Chicagoland Radio History

• WNUS -- ez listening on 1390 from the mid-60s 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 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 WCBR-FM. 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 in about 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/98.1 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 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 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 -- Evanston/1330. Was WEAW for years, then tried a change in the late 70s. Did not work, and the station went dark in 1981. Returned a few years later...see WKTA. 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,
• 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. Should soon have its office 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. 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 1490, 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. 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/1160 "The Score", of course sports-talk. Studio at 4949 W. Belmont Ave., and 4-stick array is at 2355 E. Ballard Rd., next to I-294 in Des Plaines. Moved over from 820 in 1997, ending 75 years of WJJD.
• 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 currently WYPA.
• WSDM -- was on 97.9, "Smack Dab in the Middle" form 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 1949-50.
• 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 a big music switch. 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 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 at 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.
• 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 Gospel...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" during the 1960s and a bit before then as well. 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 WCBR-FM.
• 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 at 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 (by 1990). 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 at 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/93.1 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 -- 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.
• 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 - Crete/102.3 Co-owned with next two stations. Tower on Rt. 1, 2 miles south of Beecher. Former calls: WEMG, WTAS
• 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 ez WNUS by 1965; now WGCI.
• WYPA - Chicago/820...as of when I type this anyway, as "Your Personal Acheivement" programming moved up the dial a bit to 750, and the calls may follow to replace WNDZ. 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 freom 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.

You can return to Part One (KFKX to WHFH), to Part Two (WHIP to WNUR), or go back to the Call History Introduction Zone.

Current Chicagoland radio information is available hereabouts.

Comments? Use the code key!

---

Back to Radio Lant!

(A-Wunnerful, a-Wunnerful! Now-a lets hear-a from the Lennon Sister-uz!)

---

Back to the Home Front!

---

yippee

---

Radio History Links

Return to the History Intro Page
Go back to section 1 (up to WHT)
Re-check section 2 (up to WNWI)
Look at the current radio situation
MarkTime's main radio page
MarkTime RealLife HomePage