KAFA-FM, branded as 97.7 The Academy, is the cadet-operated radio service of the United States Air Force Academy. The station combines music, interviews, Academy events and cadet-produced programming while giving cadets practical experience in broadcasting, public communication and multimedia production.
Creating the cadet station
Cadets made several informal attempts to create an Academy radio station during the 1950s and 1960s. The project gained official approval in 1970, when the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force authorized a station using the KAFA call letters.
KAFA made its first public broadcast on January 17, 1971. Its original facility occupied three adjoining rooms in Vandenberg Hall. The early studio cost more than $10,000 to build, and some of its equipment came from radio stations that had been closed in Vietnam. The original station operated with 10 watts on 89.7 FM.
Frequency changes and return to the air
KAFA moved from 89.7 to 104.3, then 104.5 and eventually 97.7 FM. The station was silent for a period during the 1980s before returning on February 13, 1989. It has broadcast continuously since that restart.
Modern KAFA
Online streaming began in 2008, allowing Academy programming to reach listeners beyond Colorado Springs. In 2018, KAFA moved from Vandenberg Hall to Fairchild Hall—its first studio relocation in 47 years. The station was placed alongside a modern sound stage, expanding the cadets’ work from radio into video and other multimedia production.
KAFA continues to serve as both a public-facing voice of the Academy and a training ground where cadets host programs, conduct interviews and cover significant Academy activities.
Sources
- United States Air Force Academy, “97.7 The Academy” and official KAFA history.
- U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs, “On the air: KAFA continues broadcast evolution,” November 18, 2011.
- Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, “Heritage Minute: KAFA Radio”.
- U.S. Air Force Academy, “Around the dial: KAFA-FM webcast now streaming worldwide”.
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