DX-midAMerica.com/ Bygone Dial Guides

One thing about this neat hobby. It has taken me through most of my life. I began at 13 years old and have been dx'ing, airchecking, QSL'ing, doing this since! Had I known then what I know now I never would have shot out QSL cards/letters, old record surveys collected, or years worth of WOKY-WRIT-WZUU record surveys tossed. But, that is done. I still have some old WOKY-WRIT-WZUU surveys plus old jingles from WRIT, WOKY, WNOV, KFYR, KOIL, WAXX, WSAU, WIFC etc. Once it's in your blood.... THIS page is a listing of several midAMerica radio markets through the years. I'll start slowly and add what I can as time permits. The stuff below is very interesting indeed. If you have anything to add, please drop a note. You will be credited of course.
Shown is freq, call, power /d = daytimer only. Any notes I can muster up. Note the number of AM vs FM outlets. FM surpassed AM in listenership around 1980. Daytimers added pssa (post-sunset authorization) in the mid-80's.

LATEST SUBMISSION: Bloomington IL

Ann Arbor,MI 1974 (Source:McDonald's promotional item)
Sent in by Eric Berger.
An asterisk (*) indicates a daytime-only station, while any of Eric Berger's personal comments are in brackets [ ]
--AM--
540 - CBEF Widnsor - French [How long has this waste been there, anyway!]
560 - WQTE* Monroe - Beautiful Music
580 - CKWW Windsor - Popular Music/Talk
590 - WKZO Kalamazoo - MOR
600 - WTAC Flint - Top 40 Rock
610 - WTVN Columbus - Popular Music
630 - CFCO Chatham - Popular music
670 - WMAQ Chicago - Pop Music & Talk
680 - CFTR Toronto - Top 40
700 - WLW Cincinnati - Contemporary-pop
710 - CHYR* Leamington - Top 40
720 - WGN Chicago - MOR
760 - WJR Detroit - Pop music/news/talk
780 - WBBM Chicago - All-news
800 - CKLW Windsor - Top 30
820 - WOSU* Columbus - Public
840 - WHAS Louisville - Pop
850 - WJW Cleveland - MOR
870 - WKAR* East Lansing - Public
880 - WRFD* Worthington, OH - Solid Gold Oldies
890 - WLS Chicago - Top 40
900 - WFRO* Fremont - MOR
910 - WFDF Flint - Contemporary-pop
930 - WEOL Elyria-Lorain - MOR
950 - WWJ Detroit - All-News
970 - WKHM Jackson - Pop
1000 - WCFL Chicago - Top 40
1050 - WPAG* Ann Arbor - Pop-talk-news-farm
1070 - CHOK Sarnia - Pop
1080 - WOAP* Owosso - MOR [They spelled it 'Owasso']
1090 - WIID* Garden City - Ethnic-foreign language
1100 - WWWE Cleveland - MOR [Remember 3-W-E?]
1130 - W-CAR Detroit - Contemporary-Rock
1190 - WOWO Fort Wayne - Top 40
1210 - WKNX* Saginaw - Pop-contemporary
1220 - WGAR Cleveland - Solid Gold Oldies
1230 - WCWA Toledo - Solid Gold Rock
1240 - WJIM Lansing - Pop
1270 - WXYZ Detroit - Contemporary-pop
1290 - WNRS* Saline - Country & Western
1310 - WNIC Dearborn - Beautiful Music (Nice)
1320 - WILS Lansing - Top 40
1340 - WEXL Royal Oak - Country & Western
1350 - WHMI* Howell - Pop
1370 - WSPD Toledo - Pop
1390 - WCER* Charlotte - MOR
1400 - WJLB Detroit - Soul music
1440 - WCHB Inkster - Soul music [I came across a phone directory in the garage from 1977; WCHB at one time was all-Disco!]
1450 - WIBM Jackson - Top 40
1460 - WPON Pontiac - Pop
1470 - WOHO Toledo - Pop music & Talk
1480 - WSDS* Ypsilanti - Modern Country
1490 - WABJ Adrian - MOR
1500 - WDEE Detroit - Modern Country
1520 - WFYC* Ypsilanti - Gospel & Religion [!]
1550 - CBE Windsor - Variety of programs
1560 - WTOD* Toledo - Modern Country
1600 - WAAM Ann Arbor - Top 40
--FM--

