General Info

KLPI is a 4000-watt commercial-free educational radio station owned by Lousiana Tech University and run by a staff comprised of students of the university. KLPI was established to create and maintain interest in radio as a medium of communication, and continues to do so by allowing any student enrolled at Tech the opportunity to become a member.

KLPI started out as WLPI-AM, a thesis paper on the subject of carrier currents that was written for a graduate Electrical Engineering class in 1966. In the same year, the students from this class rented an office on Railroad Avenue with their own money and founded the start-up and operation of WLPI-AM.

In 1969, Louisiana Tech University and the Student Government Association noted how well the station was operating and how well it was being received in the community. Realizing its potential, the University brought WLPI-AM onto the campus and gave them a room in the Dramatic Arts building (later to become Howard Auditorium).

In 1972, WLPI-AM began to enter a new age, expanding to become KLPI-FM. In 1974, WLPI-AM ceased operations due to maintenance problems with the carrier-current equipment. By this time, construction on KLPI-FM was finished and the station began broadcasting at 10 watts.

In 1982, due to renovations, KLPI was moved out of Howard Auditorium. It found several different homes for the next few months around Tech's campus until August of 1982, when construction was completed on its new home. This building, located at 900 Gilman Street, served as home for KLPI's broadcasting studios and offices.

On December 12, 1982, President F. J. Taylor played "Moonlight Serenade", the first song to be aired by the station at its currently-licensed 4,000 watts.

Currently, KLPI is in the process of boosting its broadcast signal to 20kW.

Update.
September 1999.
KLPI studies were moved from the venerable Gillman street station to the heart of Tech campus in a location formerly held by a convenience store right next to the clock tower.
KLPI is still trying to get to 20kW.

May 2002
KLPI is still trying to bring up its wattage.