Written and arranged by Matthew Byrne
with special thanks to information supplied by Robert Yeoman and Jeffrey Waters.
What is Harper Radio?
In short, We’re Harper College’s Radio Station! We are broadcasting live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 88.3 FM and HarperRadio.com. Our DJs consist of student, faculty and community volunteers who play an eclectic mix of music you won’t hear anywhere else on the dial! They also talk about campus events, local happenings and even their day-to-day lives. WHCM provides an educational experience for future broadcasters and passionate volunteers. Officially, we are known by our call-letters “WHCM” and before you ask, no, we don’t know what it stands for either. All that being said, here’s a little more about our history….
1970 – The Beginning
WHCM began its operation in the fall semester of 1970, right here in room A339, the heart of the Student Center. It started as a closed circuit station, only heard in the cafeteria and other buildings on campus. Much like today, Student DJs would play their music and host their own hour long shows. In its first year, the station was very sparsely equipped. Only a cloth curtain separated the office from the on-air studio. The hardware included a control console, amplifier and turntables. The format included top 40 hits, which student management was able to discern from calling up local record shops. For roughly the next thirty years, WHCM would be quietly working as a beloved college station. That is until 1998…
1998 – Violation and Closure
In 1998, the station received complaints over DJs offensive language on the air. Harper College Administration, acknowledging these complaints, shut down the radio station indefinitely. Students petitioned the college with the promise of reformation. After a week off the air, the station returned with a new set of rules forbidding DJs using offensive language on air. It would be these rules that helped us get our broadcast license just two years later…
2000 to 2003 – Broadcast License & FM Signal
In 2000, WHCM finally received a broadcast license! Although, with a catch. It was a timeshare with fellow radio station WCLR. WHCM would get access to the 88.3 FM signal Mondays through Thursdays, with WCLR taking Fridays through Sundays. Starting January 23rd 2003, the 88.3 FM signal began broadcasting WHCM and WCLR to the public at large.
2017 to 2020 – Full-time station & COVID
After fifteen years of sharing the 88.3 signal, WHCM became a full-time broadcast station! After an agreement reached by the two stations allowed WCLR to surrender their license, WHCM was now able to use the 88.3 FM signal for broadcast twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. In March of 2020, the station (along with the College) shut down due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. During this uncertain time, WHCM was fully automated with the exception of remote DJs who created pre-recorded weekly episodes from their own homes. When the station was finally able to meet in person again, equipment had to be sanitized daily and DJs were required to use plastic bags to cover microphones
2023 – Winning best Community College Radio Station & Renovation
In the aftermath of the pandemic, the station slowly began to come back together in 2021. As the college opened back up, there was a renewed interest in the station. In February of 2023, the station was nominated for and won the title of Best Community College Radio Station at the Intercollegiate Broadcast System Awards. This was thanks to our passionate DJs, dedicated student management and support from Harper College. Starting in March that year, the station received major renovations which included a total overhaul of our set-up including a larger room and more up-to-date hardware. We also got a cool window. Check around the left corner if you don’t believe me. It’s a long way away from where we started and we can’t wait to see where we go next!
Harper Radio 