Chicagoland Radio History

• 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 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.
• 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-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. 820 allocation eventually returned, as WSCR.
• WAIT-FM -- used by the 105.5 up Woodstock way, 1990-91. 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.
• WARL - a Construction Permit was issued for Marengo/89.9, in March 1997. It's listed as such on the FCC database, but the mailing address is Corydon IN, and the transmitter map points to somewhere near English IN, both much closer to Louisville than Chicago?!
• 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 Aurora/107.9, when still a local station up to about 1988, when they switched to WYSY.
• 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 Aurora/107.9, when still a local station up to about 1988, when they switched to WYSY.
• WAXO -- Zion/96.9, though started in Kenosha in 1962. Became WKZN in 1969, moved to Zion in 1973, and became WNIZ when WNIB bought it because its frequency was adjacent to 97.1. Now WNIZ.
• 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 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. Began its life in downstate Lincoln, in 1924, but by the end of the year the Atlass Investment Corp. moved it up to Chicago.
• 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, 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.
• 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 U of Mass. 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 first 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 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 Chicago/820 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. Studio and transmitter at 120 W. University, off Arlington Heights and Dundee Rds. Former calls: WSEX, WTCO, WWMM, WEXI, WNWC.
• 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. Now part of WGN.
• WCEV - Cicero/1450 "We're Chicagoland's Ethnic Voice", on the air from 1 to 10pm daily since 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), #1059 in Chicago. Transmitter at 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 Dundee/103.9 from 1983 to 1990, between WVFV and WABT. Call now down in Fort Myers FL.
• WCRW -- started by Charles 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 by the mid-80s it moved to 90.5 and to 28th and Ridgeway on the west side. 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 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? 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 Wilmington/105.5 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? Don't know if they ever used the old FM tower in southwest Evanston...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. 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 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 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 E Fink. 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 Rds. 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 Waukegan/102.3 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 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 to 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...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 -- on 103.9, around 1960-61, from northwest suburban Elgin. Not related to the facility started just upriver 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 K Bridgman 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 over-the-air 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: WGNB, WOAK. 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 St. 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. 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 a little murky, but it would amount to 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 -- 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 present-day WMAQ in 1923.
• 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. Has been in Sheboygan WI, for the most part on 1330, since 1928.
• 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 -- 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?

So endeth Part 1.
Continue on to Part Two for WHIP to WNUR.
Part Three will have WNUS through WZVN.

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