RADIO History

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Radio came into the Huntsville market on AM in the 1920's as many clear channel
stations across the country would beam in at night. WSM,WLS,WLAC and WSB
were just a few of the clear channel stations that would beam in. During the daytime
hours some Birmingham and Nashville stations would beam in. The FCC assigned
WBHS a construction permit in 1931 and they went on-air in 1932. The frequency
1200 AM became WBHP in 1937 (after the FCC cancelled WBHS's license) Please
feel free to e mail additions into database. lance@huntsvillerewound.com      

                              interesting Birmingham/Nashville radio sites:

         

                         enjoy!!!

 

 

1920KDKA-AM signs on in Pittsburg PA

1931WBHS issued Construction Permit-May,1931 and signs on April 22,1932  1200 AM

               The station was owned by "The Hutchens Company" WBHS=Worlds Best Hardware Store (went off air by 1935) 

   

1933WNRA(National Recovery Act) (later WMSD/WLAY) signs on in Muscle Shoals becomes WLAY in 1942

1935WMSL in Decatur signs on

1937WBHP-AM starts on 1200AM on May 20,1937 call letters=Wilton (Benny) H. Pollard

              FM(low band) starts in larger US cities

1941The Big Switch-Most AM stations move to a new frequency to accommodate AM band being expanded to 1600 AM (from 1500 AM)  (WBHP moves from 1200 to 1230AM)

1945The FCC announces NEW FM band 88-108 Mhz. All existing stations must move.

1946WHBS-AM starts on 1490 AM on November 10,1946 (The Huntsville Times)

 

WFUN-AM starts on 1450 AM on November 26,1946 (later WFIX/WKGL/WHOH/WTKI)

 

               1957 ad         original station was in this building. Tower in the '50's from Memorial Parkway

 

1947WHOS-AM 800 starts in Decatur

1948WJMW-AM 730 starts in Athens (after moving from Pulaski TN)(Bob Dunnavant)

               WHBS-AM starts FM service on 95.1 FM     

               Florence FM station on in 1950's on 98.3

1952WHBS-AM moves to 1550 with more power. 

1953Conelrad Emergency Broadcast System rolled out 640AM/1240 AM

        WAJF/1490 starts in Decatur (vacated by WHBS)

1955 WMSL-FM starts on 92.5. does not last long 

         WHRT-AM goes on the air (Hartselle) later WYAM/890-AM  

1957WHBS drops FM on 95.1 after 10 years of FM not catching on

1958WEUP starts as a daytimer on 1600 AM

               WFUN becomes WFIX (WFUN's call-letters go to Miami FL "FUN in the sun")

               WJOF-FM signs on in Athens 104.3

                WHBS-AM is sold and becomes WAAY-AM and goes Rock and Roll

           

 

1959WAHR-FM starts on 99.1 FM (classical and jazz)Arnold Hornbuckle Radio

               WHOS-FM starts on 102.1 FM the station is a variety of formats over the years ,later

              

           

1960WNDA starts on 92.9,moves to 95.1 in 1964(WHBS-FM's old frequency)

1961FM STEREO approved by FCC

1962WVNA-100.3 in Sheffield AL goes on (Huntsville gets this station in 2006)

1964WKAC-AM signs on in Athens

1965WRSA-FM signs on from Brindlee Mountain

1968WVOV-AM signs on AM1000

1970WIXC-AM 1140 signs on

1973WBGY-FM 93.3 FM signs on in Tullahoma TN (Boogie 93)

Radio Flashback

from the "Great American WAAY Boombox"(click to play)


you-are-there-1958-b..>
and-it-shall-be-my-d..>  
bud mack - waay radi..>     
dee scott (mds) show..>  
dee scott (mds) show..>   
dewey-webb-news-clos..>   
don't-go-away1550-ji..>   
jingle for waay radi..>    
let's see what the w..>    
mommie-and-me-love-w..>              
waay radio weather r..> 
waay-fashback.mp3        
waay-morepower.mp3      
waay-radio-fashback.mp3    
waay-radio-wx-intro.mp3 
what's the weather -..>  
what's the weather -..>
solid-rock-2-song - ..> 
WAAY - PAMS series 42-q-superstar.mp3
WAAY - PAMS a-capellas-40.mp3
WAAY - PAMS 34-cut-27.mp3
WAAY - PAMS shouts.mp3
WAAY - PAMS a-capellas-31-32-33(1970).mp3
WAAY - PAMS series-29.mp3
WAAY - PAMS holidaze.mp3  
1978 Jay Fredericks  (with part of a KEY-CALL)
1984 Aircheck Bill Bailey1    (youTube)
1984 Aircheck Bill Bailey2    (youTube)               

Desert Rat-1978, WAAY Radio, Huntsville, AL1978 TV ad

1967       music below"Huntsville, That's my Hometown"1967  REALAUDIO

from the "WVOV Jukebox/8 Track player"

(click to play)

WVOV sing
WVOV moremusic
WVOV ABC news
WVOV aircheck
WVOV 76/79 ('79 is in country era)  (DXed in VA)
WTAK 1985
WTAK signoff 1988
WTAK Greg "Dr. Sheppard" Allen "The Electric Medicine Show" 1993

 

                

ads from WEUP,WVOV,WBHP,WAHR and WBHP.  WBHP radio's (and later WHNT-TV) Grady Reeves

 

1976WLRH-FM 89.3 signs on (owned by the Huntsville Public Library) (first NPR station in state!)  

