About this episode

The episode discusses the rebuilding of WELY radio station in Ely, Minnesota, featuring insights from Chief Engineer Erick Burnstad.

This Week in Radio Tech Episode 801 takes us to Ely, Minnesota, where WELY AM and FM — long known as “End of the Road Radio” — is getting a new birth. Civic Media is now the licensee, and Chief Engineer Erick Burnstad walks us through the real-world work of rebuilding a small-town radio station with new studios, a new transmitter, and a new FM antenna system. WELY’s story includes deep local history, a period of silence, and now a renewed commitment to community radio in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters region. Erick shares what the project has taught him about planning, tower work, transmitter replacement, automation conversion, and keeping local service alive while the rebuild continues. It’s a great conversation about the kind of engineering that blends RF, logistics, patience, and genuine hometown purpose. Join us for TWiRT Episode 801 and hear how WELY is coming back to life. Show Notes: WELY - Hometown Radio for Ely, Minnesota Where Have All the Broadcasters Gone? - by Charles B. Persons - narrated by Kirk Harnack - YouTube playlist “End of the Road Radio” Enjoys a New Birth - Radio World article Guest: Erick Burnstad - Chief…

People in this episode

Host: Kirk Harnack

Guest: Erick Burnstad

Topics covered

• radio station rebuilding
• community radio
• engineering
• local history
• broadcast technology

Keywords

• WELY
• radio engineering
• community radio
• transmitter replacement
• local service

Sponsors

Broadcasters General Store

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Civic Media, Broadcast Bionics

Books & works: Where Have All the Broadcasters Gone?, End of the Road Radio

Places: Ely, Minnesota, Minnesota’s Boundary Waters region

More episodes of TWiRT - This Week in Radio Tech - Podcast

• TWiRT 802 - Generative AI in Broadcasting with John Pooley · May 29, 2026
• TWiRT 800 - An Engineered Alternative to Satellite Delivery with Adrian Berkovits · May 15, 2026

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