Meet Roy Clark. He is the one-man radio station operator of WEFR or West End Fairmont Radio. Roy has engineering experience and his own FCC Part 15 certified AM ChezRadio Procaster Transmitter. He broadcasts out of his house in Fairmont, WV, hoping to reach the underserved and all who are overwhelmed with the media of intolerance and disinformation. He’s been on-air since June, uniquely enough, on the AM dial by the power of Part 15, an FCC rule that allows stations to broadcast on low power if they don’t interfere with other frequencies.
Roy worked in commercial radio for about 10 years in the Washington D.C. area. That’s where he first heard Pacifica station WPFW and became a regular listener. Eventually, he had an opportunity for a construction permit to start his own lp station. However, the construction permit fell through, and the commercial radio job fizzled out, so Roy had to move on. When Roy talks about commercial radio now, he is sometimes amazed at the scale and ambition of it all, mentioning that he knows a local commercial station with a $75,000 electric bill.
Now that he’s back home in Fairmont, Roy is making another go of radio, this time with a different goal than he had in Washington, D.C., preferring to use the power of the airwaves “as a tool to serve with community and interviewing.” Another change from the commercial world: WEFR’s electric bill is $10.
As we talked over Zoom, Roy spoke about his new station, FCC Part 15, and his quest to find others who share his passion for alternative radio voices.
Stephanie
I’m always amazed by what people can do when they start a radio station and how much work it is. It’s so much work.
Roy
I’m a one-man band. Though we don’t have a real big coverage area.
Stephanie
How far do you reach?
Roy
It really depends on the weather. Normally, it’d be maybe a mile and a half, two miles’ radius of the antenna, but I have heard it as far away as four miles.
Stephanie
So, why AM radio?
Roy
I looked into AM radio because there’s no FM frequencies here in Fairmont that would be a viable option for an FM station. I started to read up on Part 15 AM radio station operation.
Stephanie
And how does Part 15 work?
Roy
Part 15 is the part of the Federal Communications Commission rules that govern devices that emit radio frequency energy either unintentional or intentional. It’s under the Part 15 section 219 that governs intentional radiators on the AM broadcast band. There’s a restricted power of 100 milliwatts and the antenna restricted to no longer than 10 feet in length. Not very much power or antenna length. I was amazed that I’m able to achieve a reliable signal that can be received up to 2 miles from the transmitter antenna. Sometimes more depending on the weather and location.
Stephanie
Do you need a license to be able to work under Part 15?
Roy
You don’t need a license.
Stephanie
Because getting into radio is such a large undertaking, I know people don’t go into it lightly. What drives you to have a radio station?
Roy
Community radio is important to me because it’s locally owned and operated by people in the community. And it serves the unserved/underserved and those excluded by the corporate, profit-driven media outlets. Community radio gives a voice to those people ignored. Democracy can’t work if all voices aren’t heard. And community radio is a very important part of that. Radio by the people, for the people.
Stephanie
Were you always a big fan of radio?
Roy
Yes, since I was about 6-7 years old. An AM radio station WKCW 1420 in Warrenton VA was the station my parents would listen to all the time when I was I kid. I was fascinated hearing the DJs talking and playing songs on the radio.
Stephanie
When we first talked, you said you were looking to find others who share your vision for WEFR.
Roy
I’m trying to get the word out. And so we’re working on telling people about it. A few people are interested in a couple of things, maybe doing some kind of oh, public affairs programming.
Stephanie
Any other things you are thinking of for the future?
Roy
We’re gonna find another place to put it [WEFR]. And plan on hopefully having that done sometime. Early probably next year. And I have plans to install a second transmitter. This one will be a FCC certified Part 15 Hamilton Rangemaster AM transmitter to fill in a dead zone over near the college/hospital area on Locust Avenue. With the two it should cover most of the city of Fairmont and parts of surrounding area.
Pacifica Network is happy that WFER is a new affiliate! You can find more information about AM 1700 WEFR on their Facebook page.
Feature photo: The Robert. H. Hollohan Bridge, also known as the “Mile High Bridge,” over the Monongahela River in Fairmont, WV.