               WQEN (Q-104)(Top 40) in Gadsden moves it's tower and goes 100,000 watts. Has many listeners in Huntsville
               The station is now in Birmingham.
    excellent retro site (Click logo)

               WAAY radio takes over Huntsville Christmas Parade as many of the Downtown Huntsville Merchants close because of
               downtown street project failure (same findings as Albertville and Haleyville AL) WAAY-TV takes over later

                           

1977WLRH-FM starts Radio Reading service on subcarrier

1978WZYP goes Top 40 with 50,000 watts

               WLRH starts Radio Reading Service

               WQLT-FM 107.3 (Florence) goes 100,000 watts

1979WOCG-FM 90.1 signs on Oakwood college

1980WZYP goes 100,000 watts

               WAAY-AM goes 50,000 watts (500 night still)

               EZ98 starts on Group W Cable (FM easy) 98.1

               WLRH goes to NPR satellite programming    listen

1981WTAK starts on AM 1000 as a MOR station (later Oldies, Urban Fusion and Rock again)

                                  

               MTV starts nationally

1982WABT-AM 1360 starts in Madison

                MTV starts in Huntsville

1983WJMW moves to 770 AM STEREO and goes 24 hours

1984WDRM goes country 102.1

               WAAY-AM/WBHP-AM/WLAY-AM/WMSL-AM go AM STEREO

               WIXC becomes WKZF

                WJRA-Priceville goes on the air-1310

 

1985WKZF becomes WIXC again

1986WABT/1360 becomes WDKT/730 D-73

1987WBGY 93.3 moves transmitter to Elora TN and covers Huntsville with a Top 40 format and becomes WKQD "Power 93"

                   

1988WJMW becomes WVNN-AM 770 and goes all-news

                WHOS-AM 800 goes all-Elvis

                WAAY-AM goes silent

1989WAAY-AM becomes WAAJ-1550 with Gospel format

                several translators come online in Huntsville running WKDF-FM Nashville TN

                WBHP/WHOS begin simulcasting WDRM-FM

1990WFIX 1450 goes Cool-Gold as WKGL

                WAY-FM translators start,later launch local station on 88.1

 

1991WJAB goes on the air 90.9

               WYAM-FM signs on 106.1 FM

               93.3 goes country WHVK

               WIXC becomes WBXR 1140 AM

1992WAZK-FM starts on 92.5 in Decatur with Classic Rock

                AM 1450 goes talk as WTKI

1993106.1 becomes WTAK-FM

               WTAK-AM 1000 becomes WDJL and goes religious

                730 becomes WBBI and goes all-news

1994WEUP/1600 gets a FM 92.1 in Minor Hill TN and gets FM translators in Huntsville

1995WWXQ starts on 94.1

               93.3 tries country with "The Twister" and WPZM (The 'Possom)

               AM 730 becomes "The UMP" (Sports) WUMP

199692.5/94.1 "WXQ"simulcast starts with mix and later oldies

               A different WYAM-FM starts on 105.7 (later WQAH)

1997WBHP/WHOS begin simulcast with News

1998WLOR signs on 1550 AM (after several years of dead air) as daytimer

1999WKDF translators switch to WBUZ (KDF changes format)

2000WNDA is sold and becomes country for 2 weeks and then WRTT/Rocket 95        

        WEUP starts AM1700 frequency and buys a station in Moulton and starts 103.1 branding

200193.3 goes Country again as WUSX (US93)

2002XM and Sirius Satellite Radio sign-On in US. This changes some radio habits.

               93.3 becomes "The Mix" with '80's hits WMXR

               WLOR/1550 rebrands as 'Jammin 1550 (and starts night operation again)

2003WHRP starts on 93.3 with R&B/Rap

2005WBUZ translators begin carrying WQPR programming (APR)

2006100.3 comes from Florence and 92.5/94.1 combo rebrands as "The River" on 100.3

               92.5 becomes WVNN-AM simulcast

               94.1 becomes WHRP-FM simulcast (and later takes the format)

               WEUP-AM goes to 1700 only, 1600 goes off air

               HD Radio launches on WTAK/WDRM/WQRV

2007WOCG becomes WJOU (Oakwood College becomes Oakwood University)

                AM 1600 becomes WHIY with Urban Blues and Oldies

                WHWT signs on 103.5

200893.3 goes country as WWFF

               1550 WLOR goes to "True Oldies Channel" Format

                The UMP(730) gets FM translator at 103.9 FM

2009WLOR-AM gets FM Translator at 98.1 FM

                1490(Decatur)/1450(HSV) go silent

                WKZD starts translator on 105.3 (Priceville/Oldies)

                 new WTKI-1450/WEKI-1490 signback on Fox Sports/CBS News

2010WTKI/WEKI translators begin 92.9(HSV) 94.7(DEC)

                 WBHP-AM goes FM on 106.5 (old WTAK-FM translator) (technically WQRV-HD2)

                WZZN/97.7 moves from Oneonta  "The Zone"

2011HD Radio launches on WLRH and new transmitter on Monte Sano (Classical 24/7 on HD2)

                93.3 drops Country for the 6th time and becomes "Journey 93.3"

today's websites for Huntsville Metro:RADIO

01/24/2012 08:56:58 PM

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