Chicagoland Radio Call-Sign History

    The original inspiration and basis for this list was an article called, "A Chicago Radio Geneaology" (sic), which appeared in the 12/16/83 and 1/1/84 issues of RadioPhiles magazine.  While a most interesting article, there were enough discrepancies and so much missing information that I thought I had to do my own version.  However, it would take me until December of 1996 to finally sit down and type it up the first time.  Folks who saw my first attempt will undoubtedly notice a substantial improvement with this edition, worked on during frequent but short stretches of free time at home and at work from 7/20/98 to 8/17/98.  I get back to the list whenever I'm aware of a new call, or a really old one missed previously.  As I no longer live in the Chicago radio market, please write me with any changes you may catch before I do!

    This is a dual-purpose list...it has current area stations (in bold) with studio and transmitter locations (when known), and also information for as many former call-signs as I could track down from the sources available to me.

    The list includes all radio stations in the 8-county Chicagoland area:  Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois, plus Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.

    Much of the "fun" in producing such a list is from getting clear details on the old days of both AM and FM.  Historic AM call-signs are easy enough, thanks to the many "DX" reference publications available from the 1920s and 30s, but tracking frequencies before the Federal Radio Commission took charge is pretty much an exercise in futility.

    Thus, for 1921 to 1928, I mention only those frequencies stations used most prominently, and then only if those were even known.  Call signs were assigned by the Department of Commerce, though direct oversight was otherwise minimal until the Federal Radio Commission came into being, around 1927.  Frequency-hopping was a major problem until The FRC, which is now of course the FCC, first clamped down in 1927-28.  Stations, if they were still allowed on the air at all, were assigned specific frequencies they had to be on by November 11th, 1928.

    The deck was re-shuffled in 1941, with most stations told they were to shift frequencies on March 29th.  For the Chicago-area stations on the air at the time, it was more orderly the second time around...560, 670 and 720 stayed put, while 770 moved to 780, 870 up to 890, and others moved up 30 or 40kHz.  The 1941 moves were meant to open more "clear channels" for Canada and Mexico, and to fill out the new "expanded band" of the day (1510-1600kHz).
[Come to think of it, Chicagoland did not get any of the 1990s' newfangled 1610-1700 assignments!]

    For some reason FM activities, especially before 1960, are very hard to track down.  There is some colorful history there, but documentation is weaker.  Most folks I knew old enough to have heard these are either gone, or their attention was still just on AM at the time, or being distracted by that other new broadcast medium, television.  Myself, have only just turned 40, so my first-hand knowledge of most stations would be very weak before about 1970.

    Anyway, I hope the list will be of information and/or entertainment value.  If you can fill in some holes or clear up some discrepancies, please by all means contact me!  This would be especially helpful as I am no longer in the Chicago market.  Also, if you or someone you know is considering anything similar for a radio market they know or love, I can try to help out with what reference materials and personal experience I have.  Thank you!

-- MarkTime, 9/4/99 (most recent update 9/5/00)
 

Bibliography

    Reference sources for this radio history included:  Lefax "List of Radio Telephone Broadcasting Stations" (Fall, 1927);  WBBM Radio Guide (1929);  White's Radio Log (several, from the 1930s to 1977);  Vane Jones Log (most of them, from the 1960s to 1986);  FM Atlas (most of them, 1970s to 1990s);  "ChicagoLand AM Call-Letter History" (by Robert Harrison, for the National Radio Club's DX News, 8/14/95);  Several amusing information pages on the National Radio Club's web-site;  And, my own personal listening, lists, and memories from 1972 to the present.

    Thanks also WLIP's Lou Rugani for pinning down dates on the Zion stations, and to Phil Boersma for loaning me his copy of the Robert Harrison article.  Oh yes, if anyone should know the current address for Robert Harrison, please pass it along?  Harrison had contacted me for information on his original article, and I did send some but lost track of his address before I could help further.  Also, thanks to Tim Noonan for linking this article from his radio page.

    If you reached my article from another person's page, please let me know about it!
 