88.1 - WEMU Ypsilanti - Classical & Rock from EMU
88.7 - CJOM Windsor - Free-form progressive rock
89.5 - WCBN Ann Arbor - folk-rock-soul-classical from U of M
90.5 - WKAR East Lansing - Classical/fine arts from MSU
90.9 - WDTR Detroit - Detroit Board of Education [How long has this waste of electricity been on the air, anyway?]
91.7 - WUOM Ann Arbor - Classical/fine arts from U of M
92.3 - WCAR Detroit - Popular-contemporary, "New 92"
92.5 - WMHE Toledo - Escape to Beautiful Music!
93.1 - WDRQ Detroit - Top 40 mixed with soul

93.9 - CKLW Windsor - Modern Country Music, Radio 94
94.1 - WBBC Jackson - Beautiful music
94.7 - WHNE Birmingham - All Oldies-All the Time! Honey 95
94.9 - WVIC East Lansing - Top 40 and Progressive
95.5 - WLDM Detroit - Traditional Easy Listening
96.3 - WJR Detroit - Beautiful Music
97.1 - WWJ Detroit - Music-One/Easy Listening
97.5 - WJIM Lansing - Beautiful Music
97.9 - WMZK Detroit - Ethnic-All foreign language
98.3 - WVMO Monroe - Country Music
98.7 - WBFG Detroit - Full-time Gospel & Religion
99.1 - WFMK East Lansing - Pop-Contemporary music
99.5 - WABX Detroit - Free-form Progressive Rock
99.9 - WKLR Toledo - Soul, Blues, Jazz
100.3 - WNIC Dearborn - NICe-Music/Easy Listening
100.7 - WITL Lansing - Stereo Modern Country
101.1 - WRIF Detroit - Familiar rock-pop-progressive
101.5 - WLQR Toledo - Popular Beautiful Music
101.9 - WDET Detroit - Fine Arts/Classical from WSU
102.3 - WPOS Holland, OH - Religious/Gospel music
102.5 - WGER Bay City - Beautiful Music
102.7 - WBRB Mount Clemens - Popular music & Talk
102.9 - WNRZ Ann Arbor - Country Days, Progressive Nights
103.5 - WMUZ Detroit - Religion/Gospel Music
103.9 - WLEN Adrian - Pop & Country Music
104.3 - WOMC Detroit - Contemporary Beautiful Music
104.7 - WIOT Toledo - Free-form progressive rock
105.1 - WQRS Detroit - Fine Arts & Classical
105.5 - WXEZ Sylvania, OH - Beautiful Music (E-Z)
105.9 - WJZZ Detroit - W-JaZZ is full-time jazz
106.1 - WKHM Jackson - Popular music
106.7 - WWWW Detroit - Progressive-Rock music [where Howard Stern got his start]
107.1 - WPAG Ann Arbor - Pop-talk days, Country nights
107.5 - WGPR Detroit - Soul & Blues
107.9 - WGMZ Flint - Beautiful Music

Ann Arbor,MI November 1975 (Source:McDonald's promotional item)
Sent in by Eric Berger.
An asterisk (*) indicates a daytime-only station, while any of Eric Berger's personal comments are in brackets [ ]
AM
540 - CBEF Widnsor - French
560 - WHND* Monroe - Honey Radio - All Oldies, rock
580 - CKWW Windsor - Popular Music/Talk
590 - WKZO Kalamazoo - MOR
600 - WTAC Flint - Top 40 Hit Music (Big 6)
610 - WTVN Columbus - Popular Music
630 - CFCO Chatham - Popular music
670 - WMAQ Chicago - Modern Country Music 24 hours
700 - WLW Cincinnati - Contemporary-pop
710 - CHYR* Leamington - Top 40 (730 AM at night)
720 - WGN Chicago - MOR, talk, news, sports
760 - WJR Detroit - Pop music/news/talk/sports
780 - WBBM Chicago - All-news
800 - CKLW Windsor - Top 30 (The Big 8)
820 - WOSU* Columbus - Public
840 - WHAS Louisville - Pop
850 - WJW Cleveland - MOR
870 - WKAR* East Lansing - Public
880 - WRFD* Worthington, OH - Solid Gold Oldies (50s & 60s)
890 - WLS Chicago - Top 40 (Musicradio 89) 24 hours
900 - WFRO* Fremont - MOR & Pop
910 - WFDF Flint - Contemporary-pop
930 - WEOL Elyria-Lorain - MOR
950 - WWJ Detroit - All-News & Talk, Sports/Music Nights
970 - WKHM Jackson - Pop
1000 - WCFL Chicago - Top 40 from Super CFL
1050 - WPAG* Ann Arbor - MOR-talk-news-farm

