WEPS

WEPS (88.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve Elgin, Illinois, United States. The station is owned by the Elgin Area School District U46 and licensed to Board of Education School District U-46. Founded in 1950, WEPS is the oldest non-commercial educational radio station in the state of Illinois.^[1][3][4]

WEPS

Elgin, Illinois
Frequency	88.9 MHz
Branding	WPR Music
Programming
Format	Classical music High school
Affiliations	Wisconsin Public Radio, National Public Radio
Ownership
Owner	Elgin Area School District U46 (Board of Education School District U-46)
History
First air date	January 13, 1950[1]
Call sign meaning	Elgin Public Schools[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	4266
Class	A
ERP	740 watts
HAAT	13 meters (43 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	42°02′17″N 88°16′15″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	WPR Music
Website	WEPS Online

WEPS broadcasts a classical music format as a member of Wisconsin Public Radio's WPR Music network. WEPS broadcasts student programming aside WPR Music. Student programming broadcasts weekdays at 7 AM and PM and on 8 AM and PM on Fridays

History

Originally licensed in 1950 to broadcast at 88.1 MHz, WEPS originally broadcast instructional programs to the Elgin Public Schools, local high school sporting events, and was partially staffed by students to give them experience in high school radio station operation.^[1][5] The effort to bring WEPS on the air was led by Ernest C. Waggoner, director of audio-visual education for the school district.^[1] The station originally had an ERP of 10 watts.^[6] In 1960, the station's frequency was changed to 90.9 MHz, and its ERP was increased to 380 watts.^[6] In 1977, the station began sharing time on the frequency with WDCB.^[7]

WEPS moved to its current 88.9 MHz frequency in 1987, after reaching an agreement with WDCB, which allowed WDCB to begin full-time operations.^[7][8] The station became an affiliate of Wisconsin Public Radio's Ideas Network on September 28, 2005.^[9][10] During the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and early 2021, it was effectively a full-time feed of the network due to the closure of U-46 facilities. In 2024. U-46 resumed programming on the station. On May 20, 2024, the station was shifted to the new WPR Music network, specializing in classical, jazz, world, and folk music.