Stations, by call-sign

KFKX -- founded by Westinghouse in Hastings NE, 1924, to extend the coverage of their owned stations.  When it was closed down in 1928, the calls were moved to Chicago and shared time with their KYW, up until being totally dropped in 1933.
KYW -- Westinghouse started this in Chicago, from 1921 until 1934, when the 1020 allocation was shifted to Philadelphia (since 1941, on 1060).  Though the call-sign itself detoured to Cleveland from 1956 to 1965, it is back in Philadephia today.
KYWA -- operated briefly as what amounts to a synchronous transmitter with KYW on 1020, 1928-29 (see WEBH).
W47C -- WJJD's first try at an FM station, on 44.7 in 1941-42.
W51C -- Zenith's broadcasting FM, started on 45.1 in 1940.  When it got a "normal" call, it became WWZR...see that for most of its history.  Is now WUSN.
W59C -- WGN started an FM counterpart in 1941, on 45.9.  Would later get a regular-style call, WGNB.  Now WFMT.
W63C -- NBC Radio ran on 46.3 in 1940-42.  Apparently was taken off during the war...WMAQ-FM did not come on until after 1946?
W67C -- CBS Radio, and/or WBBM put this on in late 1941...see WBBM-FM.
W75C -- Moody Bible Institute's FM station had its beginnings on 47.5 in the early 1940s. By 1946 it was WDLM.  Now WMBI-FM.
W79C -- a station was licensed to "MGM" on 47.9 in 1941, but I can't tell if it was ever on the air.
W83C -- came on around 1945, on 48.3, but was probably already known more as WEHS.  Is now WLUP.
W9BXS -- early NBC/RCA FM station, 1939, later to be W63C.
W9XZR -- Zenith Radio had an experiemental trasmitter on 42.8 in 1940-41, but then they shut this down and concentrated efforts on W51C/WWZR.
WAAF -- began in 1922, bouncing around the dial until settling in as a daytimer on 920 in 1928.  Moved to 950 with the Great Shift of 1941.  Became WGRT in 1967.  Its tower, atop a warehouse at 16th and Western, still used for WIDB's day coverage.
WAAF-FM -- an early FM, simulcasting on 93.9 in the 1940s to early 50s, from the LaSalle-Wacker bldg. (Tower still there, no longer used.)  Call sign now on the 107.3 in Worcester MA.
WABA -- operated at Lake Forest College in 1923-25.
WABT -- operated on 103.9 in (West) Dundee from 1990-96, as "the Wabbit".  Is now WZCH.
WAES - Lincolnshire/88.1  CP for new station in central Lake County
WAGO -- new owners made drastic changes to WXFM, around 1985, attempting hits on 105.9.  Did not last long, becoming the present WCKG.  Call now in Snow Hill, NC.
WAIT - Crystal Lake/850  Picked up the call when 820 dropped it for WCZE in the mid-80s.  Daytime only, from 8600 US Hwy. 14, next to their 3-tower site northwest of town.  Former calls: WIVS, WCLR
WAIT -- formerly on 820, from 1941 (after being WCBD on 1080) into the mid-80s, when dropped in favor of WCZE.  Shared time with yet another WCBD 1947-59.  Operated most of its life as "limited hours", from local sunrise to Fort Worth sunset, until granted fulltime in the early 80s. Became WXEZ in 1988, and for just a few days WPNT before taken off the air in the early 90s when the owners got a better offer for the land  under their Elmhurst transmitter site.  The 820 allocation eventually returned, as the first incarnation of WSCR.
WAIT-FM -- used by the 105.5 up Woodstock way, 1989-91. Is currently WZSR.
WAJP -- original calls for 93.5 in Joliet, though became WJTW in the mid 1980s.
WAKE - Valparaiso IN/1500  On since the mid-60s. Daytime only, with studio and 2 towers at 2755 Sager Rd, about 1/2 mile south of US-30.
WAKE-FM -- original call for 105.5 in Valparaiso, now WLJE.  It apparently simulcasted WAKE.
WARG - Summit/88.9  Student-run station at Argo Township HS, 7329 W. 63rd St., 1.5 blocks west of Harlem Ave.  Generally school-hours only with the occasional late evening.
WAUR - Sandwich/930  Took calls dropped by Aurora/107.9 in 1988. Offices are either at Immanuel & Legion Rds in Yorkville (the transmitter site perhaps?), or at 200 E 5th Ave #109 in Naperville. 4 or 5 towers near Rts. 47 and 71 in Yorkville. Former call: WBYG
WAUR -- previously used by the 107.9 in Aurora, when still a local station up to about 1988, when they switched to WYSY.
WAXO -- The original 96.9, started in Kenosha in 1962.  Became WKZN in 1969, moved to Zion in 1973, and became present-day WNIZ when WNIB bought it because its frequency was adjacent to 97.1.
WBAS -- one of many stations that popped up briefly in the early 1920s, before the FCC began making and enforcing specific frequency allocations.  Broadcast from Wieboldt's department store at Ogden and Ashland.
WBBM - Chicago/780  Began its life in downstate Lincoln, in 1924, but by the end of the year the Atlass Investment Corp. moved it up to Chicago.  As often happened in the early days, calls were randomly assigned by the Dept. of Commerce.  Studio at 630 N. McClurg Ct, though there is talk of moving the facility to another part of downtown.  Their single big stick is on land bounded by IL-53, Devon, I-290 and Thorndale, Elk Grove Village.
WBBM-FM - Chicago/96.3  Studio at 630 N. McClurg Ct, and transmitter is on Sears Tower.  On air since 1941, at first on 46.7 (also as W67C).  On the new FM band, it was first on 94.3, then on 97.1, before finding its permanent home in the early 1950s.
WBBX -- briefly used, along with WES, on 870 before the station owner Sears settled on WLS in 1925.
WBBZ -- until 1928, "portable stations" were allowed.  Charles Lewis Carrell of Chicago, a theatrical booking agent, owned 7 of these transmitters, each with its own call-sign, which were taken around to various Midwestern theatres to help publicize acts there for a week or so at a time. When licenses for "portables" were revoked in 1928, as part of the FRC's band clean-up, 4 of these transmitters were either left where they were at the time or otherwise moved where there were frequency openings available.  The WBBZ transmitter happened to be in Ponca City OK at the time, so that's where it stayed.  The call is still in use there, on 1230.
WBCN -- share-timer with WENR and later also WLS, during the mid 1920s to merging with WENR in 1933.  Calls now on 104.1 in Boston MA.
WBEE - Harvey/1570  Daytime only, since its start in the mid-50s.  Studio and 3-tower transmitting site at 157th and Campbell, Markham (just off I-294). Briefly used WMNN, in 1990 or so.
WBEZ - Chicago/91.5  Founded by Chicago Board of Education in 1941, though several years ago this became a privately-run NPR, talk and jazz station.  Studio at Navy Pier, 848 E. Grand Ave., and transmitter is on the Hancock Bldg.
WBHI - Chicago/90.7  At Bogan High School, 3939 W. 79th St. (at Pulaski Rd).  If on at all, it would be school-hours only...has been off for months at a time, and has never been heard by this reporter.  Was first on 88.5.
WBIG - Aurora/1280  3-tower site at 620 Eola Rd, north of Liberty St. east of Aurora.  Former calls: WYSY, WMRO.
WBIK -- Balaban & Katz operated this station, on 96.3, in the late 1940s to early 50s.  B&K was then bought out by ABC, who already owned WENR-FM, so they had to give up 96.3.
WBLI -- a small Blue Island FM, frequency unknown, on during the 1950s...perhaps related to WRBI?  Call now on 106.1 in Patchogue NY.
WBMF - Crete/88.1  CP for a new station in far-south suburbs.
WBMX -- briefly used by 1490, in the mid-80s whilst simulcasting WBMX-FM, before the former WOPA was sold off to become WPNA.  Call now on 98.5 in Boston.
WBMX-FM -- the "Black Music Experience" took over 102.7 from WGLD around 1975, until switching to WVAZ in the early-90s.
WBNU -- brief fling with radio by an Aurora company, on 103.9 around 1949.
WBPR -- Barrington HS had a station on 88.5 for a time in the 1980s. The Univ. of Massachusetts now uses the call for WUMB's Worcester relay.
WBSW -- the 99.9 called itself "the Bus" with these calls, around 1985-86, until WBUS became available.
WBU -- the city of Chicago tried this station in 1922-23.
WBUS -- 99.9 call from mid-80s to 1996. Now WRZA.
WBYG -- first used by the 99.9, when they had upgraded to higher power with the tower just inside Will County in 1977.  Changed to WBSW around 1985; is now WRZA.
WBYG -- picked up then as the original call for Sandwich/930, when it  hit the air in 1985, only to be quickly changed in 1988 when WAUR became available and they wanted to "serve" the larger city of Aurora. Call  then left the market, for Point Pleasant WV.
WCBD --a religious station started in far-north Zion, in 1923.  Had to  share time with WMBI on 1080 from 1928-41, then got to move to the 820 in Chicago as WAIT.
WCBD -- a second Zion station started in 1947, ironically sharing with WAIT on 820. Was mostly Sundays only during its 12 years of existence.
WCBR-FM -- After a fling with WSEX, the 92.7 in Arlington Heights had these calls for most of the 1990s, until new owners turned it into WKIE. Had applied for and been granted WXBR in 1998, but never used.
WCBZ -- started in Chicago Heights in 1924, but soon became WOK.
WCCQ - Crest Hill/98.3  Studio is at 1520 N Rock Run Rd, and its tower is east of I-55 exit 247, a mile south of US-6, sw of Joliet.
WCEE -- briefly-used first call, from Elgin in 1924. The station's calls were soon flip-flopped with WTAS, but by 1926 this would be WLIB.  Would soon be absorbed by WGN.
WCEV - Cicero/1450  "We're Chicagoland's Ethnic Voice", on the air from 1pm to 10pm daily since the station began in 1980. Studio in a travel agency at 5356 W. Belmont Ave. (at Long) in Chicago, transmitter shared with WVON. (See WVON for history)
WCFJ - Chicago Heights/1470  Brokered mixed ethnic, simulcasting WSBC. Transmitter site seems to be west of Rt. 1, south Crete, with 6 towers. Used Ford Heights as its city of license from about 1990 to 1997.  Former call: WMPP.
