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WIXQ (91.7 FM, "The Ville") is a non-commercial college radio station owned by Millersville University and licensed to serve Millersville, Pennsylvania. The station is staffed by students as an extra-curricular activity. Studios are located on campus in the Student Memorial Center.

History

The Federal Communications Commission granted Millersville State College a construction permit for a new Class D 10 watt FM radio station on October 5, 1976. The station's studios were to be located in the Student Memorial Center and the transmitter was to be located on top of the Ganser Library Building. The station was assigned the WIXQ call sign on December 20, 1976 and was granted its first license on January 25, 1978.

On November 14, 1980, the FCC granted the college a construction permit to increase the station's effective radiated power (ERP) to 129 watts. On March 12, 1982, the FCC granted a new license with the updated facilities.

On April 25, 2011, Millersville University filed a Notification of Suspension of Operations form with the FCC indicating that WIXQ would "go silent" on May 7, 2011. The reason given was due to major construction of the Ganser Building, which would result in the station losing its transmitter site. The filing indicated that the station's antenna would be permanently moving to the Jefferson Building . On August 29, 2011, Millersville University filed a Resumption of Operations form with the FCC. The station resumed broadcasting at noon that day. The FCC granted a new license with the updated facilities on August 31, 2011.

During the Spring 2012 semester, Station Advisor Dr. Ralph "Doc Roc" Anttonen announced his intentions to retire from the University following the Fall 2012 semester, ending his advisement of the station after 37 years. In December 2012, Assistant Professor Dr. Lowery Woodall was named new Station Advisor of WIXQ.

On October 13, 2018, WIXQ celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the station, along with its previous history as WMSR (AM) during Millersville University's homecoming weekend. The Anniversary was celebrated with a reunion in the University's Student Memorial Center, the release of 50 Years of Organized Chaos: A WIXQ Memoir... written by former station advisor, Dr. Ralph "Doc Roc" Anttonen, and the airing of Alumni testimonials throughout the 2018-2019 school year.

On September 17, 2019, WIXQ held its first WIXQ Day event, celebrating the history of the radio station and members of the Millersville and Lancaster communities. The all-day celebration featured a local records store sale, a karaoke fundraiser benefiting local music awareness, and on-air interviews with local musicians and community personnel, including Millersville University President Dr. Daniel A. Wubah and then Mayor of Millersville Borough, Richard Moriarty; proclaiming September 17 as "WIXQ Day" in the borough of Millersville.

At the end of the Spring 2022 semester, Lowery Woodall announced his resignation as advisor for WIXQ. Music Business professor Dr. Dain Estes would be named Station Advisor that Fall.

On October 21, 2022, longtime advisor Dr. Ralph "Doc Roc" Anttonen died aged 82. Millersville University President Dr. Daniel A Wubah released a statement following his passing, saying "Very few people in Millersville University's history have touched as many people as Dr. Ralph Anttonen, affectionately known as Doc Roc." A public celebration of life was held on November 5, 2022 at Millersville University's Pucillo Gymnasium.

Signal note

WIXQ is short-spaced to WJAZ (licensed to serve Summerdale, Pennsylvania) as they operate on the same channel and the distance between the stations' transmitters is only 40 miles (64 km) as determined by FCC rules. The minimum distance between two Class A stations operating on the same channel according to current FCC rules is 71 miles (114 km). WJAZ uses a directional antenna to reduce its signal toward the southeast, in the direction of WIXQ.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WIXQ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "WIXQ DJrecruitment". 917theville.com. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
3. ^ "History Cards for WIXQ". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
4. "LICENSE TO COVER". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. March 12, 1982. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
5. "Notification of Suspension of Operations [WIXQ]". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. April 25, 2011. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
6. "Resumption of Operations [WIXQ]". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. August 29, 2011. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
7. "LICENSE TO COVER". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. August 31, 2011. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
8. Anttonen, Ralph (2018). 50 Years of Organized Chaos: A WIXQ Memoir... p. 37.
9. Weber, Kara (February 20, 2013). "As one door closes another one opens for Millersville's WIXQ". The Snapper.
10. "Millersville University Review Spring/Summer 2018". issuu.com. Millersville University of Pennsylvania. July 10, 2018. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
11. "WMSR / WIXQ Alumni Photos". wixqalumni.com. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
12. ^ "Celebrating WIXQ on 9.17". Millersville News. 2019-09-12. Retrieved 2020-08-29.
13. "The Snapshot: WIXQ searches for faculty advisor". 12 October 2022.
14. "CONTACT". wixq. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
15. Writer, MICKAYLA MILLER | Staff. "Millersville University's longtime WIXQ radio adviser 'Doc Roc' dies at 82". LancasterOnline. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
16. "Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208". Retrieved 2021-01-25.
17. "Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207 (b)(1)". Retrieved 2021-01-25.
18. "FM Query Results for WJAZ". fcc.gov. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved 2021-01-25.

External links

• Official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 42651 (WIXQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WIXQ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

• College radio stations in Pennsylvania
• Radio stations in Pennsylvania
• Radio stations established in 1978
• 1978 establishments in Pennsylvania
• Millersville University of Pennsylvania