There had to have been easier ways to establish a college radio station on Long Island back in the 1960s but you get the sense that John Schmdit relishes a challenge. He enrolled at Adelphi to earn another degree while working on the lunar landing module at Grumman. Discovering the small, student-run WALI opearting as a carrier current station heard only in the dorms, he was hooked. Over the ensuing years, whether as an Adlephi employee or a dedicated volunteer, he installed wires, raised antennae, negotiated time slots, and – with the help of others as dedicated as he – generally willed WBAU into existence.

On today’s episode, John describes the saga of WBAU – a story that involves, among others, Nassau Community College, Sewanhaka High School, and the Mariott Hotel in Uniondale.

Links