WCFL -- the Chicago Federation of Labor station started in 1926 on 610, then to 620, shifted to 970 with  the 1928 re-allocations, then finally to 1000 in 1941. The CFL owned it up to 1979. The call stuck around for  a couple more owners and umpteen changes (though they did almost get WWTN) until the owners of WLUP took it over in 1987, but now is WMVP. Calls are now being used just outside the market, by the 104.7 in  Morris, IL.
WCFL-FM -- one of many to try FM in the late 40s and early 50s, only to give up and turn in their licenses to the FCC.  On 104.3, simulcasting WCFL while it lasted.
WCGO - Chicago Heights/1600 Office at 222 Vollmer Rd, and two towers are on Joe Orr Rd, just west of Rt. 394.  Same calls since starting up in the late 50s.
WCHI -- WHT changed to this call in 1929, after briefly using WSOA. Lasted only to 1931...see WJAZ.
WCHI -- call was later used by a 95.9 in Chicago Heights, for a time in the 1950s. Now being used instead in Chillicothe OH.
WCKG - Elmwood Park/105.9  Office is at 180 N Stetson Ave (Prudential Tower #2, methinks), Suite #1059 in Chicago. Transmitter is on Sears Tower. The station's first tower, on Harlem Ave. in Elmwood Park, still exists,
used by the city's police, fire, etc. Former calls: WAGO, WXFM, WLEY.
WCLM -- began as WRSV, but was upgraded to Chicago/101.9 sometime in the late 50s, broadcasting from 333 N. Michigan. FCC revoked their license in the early 1960s, due to some apparent use of their sub-carrier by a local book-making operation. FCC re-allocated the slot to Skokie (to be filled by WRSV).
WCLO -- was never actually in Chicago metro, originating in Camp Lake WI in 1925.  They initially tried to be a Chicago station, including an office in town, but by 1930 had moved up to its present digs in Janesville WI.
WCLR -- briefly used by 850/Crystal Lake in the mid-60s, but soon became WIVS.
WCLR -- WRSV became "Clear" in the late 60s until the late 80s, now WTMX. Calls have since cleared the area, settling in Piqua OH.
WCLS -- took over in Joliet from WJBI in 1926. Wound up having to share first 1390 and then 1310 with as many as 5 stations. It would have a frequency to itself with the 1941 shift to 1340, and shortly thereafter  became what is now WJOL. Call-sign has bounced around, last seen in Oscoda MI.
WCRM -- The call on the 103.9 in Dundee from 1983 to 1990, between WVFV and WABT. Call now down in Fort Myers FL.
WCRW -- started by Clinton R White in 1926. Shared time with WEDC and WSBC, on 1210 until 1941, then on 1240 until WSBC merged the three in 1997. Had its own studio and transmitter site, in an apartment building at Diversey and Pine Grove, but had moved in with WEDC in the early 90s.
WCRX - Chicago/88.1  From Columbia College, 600 S. Michigan Ave. Transmitter still at Halsted and Harrison, site of former WUIC (U of Illinois/Chicago). Off Sundays.
WCSF - Joliet/88.7  College of Saint Francis, station address 500 N. Wilcox. Has cut back hours...not heard on weekends the past couple years.
WCYC -- the Chicago Boys & Girls club started this station on 88.7 downtown during the 1970s, but soon moved to 28th and Ridgeway on the west side, and by the mid-80s over to 90.5.  Sold in 1997, now WRTE.
WCZE -- 820 got "Cozee", with satellite AC for a time in the 1980s, but by 1988 began simulcasting 100.3 as WXEZ.
WDAI -- the first, and longest, of several times 94.7 changed from WLS-FM, when it became album rock in 1970. Stayed with the calls with disco, 1978-80, then when hits as WRCK.  Is now WXCD.  Call currently is down in South Carolina.
WDAP -- started at the Drake Hotel in 1922, running its dance band's music, until the Tribune bought WDAP and changed it to WGN in 1924.
WDBY -- used calls for a short time around 1925, then became WPCC.
WDCB - Glen Ellyn/90.9  College of DuPage. Studio at 425 22nd St, and their tower is on 22nd St. west of Lambert, both on campus.  Originally shared time with WEPS, until the latter moved to 88.9 in the late 70s.
WDDZ - Zion/1500  O&O'd by Radio Disney, but for some odd reason they go out of their way to not promote it?  It has even been reported off the air a couple times.  Has had a succession of call-signs, including WTAU as recently as 12/98. Transmits from 3 towers near Delany Rd and 21st St. in Wadsworth.  Former calls: WTAU, WKGA, WNIZ, WRJR, WKZN, others?
WDGC - Downers Grove/88.3  Student-run rocker from Downers Grove North HS, 4436 Main St.
WDHF -- started by the DeHann HiFi store in Evergreen Park, in the 1960s?  Later bought by Metromedia, who would turn it into WMET in 1976.
WDLJ -- was on 88.5 in Evanston, around 1952?
WDLM -- Moody Bible's FM began with this call, also using W75C, when it was on 47.5 from 1943 to 1946. When the FM band moved up the spectrum, they were on 99.7 and then 95.5 before settling on 90.1 as WMBI-FM sometime in the low-to-mid 50's. Moody held on to the WDLM call-sign, placing it on their stations cross-state in East Moline.
WDND -- the 105.5 down in Wilmington used this call from about 1985 until 1995, now WYKT.
WDSO - Chesterton IN/88.3  Student-run rock, hits, etc, school hours and sometimes Friday nights, from Chesterton HS, 700 W. Porter Ave. Was on 89.1 in the late 70s and early 80s.
WEAW -- the original Evanston/1330 was founded by Edward A Wheeler in the mid-50s, oddly several years after WEAW-FM came on.  Never used the FM tower in Evanston, but did have either two or three towers for the AM at the same site (2425 W Main)...the tower bases were still there in the mid-70s.  By the early 60s, they has a multi-tower array south of Dundee Rd. in Northbrook.  Was WPRZ by 1977, which went bankrupt in 1979.
WEAW -- the second try came on in 1982, but by then they had to build a new tower site across the street from the old one, still visible on I-294 north of Dundee Rd.  Became WSSY by 1988.
WEAW-FM -- Began in Evanston in 1947, from a short tower at Main & McDaniel (still standing, last I looked).  105.1 was the first on the new Hancock Bldg. in 1970, but was the last major FM to go stereo (several years after the mid-70s change to present-day WOJO).
WEBH -- Edgewater Beach Hotel's dance band station, taking over WGN's old 810kHz and hotel facility in late 1924.  Shifted to 820 in 1927, and the following year was assigned 1020 in a share-time situation with KYW. The latter station did not want to share, and instead bought out WEBH. KYW briefly ran this as a sort of synchronous transmitter (as KYWA), but shut it down for good by the end of 1929.
WEBH-FM -- Sister of WEBH, started on 93.9 in the mid-50s until becoming WWEL sometime in the late 60s.
WEBS -- first call for the 1490 facility in Oak Park, in the late 40s and early 50s, then changed to the long-running WOPA.  Now WPNA.
WEDC -- Emil Denemark Cadillac put this on at its Ogden & Cermak dealership in 1926. Shared time on 1210, later on 1240, with WCRW and WSBC.  Moved studio and tower to Milwaukee and Peterson in the early 60s (studio and tower still there...to be used by WSBC soon, if not  already). Bought out by WSBC in 1997.
WEEF - Highland Park/1430  Began in 1963 by Eli EFink.  Was WVVX for a time in the early 70s, WQVQ in the mid to late 70s, then back to being WEEF in 1981. Originally had a 3-tower site on Lake-Cook Rd. in Deerfield, easily visible from I-94, but got bumped north to Aptakisic and Welland Roads when the Lake-Cook corridor became a long string of industrial parks.  Studio is at 210 Skokie Valley Rd.
WEEF-FM -- First call used by the 103.1 in Highland Park, from the early 60s through the early 70s' change to WVVX-FM.
WEFA -- the calls for the 102.3 up in Waukegan for most of the 60s and 70s, after beginning as WKRS-FM, on until becoming WXLC in 1981.
WEFM -- of of the first US FMs, started by Zenith as WWZR in 1940.  Was classical most of its days up to 1977, then after a 2-year fight dumped it for Top 40.  Drifted aimlessly from late 1980 deep into 1981 before settling on country as WUSN, and the call-sign was immediately picked up by the 95.9 in nearby Michigan City, IN.
WEHS -- was first at Evanston High School, in 1925, though it was apparently a commercial operation soon after, out of Chicago and then Cicero.  By 1927 was squeezed into a multi-station stare-time
arrangement on 1390 and later 1310 (see WCLS) and 1420 (see WHFC). Bought out by WHFC in 1936.
WEHS -- sister station of WHFC from the mid-40s to the mid-50s.  Was originally on 48.3, also as W83C, and on the new FM band it was on 100.1 before settling on 97.9, Subsisted by broadcasting background music and store announcements for National Tea supermarkets.  Later became WHFC-FM.  97.9 is now WLUP.
WEJM -- 950 was "Jammin'" in the mid-90s, but now is WIDB.
WEJM-FM -- simulcast WEJM on 106.3 in 1996-97, but is now WYBA.
WELF -- a brief fling on 107.1, from west-suburban Glen Ellyn, in the very early 60s.
WELG –- was on 103.9, around 1960-61, from northwest suburban Elgin.  Not related to the facility started just upriver in West Dundee some years later, WVFV.
WEMG -- took over WTAS in the early 90s, to be all-gospel, only to be bought out by WYCA in 1997...it's now WYAA.
WENR -- started in the mid-20s on 870, and on 890 from 1941 until merged with WLS in 1960.  Shared time with WBCN 1925-33, and with WLS from 1928 until 1960.  Call now in Tennessee.
WENR-FM -- original call for 94.7, from the mid-40s until becoming WLS-FM in 1960.  Now WXCD.
WEPS - Elgin/88.9  Elgin Public Schools, roughly 8am-3pm school days only, with educational, light classical, and the occasional rock show, transmitting from Elgin Central HS, 355 E. Chicago St.  Founded on 88.1 about 1950, and I remember it sharing time on 90.9 with WDBC in the late 70s, but soon after was on its own on 88.9.
