WOKQ Live on the Rockpile

2007-02-23 08:33:31.000 – Jon Cotton,  Observer

WOKQ, The Morning Waking Crew

WOKQ, the Big 97.5, is live on the Rockpile this morning! WOKQ has quite a lot of history up here on the summit. If you’re a regular listener you know they broadcast from the peak at 103.7FM. If you’re a visitor to the summit, you’ve spotted one of their antennas towers. Folks from the station come up now and then for maintenance on the transmitters. We at the Observatory record a current conditions report every weekday for the Morning Waking Crew. Well, this morning it gets better than ever for it is their first live show from the peak.

They are certainly getting the current conditions this morning. In the form of up to the minute weather, clear skies and sunrise views, increasing winds and the opportunity to mic up and battle the winds on air. Their rockpile studio is setup next to the weather desk and we observers get the best of radio without the commercials. Actually it is really amazing to have live radio literally 10 feet away. I listen to the Morning Waking Crew during my morning routine here at work and down in the valley on my days off. To meet everyone, hear the show, see how it works and step in to participate is a blast.

Mark, Danielle, Bunch, Mike Geary and Steve Vanni took a snowcat trip up yesterday morning. Somehow they picked it right because they have had an broad array of conditions. They arrived to clear conditions with a stack of at least four varying cloud layers above and below the peak. By late afternoon light snow started. The overnight hours were calm and foggy. The deck grew a blanket of huge white fluffy snowflakes. Halfway through the night, the winds started increasing. I missed the opportunity to capture the fluff but you can see the raised footprints of my observational wanderings. Fog cleared by daybreak and what we weather guys term “alto cumulus in a chaotic sky” gave some nice texture for sunrise.

Winds are currently gusting 84mph. The Crew is playing outside on the deck live on the radio. EduTrip participants up for the night are likewise playing outside after enjoying sunrise and a full breakfast. I am wrapping up my shift and look forward to high winds remaining for tonight. Danielle had the idea to move the entire Morning Waking Crew up to the peak of New Hampshire for a day. What a brilliant idea. Cheers to that. From the Observatory, our EduTrip guests and the Morning Waking Crew have a great start to the weekend!

Jon Cotton,  Observer