---
title: "Frequent Listening: A Strengthened WMUC Expands Its Reach"
date: 2022-09-07T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/frequent-listening-a-strengthened-wmuc-expands-its-reach"
section: Articles
---
# Frequent Listening: A Strengthened WMUC Expands Its Reach

*September 7, 2022* — by [Sala Levin ’10](/author/sala-levin-10)


> Longtime UMD Radio Station, Now at 90.5 FM, Powers Up With Antenna Upgrade

*WMUC 09062022 JC 8810 1920x1080 — Evan Hecht '23 (left) and Aidan Appleson '24 take advantage of WMUC's expanded reach as they broadcast the show "Happy Songs for Sad B's" on Tuesday. Below, Appleson, the station's general manager, pores overs its extensive record collection.*

From his room in Washington Hall, Tim Mengers tried nobly to find his hyperlocal radio station: UMD’s own WMUC.

“Tune your radio to 88.1 FM. Listen closely to the local music scene. What do you hear? Nothing?!? Exactly!” Mengers, then a senior, wrote in a 1997 guest column for The Diamondback. “I grabbed my antennae … and contorted my body until I got a signal out of the speakers. Gymkana should use this as a warmup exercise. My roommate thought it was hilarious.”

From its start nearly 75 years ago until very recently, WMUC emitted a feeble signal that barely extended to the perimeters of campus. But now the station is enjoying an expanded listening radius, thanks to an upgraded antenna, a bump from 10 watts to 30 watts of broadcasting power and a new frequency: 90.5 FM.

“What we’re hoping for (with the new frequency) is just more relevancy and prominence within the DMV area,” said Aidan Appelson ’24, WMUC’s general manager. “We’re able to reach more places.”

\[*[Meet Three Terp Radio Broadcasters Calling MLB Games This Season](https://today.umd.edu/talking-baseball-in-the-bigs)*\]


*students looks at records*




**Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community)



**Units:** [Division of Student Affairs](https://today.umd.edu/topic/division-student-affairs)