WES -- used on 870 for a short time in 1925, until they opted for WLS instead.
WETN - Wheaton/88.1  Christian music ("contemporary", classical and light) from Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center, 501 E. College.
WEXI -- first used by a short-lived station on 106.3 in Saint Charles, early 1950s.
WEXI -- it was used again, by the Arlington Heights 92.7 from 1968-72. Call recently popped up in Huntington IN.
WFJL -- was on 93.1 in the late 40s and early 50s, operated as a non-commercial station by a Lewis Institute of Technology.
WFKB -- Francis KBridgman ran this station, on 1380 and 1340, from 1925 to 1928, but the FRC then kicked it off as part of its frequency re-allocations.
WFLM -- call for 103.9 down in Crown Point IN, during the 1970s anyway.  Now WXRD.
WFMF -- started up in the late 40s by the Marshall Field & Co. department store chain, using it for store background music.  Later was a more conventional, commercial beautiful music station.  Call change to WLOO in 1970.  Now WNND.
WFMQ -- original call for 107.5, in the mid-50s.  Within 10 years was WNUS-FM, and now WGCI-FM.
WFMT - Chicago/98.7  Studio shared with WTTW, 5400 N. Saint Louis Ave., and transmitter at Hancock Bldg. Former calls: maybe WGNB, WOAK (see WGNB notes). Was WFMT-FM 1979-80, because of....
WFMT -- temporarily simulcast WFMT-FM programs on Cicero/1450, 1979-80, after WVON moved to 1390 but before ownership details were worked out for 1450.  Wound up as a share-time facility...WXOL (now WVON) came on first, so WFMT remained on from 1-10pm until WCEV came on early in 1980.
WFVR -- 1580 used these calls, for "Fox Valley Radio", instead of WKKD during the 1970s to early 80s.  Call last seen in Valdosta GA.
WFXW - Geneva/1480  Studio and 5-tower array squeezed into a sub-division at 1215 E. Fern Ave.,  off 12th and Madison on the east side of Saint Charles. Call sort of a play on nearby "Fox" river.  Switched from former WGSB sometime in the mid-80s.
WFYR -- 103.5 was "on Fyr" when it replaced WKFM in 1973, jumping on the 50s nostalgia  bandwagon at the time.  Was put out in 1991 with change to WWBZ.  Calls currently on 97.3 in Elmwood, IL.
WGAS -- only on for a few months in 1922.
WGBK - Glenview/88.5  Student-run rock station, on mostly before and after school, plus the occasional Saturday, from Glenbrook South HS. Studios at both campuses...4000 W. Lake Ave in Glenview, and North at 2300 Shermer Rd., Northbrook. Transmitter still at old WMWA site, 74 Park Lane.
WGCI - Chicago/1390  Office is at 332 S. Michigan Ave., and their several towers are on Kedzie Ave. north of 87th Street.  Former calls: WVON, WNUS, WYNR, WGES, WJKS, WTAY.
WGCI-FM - Chicago/107.5  Current call came from then-owner Globetrotter Communications Inc., in the late 70s.  Last major FM on a shorter downtown building, but the Civic Opera Bldg. (Madison/Wacker) is far enough west to avoid most "shadow" problems, and they'd have to take a drastic power cut to move up.  Former calls: WNUS-FM, WFMQ.
WGES -- Started in 1923 as WTAY, until taking this call in 1925. Bounced around the dial until settling on 1360, in 1928, sharing time with WJKS until that moved to 560 in 1933.  Was shifted to 1390 in 1941.  Became WYNR in 1962, now WGCI.
WGHS -- Glenbard West HS in Glen Ellyn had a small station on 88.5, but was off by 1988.
WGLD -- The 102.7 in Oak Park, WOPA-FM, received a facility upgrade in 1970, and tried to take advantage with more popular programming. Played "Gold" (50s) oldies for a couple years, then tried eclectic AoR.  Switched to WBMX-FM around 1975. Call was bouncing around the south, but was last heard from on the 93.9 in Noblesville, IN.
WGN - Chicago/720  Studio on the south side of first floor at Tribune Tower, 435 N Michigan Ave.  Their big stick on Martingale Rd., just west of I-290 on the Elk Grove-Schaumburg border.  Owner Tribune proclaims itself "World's Greatest Newspaper". Was originally WDAP and the first WJAZ. See also WLIB, WCEE, WTAS, WEBH.
WGNB -- WGN's old FM sister started out as W59C, using 45.9 on the old FM band, shifting to 98.9 and of course later 98.7 in the late 40s.
[My notes are very murky, as have been the various and contradictory stories heard since, one being that WGN donating the frequency to the Chicago Educational Television Association (WTTW, channel 11), who merged(?) this with WOAK to make WFMT.]
WGNR -- Original calls for the Moody Bible station on 88.9 in Monee, changed in 1998 to WMBY and soon after WJCG.  Now WIDB.
WGRT -- Turned WAAF into an Urban station, as "Great Radio" by the early 1970s, but by the end of the decade was WJPC.
WGRY -- the original 1370 in Gary, founded in the late 40s.  Has been WLTH since the late 1960s.
WGSB -- Calls for 1480, from when it began in the late 50s until becoming WFXW in the early 80s.
WGU -- An early share-timer on 670, with WQJ, founded by the Chicago Daily News and the Fair Store.  Changed call to WMAQ in 1923.  Now WSCR.
WGVE - Gary IN/88.7  Mailing address is 620 E. Tenth Place, and their tower is near I-65 at Ridge Ave.  Was on 88.1 about 1954.
WHBL -- see WBBZ for its Chicago history.  This transmitter was moved up to Sheboygan WI in 1928, and for the most part it’s been on 1330 up there ever since.
WHBM -- see WBBZ for its Chicago history.  This was one of the 3 which were shut down in 1928.
WHBT -- operated in west suburban Downers Grove for just 3 months in 1925.
WHFC -- began in 1926 at the Hotel Flanders in Chicago. They would soon be squeezed into a share-time situation, with 5 stations on 1310 at its worst. In 1930, they, with WEHS and WKBI, were allowed to move to 1420, leaving WCLS and WKBB on 1310.  WHFC bought out the other two in 1936, also moving to Cicero.  They were shifted to 1450 in 1941. Bought by Chess Records in 1963, turning it into WVON.
WHFC-FM -- the 97.9 in the late 50s to early 60s, when it became WSDM instead.  Now WLUP.
WHFH - Flossmoor/88.5  Student-run rocker at Homewood-Flossmoor HS, 999 Kedzie Ave. Is only on  school days anymore?
WHIP -- a station on 1480 in Hammond IN in the mid to late 1930s, then to 1520 with the 1941 frequency moves.  Bought by the Chicago Sun in 1942, changing call to WJWC.
WHPK - Chicago/88.5  Student-run mix of jazz, reggae, rock, classical and more, from the U. of Chicago (in the south-side Hyde Park neighborhood). Studio at 5706 S. University Ave, and the tower is near 55th and Woodlawn.  Moved from 88.3 in the 1970s.
WHSD - Hinsdale/88.5  Student-run rocker at Hinsdale South HS, 55th and Grant Sts.. On only school hours and a bit into the evening.
WHT -- Began in 1925 on 1260.  Briefly split time, 1260 days/750 nights. Shared 1480 with WJAZ and WORD from 1928-31, also as WSOA and then WCHI, until shut down by the frequency move to Kentucky (see WJAZ).
WIBD -- broadcast from Joliet at what was then the end of the dial, 1500, for a few months in 1923.
WIBJ -- see WBBZ for its Chicago history. This was one of the 3 which were shut down in 1928.
WIBL -- on 1390 in Chicago for a few months in 1923.
WIBM -- Originally licensed to Chicago, but see WBBZ for the history. This one permanently relocated to Jackson MI, on 1450, in 1928.
WIBO -- from Gary IN during the 1920s, on a variety of frequencies until settling on 560 in the late 20s.  Was on Mon-Sat, with WPCC using Sundays.  Taken over by WJKS in 1933.
WIBW -- see WBBZ for its Chicago history.  Moved to 580, in Topeka KS in 1928, and retains that call to this day.
WICV -- Call sign applied for by WEFM, and approved by FCC in 1975, as part of a big change to Top 40.  Strong protests by classical fans delayed the music change for a couple of years, by which time the new
calls (Roman numerals for "99-5") were apparently forgotten.
WIDB -- the calls during most of 950's run as "1-on-1 Sports" talk, 1997-99.  Changed to WNTB 6/99.
WILA -- Briefly broadcast on 92.1 out of Hammond, IN in the late 40s.
WIND - Chicago/560  Studio is still on the 3rd floor at 625 N. Michigan, with their 4-tower site off Cline Ave. (south of I-80/94) in Gary, Indiana.  Its earliest roots were WIBO and WPCC in the mid-20s, and WJKS which took over the frequency from the first two in 1933.  Changed to present call in 1934 and from Gary to Chicago sometime in the early 1940s.
WIVS -- call for Crystal Lake's 850 from about 1965 to 1985, for "Wives", for the most part a suburban-oriented full-serve station during those years.  Picked up current WAIT when 820 dropped the calls.
WJAZ -- first used by Zenith during the 360 meters days before 1923, but in March of 1924 the Tribune took over the Edgewater Beach Hotel studio and transmitter to start up what would become WGN (see also WDAP). Zenith retained the WJAZ call to build another station...
WJAZ -- ...but by the time Zenith's new station in Mount Prospect was ready to go, in 1925, their chosen 1120 was taken, so they essentially bounced around to whatever frequency they wanted until the Federal  Radio Commission began to restore order with the 1928 re-allocations. WJAZ would share 1480 with WHT and WORD until 1931, when all 3 went off to clear space for WCKY in Covington KY (pleading strongly that northern KY was underserved... well wouldn't you know, WCKY would eventually switch to Cincinnati!?!).  WJAZ now in Summerdale PA.
WJBA -- signed-on in Joliet on 1450, in 1925.  Would wind up sharing 930, and then 1210, with WKDR (in Kenosha WI) and WLBT during 1927 and 1928, only to have none of their licenses renewed by the Federal Radio Commission.
WJBI -- began in Joliet in 1925, though within a year was WCLS.  Is now WJOL.