1070 - CHOK Sarnia - Pop
1080 - WOAP* Owosso - Pop-MOR [They spelled it 'Owasso']
1090 - WIID* Garden City - Ethnic-foreign language
1100 - WWWE Cleveland - MOR & Sports
1130 - W-CAR Detroit - Automated Pop-Contemporary Music
1190 - WOWO Fort Wayne - Top 40
1210 - WKNX* Saginaw - Pop Music mixed with oldies
1220 - WGAR Cleveland - Pop-Rock & 1960s Oldies mixed
1230 - WCWA Toledo - Solid Gold Rock, plus pop hits
1240 - WJIM Lansing - Popular Music & Features
1270 - WXYZ Detroit - Top 40 Hits & Oldies, MusicRadio
1290 - WNRS* Saline - Great American Country Music
1310 - WNIC Dearborn - NICe-Music, soft easy listening
1320 - WILS Lansing - Top 40
1340 - WEXL Royal Oak - Inspiration Radio-Gospel Music
1350 - WHMI* Howell - Pop
1370 - WSPD Toledo - Pop/MOR
1390 - WCER* Charlotte - Pop/Contemporary music
1400 - WJLB Detroit - Soul music
1440 - WCHB Inkster - Super CHB; Soul music all the time
1450 - WIBM Jackson - Top 40
1460 - WPON Pontiac - Popular music, soul at night
1470 - WOHO Toledo - Pop music & Talk
1480 - WSDS* Ypsilanti - Modern Country
1490 - WABJ Adrian - MOR
1500 - WDEE Detroit - Modern Country-Radio 15
1520 - WYFC* Ypsilanti - Gospel & Religion [!]
1550 - CBE Windsor - Variety of programs
1560 - WTOD* Toledo - Modern Country
1600 - WAAM Ann Arbor - Top 40 Hit Music, soul at night
--FM--
88.1 - WEMU Ypsilanti - Classical & Rock from EMU
88.7 - CJOM Windsor - Pop-Beautiful Music; automated
89.3 - WSDP Plymouth - Rock & Variety/Sports from Plymouth High School
89.5 - WCBN Ann Arbor - folk-rock-soul-classical from U of M
90.5 - WKAR East Lansing - Classical/fine arts from MSU
90.9 - WDTR Detroit - Detroit Board of Education
91.7 - WUOM Ann Arbor - Classical/fine arts from U of M
92.3 - WCAR Detroit - Automated Popular Music mixed with Oldies
92.5 - WMHE Toledo - Commercial Progressive Rock, familiar LPS, etc.
93.1 - WDRQ Detroit - Hot 40 mixed with soul (93-Q)
93.9 - CKLW Windsor - FM 9/4 Country; Modern Country Music in Stereo
94.1 - WHFI Jackson - Always Beautiful music on w-HI-FI/FM 94
94.7 - WHNE Birmingham - Honey Radio: All Oldies-All the Time!
94.9 - WVIC East Lansing - Top 40 Rock, with Progressive at night (AM-730)
95.5 - WLDM Detroit - Traditional Easy Listening until 2AM daily
96.1 - WHNN Bay City - Top 40 Hits; Super Win Radio
96.3 - WJR Detroit - Beautiful Music around the clock
97.1 - WWJ Detroit - The New Music One; Beautiful Music on FM 97
97.5 - WJIM Lansing - Beautiful Music
97.9 - WMZK Detroit - Ethnic-All foreign language
98.3 - WVMO Monroe - MOR & Country & Western Mix
98.7 - WBFG Detroit - We Broadcast For God; All Gospel Music
99.1 - WFMK East Lansing - New Progressive Rock Albums on 99/FMK
99.5 - WABX Detroit - Semi-free-form Progressive Rock
99.9 - WKLR Toledo - Soul, Blues, Jazz on KooLoR Radio 99
100.3 - WNIC Dearborn - NICe-Music/Easy Listening (1310 AM)
100.7 - WITL Lansing - Stereo Modern Country (AM 1010)
101.1 - WRIF Detroit - Familiar rock-pop-progressive
101.5 - WLQR Toledo - Popular Music presented in soft stylings
101.9 - WDET Detroit - Fine Arts/Classical from WSU
102.3 - WPOS Holland, OH - Religious/Gospel music
102.5 - WGER Bay City - Powerful Beautiful Music
102.7 - WBRB Mount Clemens - Popular-MOR & Talk
102.9 - W-103 Ann Arbor - Album Rock, progressive, semi-free-form in style
103.5 - WMUZ Detroit - Religion/Gospel Music
103.9 - WLEN Adrian - MOR & Country & Western mix
104.3 - WOMC Detroit - Bright contemporary approach to Easy Listening
104.7 - WIOT Toledo - Free-form hard progressive rock
105.1 - WQRS Detroit - Fine Arts & Classical
105.5 - WXEZ Sylvania, OH - Beautiful Music (E-Z On the Mind)
105.9 - WJZZ Detroit - W-JaZZ is full-time jazz
106.1 - WKHM Jackson - Popular music same as AM 970
106.7 - WWWW Detroit - Quadraphonic W/4, familiar progressive rock
107.1 - WPAG Ann Arbor - MOR days, country nights, same as AM 1050
107.5 - WGPR Detroit - Soul & Blues
107.9 - WGMZ Flint - Beautiful Music all the time on FM/108

