WFGH

Infobox Radio station
name = WFGH


city = Fort Gay, West Virginia
area =
branding =
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = 90.7 MHz
format = Variety
power =
erp = 7,800 Watts
haat =
class = B
facility_id = 71166
coordinates = coord|176|07|58|N|176|07|58|W
callsign_meaning = Fort Gay High School
former_callsigns =
owner = Wayne County Board Of Education
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.tolsiarebels.org/Tech/broadcasting.htm tolsiarebels.org/Tech/broadcasting.htm]
affiliations =

WFGH (90.7 FM) is a student run radio station broadcasting a Variety format from studios located in Tolsia High School. Licensed to Fort Gay, West Virginia, USA. The station is currently owned by Wayne County Board Of Education Originally located in Fort Gay High School, it was moved to Tolsia High School when Fort Gay High and Crum High consolidated schools in 1988.

History of WFGH

In 1971, H. Keith Spears, a Fort Gay native, returned to Fort Gay High School to teach Biology. Spears had also been involved in broadcasting and was working Saturday mornings at a Louisa, Kentucky AM radio station when he developed a plan to fight apathy by linking school and home with a local, student operated radio station. He approached West Virginia Public Radio in Charleston, as well as other groups, and was told his project was impossible to build. Two years later -- Noon, June 4, 1973 -- with the help of then-Congressman Ken Heckler, Spears broke through the federal red-tape and signed WFGH on the air. Ten watts at 89.9 megacycles. We could be heard 10 miles up and down the Big Sandy River, 5 miles into the rugged terrain of the Wayne County, West Virginia foothills.Fort Gay Students began being heard reading Fort Gay news, producing Fort Gay public service announcements, and announcing play-by-play at Fort Gay sporting events. A small community of 800 residents had their own information outlet.Shortly thereafter, Spears noted that the entire county could benefit from the exposure of such a radio station. Additional grant monies were procured to allow a tower to be built on a hilltop overlooking the community, and a 3,000 watt transmitter to be installed. Like most activities of the young station, the community became involved in everything from unloading the transmitter from the shipping truck, to donating food for the construction crews. Students at Fort Gay High School were also involved. The Welding Class Constructed the main door, and the Building Construction Class dug the footers and laid the block for the transmitter building.Finally, special permission was obtained from the FCC to sign on noon October 17, 1975 -- about two weeks earlier than scheduled -- so we could broadcast a homecoming football game. That game was the first of many broadcast by WFGH, and in the years since, it has become a countywide service.WFGH had been housed at Fort Gay High School since it began broadcasting, but the consolidation of Fort Gay and Crum forced WFGH officials to find a new home. Tolsia High School was the perfect solution.

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