WJBT -- on the air 1926-34, most of that time sharing 770 with WBBM until the latter bought them out.
WJBZ -- on the air from Chicago Heights, 1926-28, sharing 1440 with WNBA most of that stretch, only to not have its licensed renewed by the FRC.
WJCG - Monee/88.9  Moody Bible Institute's tiny south suburban facility. Office is at 820 N. LaSalle in Chicago, and their tower is in the vicinity of Harlem and Steger Rds, just inside Will county near Frankfort.  In its brief history, is already on its third set of calls under the same owner!  Former calls: WMBY, WGNR.
WJCH - Joliet/91.9  Family Radio's Chicagoland outpost.  Local office is at 13 Fairlane Dr. Tower is on US-6, one mile west of the Will-Grundy county line.
WJEZ -- When the FCC got strict about simulcasting in medium and large markets (mid-70s to early 80s), 104.3 split off from WJJD first with "ez country", then with country hits.  Now WJMK.  Call moved down I-55 to Pontiac IL, on 93.7.
WJIZ -- original calls for 92.3, in the early 50s, later to be WJOB-FM.  Now WYCA.
WJJD -- J J Davies put this station on, at Mooseheart, the Moose Club children's home north of Aurora, in 1924.  Re-allocated to Chicago on 1160 in 1941.  From 1941 to 1980, it operated "limited hours", from local sunrise to Salt Lake City sunset.  Despite 73 years of history, it died quietly, its remains picked over by WSCR.
WJJD-FM -- Calls on 104.3, from the mid-50s until becoming WJEZ in the late 70s.
WJJG - Elmhurst/1530  Owned by area car dealer Joseph JGentile.  Office is at 5629 Saint Charles Rd. in Berkeley, and their 2 unpainted towers are visible from the I-88/I-290 interchange on the far eastern fringe of Elmhurst.  Former call: WKDC.
WJKL - Elgin/94.3  Station is at 14 Douglas St, and its tower is now southeast of downtown Elgin, near Gifford and Spaulding Rds.
WJKS -- began in Gary, IN in 1927, on 1290.  Moved by the 1928 re-allocations to 1360, sharing time there with WGES until 1933, when they managed to grab 560 for themselves.  A year later, changed call to current WIND, and switched to Chicago by the mid-40s.
WJMK - Chicago/104.3  Office is at 180 N Michigan Ave., and transmitter is on Sears Tower...though was still on the Prudential Bldg. in the late 1980s.  Former calls: WJEZ, WJJD-FM.
WJPC -- the 950 spot was operated by Johnson Publishing Company (Ebony, Jet) from the early 70s until the mid-90s.  Now WIDB.
WJPC-FM -- Johnson bought WLNR in 1990, but waited a couple years to change the call and have it simulcast WJPC.  Is now WYBA.
WJOB - Hammond/1230  Tall tower at the studio, 6405 Olcott Ave. (off Kennedy Ave.), is a couple miles south of I-90 but still very visible. Former call: WWAE.
WJOB-FM -- WJOB owned the 92.3 for a time, during most of the 1950s and perhaps into the early 60s?  Now WYCA.
WJOI -- call-change for WMAQ-FM, during a fling with ez listening in 1974-75.  Now WKQX.  Call now in suburban Memphis.
WJOL - Joliet/1340  Studio and tower at 601 Walnut, at Maple St.  Former call WCLS.
WJOL-FM -- original call on 96.7, but has been WLLI since at least the late 60s.
WJRC -- early call sign on 1510, from the late 1950s until change to WWHN around 1990.
WJTW - Joliet/93.5  Office is now with WJOL, at 601 Walnut St...tower is either there now, or at the old Ruby St. location?  Former call: WAJP.
WJWC -- call change for WHIP about 1942, but the 1520 station did not last...the new owners hoped to move the station to Chicago, but war-time equipment embargoes made the necessary upgrades impossible, so it was off by mid-1943.
WKAK -- used by 99.9 sometime in the 1960s, when it was simply a Kankakee station.  Call now in Albany, GA.
WKBA -- had a very short run on 1430, in 1926.
WKBB -- started in Joliet in 1926.  During most of its time there, it would have to share time with WCLS and as many as 3 other stations.  They would wind up leaving town to get some air, out to East Dubuque. By the mid-50s they moved again, to Dubuque IA as present-day WDBQ.  Shared time with WHFC on 1310 for awhile in the 1920s.
WKBG -- see WBBZ for its Chicago history. This was one of the 3 which were shut down in 1928.
WKBI -- started up in 1926.  Shared time with several stations on 1310, and later on 1420 with WEHS and WHFC until bought out by the latter in 1936.  Call currently used by 1400 in Saint Mary's, PA.
WKDC -- the first 1530 in Elmhurst was on from 1975 to 1983.  Was one of the first stereo AMs, but went broke.
WKDC -- the 1530 allocation for Elmhurst was revived in 1987, then sold in 1994 to become WJJG.
WKER -- was on from Waukegan around 1950, on 92.7.
WKFM -- the 103.5 calls, at least during the 1960s until 1973 change to WFYR.  Call sign was in the Syracuse area for years, but is now in Huron OH.
WKGA -- the calls for 1500 in Zion from about 1989 to 1996, now WTAU.
WKIE - Arlington Heights/92.7  Had been WCBR-FM through most of the 1990s, until grabbing these calls after an ownership and programming change late in 1998.  Had applied for and been granted WXBR earlier that year, but never used.  Simulcasts with WKIF down in Kankakee (92.7), and the formerly-listenable WDEK in DeKalb (92.5).  [Also reportedly coveting WYCA, to extend its coverage to the south and east I guess?]  Studio recently moved to 737 N Michigan #1600, Chicago, but the transmitter is still out at the old site, 120 W. University, off Arlington Heights and Dundee Rds. Former calls: WCBR-FM, WSEX, WTCO, WWMM, WEXI, WNWC.
WKKC - Chicago/89.3  Kennedy-King College's station on the south side. Studio and tower at 6800 S. Wentworth Ave.  Covers well south of the college, but signal limited north thanks to 89.3 dominant WNUR.
WKKD - Aurora/1580  Was WFVR in the late 70s and early 80s, but then returned to old call.  Three towers at the station, 1884 Plain Ave. on the far east side of Aurora.
WKKD-FM - Aurora/95.9  Oldies, but also sports play-by-play, shopping shows and talk Sunday evenings. Uses the tallest of the short WKKD towers.
WKQX - Chicago/101.1  Despite numerous programming changes and an ownership switch or two, same call since 1977, chosen simply as it sounded "experimental" (they were automated AoR at the time).  Studio in Merchandise Mart, #1700, transmitter on Hancock Bldg.  Former calls: WNIS, WJOI, WMAQ-FM.
WKRS - Waukegan/1220  Has two towers at the studio, 3250 Belvidere Rd., between Green Bay Rd and US-41.
WKRS-FM -- Waukegan's FM station began on 106.7 in 1949, later moved to 102.3. Was WEFA by 1961, and is now WXLC.
WKTA - Evanston/1330  Four towers at the station, 4320 Dundee Rd. next to I-294.  Came on in the mid-80s, replacing the 1330 which went bust in 1981 (see WPRZ). There has been a "For Sale" sign on the property for 5 years now?!  Former calls: WSSY, WEAW.
WKXK -- the 94.7 calls during their year as country, 1996-97.  Now WXCD.
WKZN -- the calls on 1500 in Zion during the early 80s.  Now WTAU.
WKZN-FM -- calls for the 96.9 up in Zion, at least from the mid 70s to early 80s, somewhere between WAXO and the current WNIZ.
WLAK -- "Lake" continued the ez from WWEL during the 1970s and into the 80s, but after drifting into soft AC for a few years switched to WLIT. Now being used in Huntingdon, PA.
WLBN -- began life as a "portable" station, separate from the WBBZ/etc. bunch.  Was on 1330 and then 1470 from 1926-28, then was moved to Little Rock, AR as KLRA.
WLBT -- operated out of Crown Point IN during 1927-28, for most of that time sharing with WJBA.
WLCL -- 107.1 down in Lowell IN used these calls in the 1970s.  Now WZVN.
WLEY - Aurora/107.9  "La Ley" is Spanish for "The Law".  Transmits from WMAQ's main tower, on Army Trail Rd. in Glendale Heights.  Former calls: WYSY, WAUR, WMRO-FM.
WLEY -- the first go-round for these calls began on 107.1 from a still-existing tower on Harlem Ave near Altgeld, Elmwood Park, in Leyden Township.  In the mid-50s it was upgraded to 105.9 and moved studio and transmitter to downtown Chicago, but was WXFM by then.  Now WCKG.
WLIB -- Liberty Magazine, a Tribune publication, bought out Elgin's WTAS in 1926, sharing time with WGN until the stations were merged in 1933. Call now on the 1190 in New York City.
WLIT - Chicago/93.9  Office at 150 N. Michigan Ave., and they transmit from Sears Tower.  Former calls: WLAK, WWEL, WEBH-FM.
WLJE - Valparaiso IN/105.5  Studio is at 2755 Sager Rd, and tower is on IN 49 northeast of town.  Former call: WAKE-FM.
WLLI - Joliet/96.7  Studio and Transmitter is on 601 Walnut St.  Former call: WJOL-FM.
WLMT -- first call for the 105.5 down in Wilmington, currently WYKT.
WLMV -- original intended calls for WNVR, but never used.
WLNR -- long-time call for the 106.3 in Lansing, for years one of the few FM all-talk stations, until being bought by Johnson Publishing in the mid-90s.  Now WYBA.
WLOO -- 100.3 dropped WFMF in 1970, picking a new call-sign which deliberately looked like "100"...their legal ID during these years would be a semi-loud "FM 100", then a mumbled/whispered "WLOO Chicago".  Gave
this up when they drifted from ez into soft AC as WXEZ-FM in 1988.  Now WNND.
WLRA - Romeoville/88.1  Student-run alt.rock station from Lewis University.  Mailing address is 500 Independence Blvd, #528.  Formerly licensed to Lockport.
WLS - Chicago/890  Offices at 190 N. State, the former State-Lake Theater.  Tower is on 96th Ave (LaGrange Rd) north of I-80, Tinley Park.  Founded by Sears (World's Largest Store) in 1925, but was WBBZ and WES during testing.  Shared time with WENR until 1960.
WLS-FM -- Call used several times by 94.7...from 1960 to 1970, from 1981 for 3 years or so, and from about 1991 to 1995.  Now WXCD.
WLTD -- call sign for 1590 from 1970 to 1978..."Limited Talk" (was ez listening).  Now WONX.