From the above lists, does anyone remember the 3 Top40's in Toledo? WOHO, WTTO and WTOD with the "Pop-O-Meter" survey. WOHO had the "Good Guys" and the Music Guide. WIBM's survey was the "WIBM Computerized Survey" which looked like an IBM punch card. 1600-WAAM in 1967 had the Top 16 singles and the Top 16 albums!

Bismarck, ND 1974 (Source:Vane Jones Log)
550 KFYR 5000 Top40 "K-Fire" ["K-Firemen" from 1967 KFYR "Torrid 20" survey: Tom Turcotte, Dan Brannan, Brian Bennett, Bob Bitz, Orly Knutson]
1130 KBMR 10000d (here from 1350 w/500d)
1270 KWWB 1000d
92.9 KFYR-FM [EZL in '69, Drake oldies in 72ish, later Top40 as Y93 (KYYY) against co-owned KFYR-AM in 1975]
94.5 KBMR-FM

Bloomington, IL 1983
AM:
560 WIND Chicago (Spanish)
580 WILL Urbana (news/talk)
670 WMAQ Chicago (news)
720 WGN Chicago (full service)
780 WBBM Chicago (news)
890 WLS Chicago (news/talk)
1000 WLUP Chicago (personality rock)
1020 WPEO Peoria (religious)
1080 WPOK Pontiac (nostalgia)
1140 WVEL Pekin (Christian)
1160 WJJD Chicago (nostalgia)
1220 WLPO LaSalle (diverse)
1230 WJBC Bloomington (full service)
1250 WIZZ Streator (MOR)
1290 WIRL Peoria (AC)
1340 WSOY Decatur (AC)
1350 WXCL Peoria (country)
1370 WPRC Lincoln (country)
1400 WDWS Champaign (news/talk)
1470 WMBD Peoria (AC)
1520 WHOW Clinton (country)
1580 WBCP (Black hits & oldies)
FM:
88.1 WESN Bloomington (diverse)
88.9 WLNX Lincoln (diverse)
89.1 WGLT Notmal (jazz/blues/classical)
89.9 WCBU Peoria (classical/jazz)
90.9 WILL Urbana (classical)
92.5 WKIO Urbana (golden oldies)
93.1 WXRT Chicago (album rock)
93.3 WKZW Peoria  AC KZ93 
94.3 WQEZ Chillicothe (beautiful music)
94.5 WLRW Champaign (AC)
95.5 WGLO Pekin (AC)
95.9 WHOW Clinton (easy listening)
96.7 WIHN Normal (AC/oldies)
97.5 WHMS Champaign (light rock)
97.7 WSTQ Streator (country)
98.3 WZOR Farmer City (country)
98.5 WCRI Eureka (MOR)
99.3 WAJK LaSalle (AC)
100.1 WESZ Lincoln (country)
101.5 WBNQ Bloomington (CHR)
102.3 WTAZ Morton (talk/sports/news)
102.9 WSOY Decatur (AC)
103.1 WJEZ Pontiac (easy listening)
104.1 WBWN Bloomington (country)
104.9 WPXN Paxton (oldies)
105.7 WWCT Peoria (classic rock)
106.3 WGCY Gibson City (beautiful music)
106.9 WSWT Peoria (AC)
107.1 WPGU Champaign (diverse)

560 WEBC 5000
610 KDAL 5000
710 WDSM 5000
850 WWJC 10000d
970 WAKX 500d [Top40 "Wax". Old jingles I have have WAKX on 1320!]
1390 KAOH 500d
98.9 KPIR
103.3 WDTH
105.1 WGGR

920 WMPL 1000d 
1400 WHDF 1000
93.5 WMPL-FM

920 WMPL 1000d REL/Talk
1340 WDXW L'Anse CP:never used
1400 WCCY 1000 C&W [Taped]
93.5 WZRK [AoR&. Was Top40 as Z-93 is mid80's]
97.7 WHUH Top40 [Taped. CP for 96.3 never used]
98.7 WTHV Hancock CP:never used UNTIL WGLI built
102.3 WAAH 3000 @ 328' CP:NEW
104.3 WJMY Baraga [CP in 1989]