WCAT was the first campus radio station at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota. It first broadcast in September 1922. The AM station was founded by students from the Electrical Engineering department. The station was licensed to broadcast at a wavelength of 485 meters at a power of 750 watts. Later, the station operated on 1200 kilohertz at a power of 100 watts. The station's call-letters, WCAT, were an abbreviation for "Wildcat Radio." Originally, the studios were located in the basement of the Administration building. In 1928, the studios were moved to the third floor of the Prep Building. During the time that WCAT was on the air, the AM station's programming ranged from news to sports and music. In 1952, WCAT was forced to leave the airwaves as a result of pressure from a commercial radio station.
From the combined records of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters (NAEB), held by the University of Maryland and the Wisconsin Historical Society, and compiled as part of the Unlocking the Airwaves project (unlockingtheairwaves.org).