WLTH - Gary IN/1370  Office at 2019 Broadway, and a 4-tower array is nw of the I-80/94 and I-65 interchange.
WLTL - LaGrange/88.1  Rock and hits from Lyons Township HS, 100 S. Brainard Ave (at Elm Avenue).
WLTS -- Lane Technical High School had a highly-regarded though under-funded station from 1925 to 1928.  Shared 620 with WCFL from June 1927 to November 1928.  This would have been at Lane's former campus, at
Division and Sedgwick, as they did not move into the building I had to deal with for 3 years until 1934.  (The old building later became Cooley High, of movie and TV fame, but was recently torn down…is now a softball field.)
WLUC -- Loyola U's first station was on 88.3 in the early 1970s.  Was off by 1976 or so, and it returned on 88.7 as WLUW.
WLUP - Chicago/97.9  "the Loop" since 1976.  Studios in the Hancock Bldg., 875 N Michigan Ave., #3750, with their transmitter atop that building.  Former calls: WEHS-FM, WHFC-FM, WSDM.  Was WLUP-FM when former co-owned Chicago/1000 shared calls.
WLUP -- WCFL was bought by WLUP in 1987, operated as "the Loop AM 1000" for 6 years or so before giving up and switching to WMVP.
WLUP-FM –- see first WLUP entry above.
WLUW - Chicago/88.7  Loyola U's station is a mixed bag of rock, ethnic, blues and more these days.  Studio at 820 N Michigan Ave., transmitter up at Sheridan Rd and Loyola Ave, on the north campus.
WLXX - Chicago/1200  Office is at 509 W. Roosevelt Rd., and their 9-tower array is at 103rd and Woodlawn Ave., just off I-94.  Former call: WOPA.
WMAQ -- call used by the 670 in Chicago from 1923 to 8/15/2000.  WSCR's sports-talk moved from 1160 on the 1st of that month, and the call-sign followed on the 15th.
WMAQ-FM -- long-time early calls for 101.1, from the 1940s up to 1974 when it became WJOI.  Presently WKQX.
WMBB -- signed-on in 1925, on 1200.  Moved to 1190 in mid-1927, and by the end of that year it had combined operations with co-channel WOK...also meeting the same fate in November, 1928.  Operated out of  Homewood and from the south side's Trianon ballroom.
WMBH -- began in Chicago in 1926, mostly on 1470, but the next year moved to less-crowded Joplin MO, where it still broadcasts (on 1450 since 1941).
WMBI - Chicago/1110  Preaching from the Moody Bible Institute since the 1920s, adding Spanish in the early 1990s.  Began on 1080, but was moved to 1110 in 1941.  Studios are at the school, 820 N LaSalle Blvd., and its tower is near Mill Rd. south of Army Trail in Addison.  Had to share time with WCBD 1928-41.
WMBI-FM - Chicago/90.1  Same studio and tower as WMBI. See WDLM for early history. They have an odd new tower...has several elements near the top, like the old one on the same site, but has a separate trio of elements about a third of the way down...auxiliary, or what?  Far as I know, no other FMs on the tower!
WMBY -- very briefly the calls for 88.9 in Monee.  Changed from WGNR in spring 1998, and within months became WJCG instead.
WMCW - Harvard/1600  Studio at 67 N. Ayer, and their tower is a mile north of town on US-14.  Began in the late 1950s, same calls all along.
WMET -- the call on 95.5 during Metromedia's ownership, from 1976 to 1986, after years as WDHF.  Changed to WRXR, and now WNUA.  Call last heard from on the 1150 in Gaithersburg, MD.
WMFT -- a Chicago station was briefly on 105.9 in the early 50s.
WMNN -- WBEE briefly dropped jazz for business yap under this call, around 1990.
WMOR -- a station using this call-sign was in Chicago on 102.7 from about 1949 to 1952, unrelated to the later Oak Park allocation.
WMOR -- call later was on 103.5, but I could not find out if the 102.7 changed frequencies, if this was a separate station which picked up WMOR later in the 1950s, and/or if WKFM (now WRCX) came out of this 103.5 or if a separate start-up, too?  Call currently in Morehead, KY.
WMPP -- former call of Chicago Heights on 1470, from its founding in the early 1960s up until about the late 80s.  Now WCFJ.
WMRO -- call for the 1280 in Aurora for years and years, from the late 30s until they gave up being a local, full-serve station in 1988, in favor of WYSY.  Currently WBIG.  Call now in suburban Nashville?
WMRO-FM -- original call for 107.9, from the early 60s.  Now WLEY.
WMTH - Park Ridge/90.5  Student-run rocker at Maine Township HS.  Main studio and Transmitter is on the Maine East campus, 1131 S. Dee Rd (at Dempster), with a satellite studio at Maine West in Des Plaines.   Pretty much school-hours only.
WMVP - Chicago/1000  Changed call from WLUP the first time they tried out sports-talk, around 1994 or so.  Studio is in the Hancock Bldg., 875 N Michigan Ave # 1510, and their 3 self-supporting towers are at about 35th St. and Meyers, Downers Grove.  Former calls: WLUP, WWTN (never used), and WCFL.
WMWA -- The Midwest Academy of the New Church in Glenview owned the 88.5 there for a time, but sold it back to the high school district in 1997, now WGBK.
WMXA -- 1200 first got this call, but went on the air as WOPA, while the call instead wound up in Opelika AL.
WMXM - Lake Forest/88.9  Rock and big band from the campus of Lake Forest College, 555 N. Sheridan Rd., school days only it seems.
WNAJ -- on only briefly in 1922.
WNBA -- broadcast out of west suburban Forest Park, 1926-28.  Started on 1260, but then had to share 1440 with WJBZ during the last half of its existence.
WNDZ - Portage IN/750  Running "Personal Achievement radio", and wants the WYPA calls someday
...uses "WYPA" often!?  Began in the late '80s, one of the last daytime-only authorizations. Last listed address was 2576 Portage Mall.  Two towers behind the Kmart on US6 in Portage.
WNIB - Chicago/97.1  Studio is at 1140 W Erie St., transmitter on Amoco bldg.  Began in 1955, after WBBM-FM shifted over to 96.3.
WNIS -- NBC Radio's News and Information Service ran here 1975-76, then became current WKQX.
WNIZ - Zion/96.9  Simulcasts WNIB, who had bought this in the early 1990s so they could upgrade poor coverage.  Studio at WNIB.  Tower on Hwy. 31 just north of Wisconsin line.  Former calls: WKZN-FM, WAXO, maybe others?
WNIZ -- the 1500 up in Zion used this call for a bit in the 1980s, shoehorned between WKZN and WRJR.  Now WTAU.
WNMP -- original calls for Evanston/1590, from late 1940s until about 1970...now WONX.
WNND - Chicago/100.3  Studio and Transmitter is on Hancock Bldg.  Former calls: WPNT-FM, WXEZ-FM, WLOO, WFMF.
WNOI -- operated on 102.3 out of Oak Park in the late 40s.  By 1953, this would become WOPA-FM, and was eventually shifted to 102.7, now as WVAZ.
WNTD - Chicago/950  Current call, from 6/99.  Day transmitter site still  the old single tower at 16th and Western, while the night array off Torrance Ave. in Burnham is a line of 6 towers. Former calls: WIDB, WZDB, WEJM, WJPC, WGRT, WAAF.
WNTH - Winnetka/88.1  Student-run rock and alt.rock station at New Trier HS, 385 Winnetka Ave.
WNUA - Chicago/95.5  Studio is at 444 N. Michigan Ave. #444, and it transmits from the Hancock Bldg.  Former calls: WRXR, WMET, WDHF.
WNUR - Evanston/89.3  Student-run rock, jazz, reggae, creole, talk, etc. station at Northwestern U.  Office and transmitter on campus, at 1905 Sheridan Rd.  Has been on since at least 1952.
WNUS -- first news, then ez listening on 1390 from the 1965 to 1975, when WVON moved over from 1450.  Now WGCI.  Call is in Belpre, OH.
WNUS-FM -- WNUS's counterpart on 107.5, again until 1975 when changed to current WGCI-FM.
WNVR - Vernon Hills/1030  On since only the late 1980s.  Office co-habitates with fellow Polnet station WKTA, at 4320 Dundee Rd.  Tower is along the Wisconsin Central RR tracks, just south of Half Day Rd. and the Vernon Hills train station.  CP for a new, 4-tower site on Rt. 176, wnw of Crystal Lake.
WNWC -- the earliest call-sign for 92.7, from the late 1950s until it changed to WEXI in 1968.  Now WKIE.  Calls now on the 1190 in Sun Prairie, WI.
WNWI - Oak Lawn/1080  Formerly licensed to and broadcasting from Valparaiso IN, but their tower is now in Riverdale, near 138th St. west of Halsted.
WNWI -- 1080 was originally assigned to Valparaiso IN, beginning in the mid-60s, until moving west in the spring of 1998.
WOAK -- began in Oak Park, on 98.3, in the late 1940s.  Moved down to 105.9 around 1953, then soon after to 98.7 in Chicago as WFMT.  WOAK is now being used in LaGrange, GA.
WOBB -- tried 540 in 1926-27.  Call currently in Tifton, GA.
WOJO - Evanston/105.1  Studio 625 N. Michigan Ave., transmitter on Hancock Bldg.  Former call: WEAW-FM.
WOK -- after beginning as WCBZ, this moved to Homewood and bounced around the dial (mostly on 1380 or 1190) during mid-1920s.  Was taken off in late 1928, having not been assigned a frequency by the new  Federal Radio Commission.
WONC - Naperville/89.1  Student run AoR, classic rock from North Central College.  Studio and transmitter at 30 N. Brainard St, at Benton, on campus.
WONX - Evanston/1590  Studio 2100 Lee St., and uses 4 towers in a line along McCormick Blvd. near Howard St. Former calls: WLTD, WNMP.
WOPA -- 1490 took up residence at the Oak Park Arms hotel in the early 1950s, after a short time as WEBS, up until 1985 change to WBMX.  Is now WPNA, though still at the same old stand.
WOPA -- after considering WMXA, the new Chicago station on 1200 went with the classic old local call when they signed-on in the late 1980s, until switching to WLXX in 1995.
WOPA-FM -- changed from WNOI, from Oak Park on 102.3 in the early 1950s. Was upgraded to 102.7 by 1961. Became WGLD in 1970, and is now WVAZ.
WORD -- a religious station from west-suburban Batavia, on various frequencies from 1925-30.  Shared 1480 and then 1490 with WJAZ and WHT from 1928 until the frequency was re-assigned to WCKY (see WJAZ).  Call has been oft-used since, last noted in Spartanburg, SC.
