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WXLK

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Coordinates: 37°11′51.4″N 80°9′9.1″W / 37.197611°N 80.152528°W / 37.197611; -80.152528 (WXLK)
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WXLK
Broadcast areaNew River Valley
Southwest Virginia
Frequency92.3 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingK92
Programming
FormatTop 40 (CHR)
SubchannelsHD2: WZZU simulcast (Active rock)
Ownership
OwnerMel Wheeler, Inc.
WFIR, WSLC-FM, WSLQ, WVBB, WPLI, WPLY, WVBE-FM, WZZU
History
First air date
December 17, 1960; 63 years ago (1960-12-17)
Former call signs
  • WLRJ (1960–1973)
  • WLRG (1973–1980)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID9692
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT605 meters (1,985 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
37°11′51.4″N 80°9′9.1″W / 37.197611°N 80.152528°W / 37.197611; -80.152528 (WXLK)
Translator(s)See § HD Radio
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitek92radio.com

WXLK (92.3 FM "K92") is a commercial radio station licensed to Roanoke, Virginia, serving the New River Valley and Southwest Virginia.[2] WXLK airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned and operated by Mel Wheeler, Inc.[3]

WXLK's studios and offices are on Electric Road in Roanoke. Its transmitter is on Honeysuckle Road in Bent Mountain.[4] WXLK broadcasts in the HD Radio format.[5] The station runs at 100,000 watts effective radiated power (ERP) on a tower 1,985 feet in height above average terrain (HAAT). The Class C station can be heard into North Carolina and West Virginia. At times it can be picked up more than 200 miles away.

History

[edit]

On December 17, 1960, the station first signed on as WLRJ.[6] It was owned by Lee Hartman & Sons, a company headquartered in Roanoke that still provides audio and video services, although it no longer owns a radio station.[7] WLRJ ran at only 2,800 watts, a fraction of its current power.

The station specialized in what it called "fine music" including middle of the road artists. WLRJ was an affiliate of the ABC-FM Network.[8] It was a rare "stand alone" FM station, with no AM counterpart.

In 1972, the station was bought by CEBE Investments.[9] CEBE switched the format to beautiful music. With the new call letters WLRG, the station called itself "Large Radio - Always Beautiful."

Contemporary hit radio "K92" debuted January 1, 1980. Future WVTF general manager Glenn Gleixner, then a DJ at the station, came up with the branding and callsign – picking K because he believed it was the most memorable letter, and including an X in homage to WIXL in Newton, New Jersey, where he previously worked.[10]

Throughout the 1980s, WXLK is an affiliate of Casey Kasem's American Top 40 (since January 1981), the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, and Dan Ingram's Top 40 Satellite Survey.

In 1997, the station was acquired by its current owner, Mel Wheeler, Inc. The price tag was $7.5 million for both WXLK and 100.1 WLYK in Lynchburg, which at the time simulcast WXLK.[11] (WLYK is now WVBE-FM, which airs an urban adult contemporary format.)

Over the years, K92 launched many of its high profile on-air personalities into major market radio, including Eddie Haskell, David Lee Michaels, Cat Thomas, Sonny Joe Stevens, Marc Anthony, Ellis B Feaster, Blair Carter & Jeffrey T. Mason.

HD Radio

[edit]

HD Radio subchannel WXLK-HD2 debuted as Mainstream rock formatted "97.3 & 98.5 The Rock Channel" on December 31, 2017. The subchannel is paired with two FM translators to provide reception on analog radios:[12]

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class FCC info Notes
W247AD 97.3 FM Roanoke, Virginia 67688 99 219 m (719 ft) D LMS Relays HD2

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WXLK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  3. ^ "WXLK Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  4. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WXLK-FM
  5. ^ https://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?realid=447 HD Radio Guide for Roanoke-Lynchburg, Virginia
  6. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-62 page B-179
  7. ^ LeeHartman.com
  8. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 page B-220
  9. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1978 page C-230
  10. ^ Berrier Jr., Ralph (24 June 2018). "'Mr. Radio': Glenn Gleixner retires after 18 years as WVTF's general manager". Roanoke Times.
  11. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2000 page D-474
  12. ^ Venta, Lance (29 December 2017). "97.3 The Rock Channel To Debut In Roanoke - RadioInsight". RadioInsight.
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