Nov 09 2024 2 mins
Lots of colleges and universities have radio stations, but there is only one KAFA! ----more----
The station was the brainchild of then-Cadet John Severski, Class of ’71, and came into being only due to the perseverance and ingenuity of John, several other like-minded cadets, and a few supportive USAFA staff members. It was a classic Do-It-Yourself project, as they begged, borrowed, and scrounged the necessary equipment to build a studio in Vandenberg Hall. When Academy officials applied for a broadcast license, they requested that the call letters be either KAFA or KDET (pronounced “cadet”). Obviously, the FCC approved KAFA. At 6:57 p.m. on 17 January 1971, the station began broadcasting with 10 watts of power at the frequency 89.7 on the FM dial. Following the National Anthem, the first song played was “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby Stills and Nash. The Superintendent, Lieutenant General A. P. Clark, then delivered a welcome message.
KAFA has undergone changes over the decades, but is still largely as its founders dreamed and designed it. After going off the air for a time in the 1980s, it has broadcast continuously since 13 February 1989. The format has varied slightly, but has largely stuck to its rock roots. The frequency has changed three times due to signal-bleed into commercial stations’ coverage, and is currently broadcasting at 97.7. Since 1 May 2008, KAFA has been available online, making it accessible to graduates, parents, and other interested listeners anywhere in the world. Funding for the streaming has been provided by the Association of Graduates since day one. KAFA has served the Academy community by broadcasting live from significant events such as graduation, in-processing, and even sporting events.
In 2018, after nearly a half-century in Vandenberg Hall, the station moved to this state-of-the-art studio in Fairchild Hall.
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