WOUI - Chicago/88.9  Illinois Institute of Technology's tiny part-time station.  Studio and dinky tower in the Armour Bldg (looks like it was the original school building), 3300 S. Federal St.  Unpredictable "schedule", and signal can be messy as close as Comiskey Mallpark, only 3 blocks to the southwest?!?
WPAD -- part of the log-jam on "360 meters" (833kHz or so) in 1922, only on a year.  Calls now in Paducah KY.
WPCC -- North Shore Congregational Church's Sunday-only station, from taking over WDBY about 1925 until WJKS took control of 560 by 1933.  Now in Clinton, SC.
WPEP -- broadcast from Waukegan from 1928 to 1928, on 1410 and later 1390.  Did not survive the 1928 frequency re-assignements.  Now on the 1570 in Taunton, MA.
WPNA - Oak Park/1490  Owned by Polish National Alliance, and its office is in their HQ up at 6100 N. Cicero Ave. in Chicago.  Longtime studio and transmitter is at the Oak Park Arms hotel, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. (at  Washington Blvd).  Former calls: WBMX, WOPA, WEBS.
WPNT -- WXEZ shifted up to more pop AC in 1990, but the 820 side lasted only a few days while the deal to sell the land under its towers was finalized. (See WAIT)
WPNT-FM -- WXEZ-FM went more uptempo in early 1990, as "The Point", but backed off a bit under new owners in 1997, now WNND.
WPRZ -- 1330 in Evanston tried a desperate change in the late 1970s, after years as WEAW.  Did not work, and the station went dark in 1981.  Returned a few years later...see WKTA.  Call now being used by a religious station in Warrenton, VA.
WQJ -- shared time with WMAQ on 670 from 1923-28.  Was bought out by WMAQ in 1927, and merged with WMAQ a year later.
WQPC -- call-sign for a police facility at Harlem Ave. and Irving Park Rd.  Call is still on the building, though visible only the the leafless winter months, and its tower is still in back, used by the Illinois State Police and state Dep't of Transportation.
WQVQ -- 1430's call from the mid-70s to the early 80s, when it returned to being WEEF.
WRBC -- an early 1080 from Valparaiso IN, started by a church in 1923.  Was re-assigned to 1240 in 1928, but was gone within a couple years.
WRBI -- there was a 94.3 by these calls down in Blue Island, but only for a short time around 1949-50.
WRCK -- 94.7 went "W-Rock" during the summer and fall of 1980, little more than an interim call between the WDAI era and the 2nd try as WLS-FM.  Is now WXCD.  Call is now in Utica, NY.
WRCX - Chicago/103.5  Studio in Hancock Bldg, 875 N. Michigan #4000, transmitter on Sears Tower.  Former calls: WWBZ, WFYR, WKFM, others?
WRDZ - LaGrange/1300  The primary of Radio Disney's two O&Os in the Chicago market...also on WDDZ up in Zion.  Changed calls in December, 1998 after almost 40 years as WTAQ.  Its office is in with WLS, at 190 N. State in Chicago's Loop.  Their 6 towers are down around 115th and Austin, just off I-294 in Alsip.  Former call: WTAQ.
WREK -- original call for the 105.5 up in Woodstock, early 1960s.  Was apparently WSTK by 1974, but was WXRD not long after.  Is now WZSR.  Call since picked up by the Georgia Tech station in Atlanta.
WRHS -- Rich Township HS had a station on 88.1 in Park Forest from the mid 70s to the mid 80s.
WRJB -- a small share-timer, frequency unknown, in the early 1920s.
WRJR -- calls for 1500 in Zion from late 1984 to late 1980, somewhere between WKZN and WNIZ.  Now WDDZ.
WRKG -- another short-lived late-40s suburban station, on 103.1 from LaGrange.
WRMN - Elgin/1410  Studio at 14 Douglas St., with its 4 towers along Hopp Rd. west of Route 31 in South Elgin.  Signed on in 1949 at 1490kHz, but soon got the more open 1410.
WRMN-FM -- first calls for 94.3, but had become WJKL by around 1969.
WRRG - River Grove/88.9  Still in mono from Triton College, 2000 5th Ave. Began on 88.3, 1975?
WRSE - Elmhurst/88.7  Rock, etc. from Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave.
WRSV -- began on 102.3 in Skokie in the early 50s.  Moved to 98.3 later in the 50s, then was upgraded to 101.9 (still as Skokie) when WCLM lost its license.  Switched to WCLR in the late 60s, and is now WTMX.
WRTE - Chicago/90.5  Taken over by Mexican Fine Arts Center in 1997.  Transmitter still at 2801 S. Ridgeway. FCC has their office address as 625 W. Jackson #300, but the Mexican Fine Arts Center itself is at 1852 W. 19th St.  Former call: WCYC.
WRXR -- 95.5 took one more stab at rock in 1986-87, then finally found success as current WNUA.
WRZA - Kankakee/99.9  Best listing I could find for current office location is 851 W. Grand Ave. in Chicago.  Transmitter between I-57 and Rt. 50, just inside Will County (main reason why it's on this list).  Former calls: WBUS, WBSW, WBYG, WKAK.
WSAH -- started in 1922 on 360 meters, moved to 1210 in June 1923 but was gone by the end of the year.
WSAX -- sister station of Zenith's WJAZ, mostly on 1120 or 1470 from 1924-28.
WSBC - Chicago/1240  On since 1923.  Shared time with WCRW and WEDC from 1928 to 1997, first on 1210, then on 1240 from 1941, until both were bought out.  Office addresses are listed as 1645 W. Fullerton Ave. and 4900 W. Belmont Ave., and they still transmit from the 4949 W. Belmont tower.  They may or may not eventually move up to the old WEDC digs on Milwaukee Ave.?
WSBC-FM -- the first calls, used from 1959 to 1963, for what is now WXRT.
WSCR - Chicago/670  "The Score", of course sports-talk.  Had originated on 820, then moved over to 1160 in 1997, ending 75 years of WJJD.  Killed yet another set of historic calls (WMAQ) when WSCR and its programming were shifted to 670 in August of 2000.  Studio at 4949 W. Belmont Ave., and its big tower is on Army Trail Rd, Glendale Heights.  Former calls: WMAQ, WGU, WQJ.
WSCR -- replaced WJJD on 1160 in 1997...now on 670.
WSCR -- "Score" was originally on 820, a new station to fill the age-old allocation that was off from 1990 to 1992.  Shifted to slightly stronger, full-time 1160 in 1997.  820 is currently WYPA.
WSDM -- was on 97.9, "Smack Dab in the Middle" from the mid-60s to 1976, when the all-female ez/jazz station was thrown for a WLUP.  Presently being used in Brazil, IN.
WSEL -- on 104.3 in the late 1940s until at least 1953?  Can't tell if this became WJJD-FM (now WJMK), or was a separate operation which went bust first?  Now in Pontotoc, MS.
WSEX -- an impotent (sorry, couldn't resist, ha) oldies and/or AC station on 92.7 from 1983 until the 1990 switch to WCBR-FM.
WSOA -- briefly used by the former WHT in 1929 or so, then became WCHI.
WSSD - Chicago/88.1  Blues, gospel and talk for the far reaches of the south side.  Station address is 11026 S. Wentworth, while the transmitter is supposed to be at 92nd and Torrance.
WSSY -- used by 1330 from the mid-80s to the early 90s, then became present-day WKTA.
WSTK -- the 105.5 up in Woodstock may have used these calls for a short stretch in the mid-70s, between WREK and WXRD.  Now WZSR.
WSWS -- was on 1090 briefly around 1926 (see first WTAS), in Batavia and Wood Dale.
WTAS -- this call was first on a west suburban station, in Batavia then later Elgin, mostly on 1090 from 1922-28.  Traded calls with WCEE around 1924, but that was soon bought out by WLIB, and the call moved back to 1090 (with a brief fling as WSWS, too) until 1928, when they opted not to accept re-assignment to share 720 with WGN and WLIB.
WTAS -- the other time the call was used in Chicagoland was as the first call for the 102.3 in far-south Crete...currently WYAA.
WTAQ -- put on to serve the "Towns Along the Q" (the then-Chicago, Burlington and Quincy RR) in 1949.  The 1300 in LaGrange was WTAQ all the way up to 12/98, when new owners Radio Disney dumped them for WRDZ.
WTAU -- The 1500 waaaaay up near the Wisconsin border (in Zion) used this call-sign while simulcasting WTAQ's "La Mexicana" and "Radio Unica" in the late 1990s.  Bought by Radio Disney in 1998, and changed to WDDZ in December of that year.
WTAY -- started out in Oak Park in 1923, to become WGES by 1925...now WGCI.  Long since picked up by the station in Robinson, IL.
WTCO -- 92.7 in Arlington Heights tried country in the early 80s using these calls, then gave up for WSEX.
WTL -- broadcast for all of 3 months on 1120 during 1924.
WTMX - Skokie/101.9  Studio at 3333 W. Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood, with transmitter on Sears Tower.  Former call: WCLR.
WTQS -- a station by those calls was in Evanston, on 107.9 around 1949.
WTWV -- when the first satellite "Z-Rock" croaked around 1987, affiliates such as 106.7 tried satellite soft AC-jazz "the Wave" for awhile.  Gave up and became WYLL in 1989.
WUBT - Chicago/103.5  New call-sign for the former WRCX, changed in December, 1998 after switching from rock to more of a "Beat" as urban oldies.  Studio in Hancock Bldg, 875 N. Michigan #4000, transmitter on Sears Tower.  Former calls: WRCX, WWBZ, WFYR, WKFM, more?
WUIC -- University of Illinois-Chicago had this on 88.1 in the late 70s. Gave up and turned it off, but transmitter is now being used by WCRX.  An area web-site with an incomplete area station list notes a "WUIC" on 88.5, with an odd schedule...can't tell if it's a campus carrier-current deal, a pirate, or just someone's imagination?
WUSN - Chicago/99.5  Studio and Transmitter is on Hancock Bldg.  Former calls: WICV (never used), WEFM, WWZR.
WVAZ - Oak Park/102.7  Studio at 800 S. Wells St. #250, transmitter on Hancock Bldg.  Former calls: WBMX-FM, WBMX, WGLD, WOPA-FM, WNOI.
WVFV -- early (apparently first) call-sign used by the 103.9 in Dundee IL, started up in the late 60s.  Lou Rugani notes, "'Remember When' radio in 1970. Played only 78s!" Is now WZCH.
