WOI (AM)
WOI (640 kHz) – branded Iowa Public Radio – is a non-commecial AM radio station licensed to Ames, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines metropolitan area. Owned by Iowa Public Radio, it is a listener-supported public radio station airing a news and talk format. WOI 640 is the flagship station for Iowa Public Radio's News Network, affiliated with NPR, Public Radio International and the BBC World Service. The studios are in Iowa State University's Communications Building,
| Broadcast area | Des Moines metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 640 kHz |
| Branding | Iowa Public Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public radio - News - Talk |
| Affiliations | National Public Radio Public Radio International BBC World Service |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Iowa Public Radio, Inc. |
| WOI-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | April 28, 1922 |
Call sign meaning | The first three letters in "Iowa" backwards |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 29119 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 41°59′34″N 93°41′27″W |
| Translator(s) | 104.7 K284CN (Ames) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | iowapublicradio |
By day, WOI is powered at 5,000 watts using a non-directional antenna. But 640 AM is clear channel frequency reserved for Class A KFI Los Angeles. To avoid interference, WOI reduces power at night to 1,000 watts and uses a directional antenna with a two-tower array. The transmitter is off Zumwalt Station Road near Y Avenue, southwest of Ames. Programming is also heard on 250-watt FM translator K284CN at 104.7 MHz.
Historically, WOI is one of the oldest radio stations in the United States, having begun experimental transmissions in 1911.