WVJM - Crete/102.3  Now "Jams" with urban hits.  Tower on Rt. 1, 2 miles south of Beecher.  Former calls: WYAA, WEMG, WTAS.
WVON - Cicero/1450  On 10pm-1pm, sharing time with WCEV, an arrangement set up in 1978 when two competing groups wanted to fill the hole left when the original WVON had taken over 1390 a couple years earlier.  (See also WFMT).  This half began as WXOL, but took over the WVON calls when  1390 gave them up in the mid-80s.  Studio and tower at 3350 S. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago.
WVON -- first black-owned area station, the "Voice of the Negro", when Chess Records bought out WHFC in 1963.  On 1450 until 1976, when the then-owners made a deal for the 1390/107.5 combo.  1450 would go "dark" for a time, until WFMT began interim simulcasting...see also WCEV, WXOL.
WVON -- on 1390 from 1976 to the mid-80s, when they gave up the storied calls to become WGCI.
WVUR - Valparaiso IN/95.1  Valparaiso University Radio seems to only be on school days anymore, from Kretzmann Hall on campus.  Was previously on 89.5.
WVVX -- call used by 1430 for a short time in the early 1970s, then became WQVQ for a time before returning to present-day WEEF.
WVVX-FM -- The 103.1 from Highland Park for years, until 1997 change to WXXY.  Was monophonic the entire time, far as I know.
WWAE -- began in Plainfield in the mid-20s, on various frequencies there and in Joliet, but by 1928 had moved to Hammond IN on 1200.  Would become WJOB by 1940.
WWAY -- short-lived south side station in the early 1920s.
WWBZ -- call-sign on 103.5 in the early 90s, prior to WRCX.  Moved shortly thereafter to McClellanville, SC.
WWCA - Gary IN/1270  Mexican ranchero...when it's on at all (long silent periods the past year or more).  Had a CP for a site upgrade, with change to East Chicago IN, but far as I know it never happened.  Signed-on around 1950. Has a 4-tower site near Wilson and 49th Aves, south of Gary.
WWEL -- 93.9 was "Well" after dropping WEBH-FM in the late 1960s.  Changed to WLAK in the early 70s, and is now WLIT.  Now being used in London, KY.
WWHN - Joliet/1510  Office is at 506 S. Dante Ave. in Glenwood, and their tower is along I-80 between Rowell Rd and Briggs Ave (exit #134).  Former Call: WJRC.
WWJY -- call for the 103.9 in Crown Point IN, "Joy", after switch from WFLM through most of the 80s and up to 1996...now WXRD.
WWMM -- after being WEXI for 4 years, 92.7 became full-service AC under new calls in 1972.  By 1981, however, they gave up to become country WTCO.  Now WKIE.
WWTN -- call applied for by WCFL in the late 70s, approved by the FCC but then revoked after objections from WGN.
WWZR -- Zenith's experimental FM, started up in 1940.  Was on 45.1, also as W51C, then on 98.5 when the FM band moved. Changed to 99.5 and WEFM during the late 40s, which it was until becoming WUSN in the early 1980s.
WXAV - Chicago/88.3  Mixed bag...have heard jazz, ez, oldies, swing, hard rock and more, often on the same program.  From St. Francis Xavier College, 3700 W. 103rd St. on the very far southwest side.
WXBR -- Was applied for by the new owners of WCBR-FM in 1998, and was granted by the FCC, but they never got around to using them...later wound up with WKIE instead.
WXCD - Chicago/94.7  Took over from WKXK in 1997.  Studio at 190 N State St., Transmitter is on Sears Tower.  Former calls: WKXK, WLS-FM (several times), WYTZ, WRCK, WDAI, WENR-FM.
WXET -- 105.5 in Woodstock used this from about 1983 (changed from WXRD) to when it became WAIT-FM (in 1989).  Now WZSR.
WXEZ -- 820's call in 1988-89, while simulcasting 100.3.  Since shipped out to Yorktown, VA.
WXEZ-FM -- When WLOO shifted from its long-time ez listening to go soft AC in 1988, they thought a call change was in order, too.  Gave that up near the end of 1989 to go more pop AC as WPNT-FM.
WXFM -- long-time call on 105.9.  Originally a local station for Elmwood Park, on 107.1 in the early 50s, but was one of the first up on Sears Tower.  Changed to WAGO in the mid-80s, and now WCKG.  Call now in suburban Decatur.
WXJZ -- applied for by the folks re-starting 820 in the early '90s, but never used...they went with WSCR instead.
WXLC - Waukegan/102.3  Studio/Transmitter is on 3250 Belvidere Rd., on the taller of WKRS's 2 towers.  Former call: WEFA, WKRC-FM.
WXOL -- The current WVON came on using this call-sign in 1979, until 1390 changed to WGCI in 1984.
WXRD - Crown Point IN/103.9  Office at 8105 Georgia St. in Merrillville, and their tower is on IN 55 ene of Lowell IN.  Former calls: WWJY, WFLM.
WXRD -- previously used by the 105.5 up in Woodstock, from about 1975 to 1983 or so, about when it became WXET.  Now WZSR.
WXRT - Chicago/1160  With the move of WSCR and its sports-yap from 1160 to 670 in August of 2000, the CBS/Infinity/etc owners needed to do something with their 1160 property until it could be sold (why the rush with these moves?  They aren't required to sell off the station until November!).  So, as of 8/15/00 the WSCR calls officially moved left on the dial and WXRT's calls move to 1160 for the duration, during which time 1160 and FM 93.1 simulcast.  Studio 4949 W Belmont, and 4-stick transmitting tower array is at 2355 E. Ballard Rd., next to I-294 in Des Plaines.  Former calls: WSCR, WJJD.
WXRT -- second time 'round, the once and future call-sign for the 93.1 in Chicago.  See 1160 story above for why the calls have temporarily moved to the AM dial.
WXRT -- first time around for the calls was on 101.9, licensed to Chicago, in the late 1940s. This was used for background music by the Jewel Tea supermarkets.  Was off for good by 1952.
WXRT-FM - Chicago/93.1  Temporary calls, while they are being simulcasted on the 1160 (see above).  Studio 4949 W Belmont, transmitter on Hancock Bldg.  Was on old tower behind studio until about 1982...still up, used by WYPA, maybe WSBC yet, two or more LPTVs and assorted otherness.  Former call WSBC-FM, WXRT (until temporary change at 1160, 8/00).
WXXY - Highland Park/103.1  Tower at 210 Skokie Valley Blvd, though is soon to move close to now-co-owned WKIE's facility on the far north side of Arlington Heights...no closer to Chicago, but would mean they'll cover more land and less lake.  Simulcast on WYXX, also on 103.1 but in  far-away Morris, IL.  Former calls: WVVX-FM, WEEF-FM.
WYAA -- in 1997, the 102.3 in far-south suburban Crete dropped WEMG and went gospel, co-owned with the next two stations on this list.  Three years later, they sold the station and it would become urban WVJM.
WYBA - Lansing/106.3  Tower on Bernice Rd. (just off I-80/94).  Former calls: WEJM-FM, WJPC-FM, WLNR.
WYCA - Hammond IN/92.3  Office at 6336 Calumet Ave.  Transmits from Calumet City, just inside Illinois.  Former calls: WJOB-FM, WJIZ.
WYEN -- first call for the 106.7, from the early 70s until plugging into satellite as WZRC in the mid-80s.  Operated as a suburban-oriented AC (to this day, not much signal into Chicago, even with 50k?).  Now WYLL.
WYKT - Wilmington/105.5  Studio and tower on Rt. 113 off I-55, way southwest of town, more or less in Diamond, IL.  Former calls: WDND, WLMT.
WYLL - Des Plaines/106.7  Studio at 25 Northwest Point Blvd, in an industrial Park off Arlington Heights Rd. and I-90.  Tower at southeast corner of Dundee and Arlington Heights Rds.  Former calls: WNWV, WZRC, WYEN.
WYNR -- "Wynner" tried Top 40 on 1390 around 1962, changing from WGES. Could not beat the 50kw blow-torches, so gave up for WNUS in 1965.  now WGCI.
WYPA - Chicago/820  When first using this call, they were running motivational talk as "Your Personal Acheivement".  Programming moved up the dial a bit to 750, and the calls were supposed to follow but as of last I checked they had not.  Still daytime only (sunrise to Fort Worth sunset), despite a long-standing CP for a 6-tower fulltime site, a mile  west of Rts. 83 and 171 near Lemont.  For now, using the single tower at 4949 W. Belmont Ave.  Former call: WSCR.  See WAIT for story on 820's previous incarnation.
WYSY -- 1280 was simulcasting WYSY in 1988, maybe a bit longer, before going its own way again as current WBIG.
WYSY-FM -- 107.9's call from 1988 to 1997, now WLEY.
WYTZ -- until now, this was the most successful call on 94.7, "Z-95" playing the hits from the mid-80s to early 90s. Now WXCD.  Call moved across the lake to Bridgman, MI.
WZBN -- original call for the 1500 way up in Zion, starting in the late 60s. Changed to WKZN in the early 80s, and is now WTAU.  Call sign now in Carthage, IL.
WZCH - Dundee/103.9  Transmitter near Rt. 72 and I-90, Gilberts.  Former calls: WABT, WCRM, WVFV.
WZDB -- 950 used this call briefly after changing from WEJM to satellite sports in 1997.  Apparently the preferred WIDB calls were not available immediately?
WZRC -- used by 106.7 during its satellite "Z-Rock" days, in the mid 1980s. When the first version of "Z-Rock" croaked, they switched programming, and calls to WNWV. Now WYLL. Call last heard from on the 1480 in New York City.
WZRD - Chicago/88.3  Various rock, from Northeastern IL U, 5500 N. Saint Louis Ave. on the far north side. Studio in the basement of the Student Union in middle of campus, tower at Bryn Mawr near Central Park Ave.
WZSR - Woodstock/105.5  Studio and transmitter with WAIT (on tallest [middle] of the row of 3 towers), at 8600 US 14, Crystal Lake.  Former calls: WAIT-FM, WXET, WXRD, WSTK, WREK.
WZVN - Lowell IN/107.1  Offices at 8105 Georgia St., Merrillville, and at 6405 Olcott Ave, Hammond, and their tower is east of Cedar Lake.  Formerly WLCL.

Updates to report?  Please contact the author!
My current radio market noted here.
I have part of my tape collection list online again.
Here's what I most want in return.