BROADCAST PRO-FILE

W1XPW, W65H fm, WDRC-FM, WFMQ fm, WHCN fm

As one of twelve “Apex” AM high frequency broadcast stations, W1XSL was authorized by the Federal Communications Commission in 1936 to Franklin M. Doolittle, licensee of Hartford, Connecticut’s WDRC. W1XSL was constructed in that year atop a site in the Meriden Mountains near Hartford, and was to use 1,000 watts of power “on the apex band.” (Those stations were licensed for frequencies above 25,000 kilocycles for transmission of aural programs for the public’s reception on an experimental basis). On January 26, 1938, the station changed call letters to W1XPW and was concurrently relicensed to WDRC Inc (F. H. Doolittle, President and majority owner). This permit allowed 1 KW experimental operation on 40.3 megacycles.

On May 13, 1939, W1XPW began over-the-air testing from atop West Peak, Meriden Mountain, where a 90 feet tall antenna mast was erected; topped with a six bay turnstile antenna. It adjoined an existing two story structure, where its 1 KW transmitter was housed. W1XPW began a regular schedule, changing from AM "apex" operation to Frequency Modulation (FM) effective October 2, 1939. At the it was claimed that W1XPW was the fourth licensed FM station in the United States (the others being two Yankee Network outlets in New England and the Milwaukee FM affiliate of WTMJ). Also in 1939, the station was reassigned to operate on 43.400 megacycles.

W1XPW began broadcasting from the WDRC studios in Hartford on September 16, 1940. WDRC Inc. was granted a construction permit for an FM station, to operate on 46.5 inegacycles on December 6, 1940, and a license was forthcoming from the FCC to cover that permit by the end of that month. W1XPW instituted commercial FM broadcasting on January 1, 1941. In the summer 1941 , W1XPW changed call letters to W65H, its new commercial letters. In August 1941, the FCC granted W65H an extension of its S. T. A. (Special Temporary Authorization) for use of 46.5 megacycles with FM emission at a power of 1 KW, allowing for a coverage area of 61.100 square miles. Station Director for licensee WDRC Inc. was F.H. Doolittle.

W65H received its new license covering commercial FM broadcasting in mid-March of 1943. Call letters were changed from W65H to WDRC-FM effective November 1, 1943. Walter B. Haase was named Station Manager of WDRC-FM in 1945. In late 1945 the FCC assigned the station high band FM operation on 94.3 megacycles while still authorized low band 46.5 megacycles. By 1946, WDRC-FM was in operation 9 hours on weekdays and It hours on Sunday on 46.5 megacycles from studios, located at 750 Main Street, mostly duplicating the WDRC CBS network program schedule. The station was operating on low band 46.5 and high band 94.3 by March of 1946. In late 1946 however, WDRC-FM was granted a permit: to change its high band dial position to 106.3 megacyles. By January 1947, it was licensed for both 46.5 megacycles and 106.3 mc. In March 1947, WDRC-FM changed frequency from 106.3 to 94.7 megacycles (at this time, it operated from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm daily).

WDRC-FM's licensee name was changed to the Connecticut Broadcasting Company (F.M. Doolittle, President and Treasurer) on May 22, 1941. Walter B. Haase continued as Station Manager. Low band transmissions ended in 1947 when WDRC-FM increased power to 7 KW on "Class B" 94.3 megacycles. Effective June 12, 1947, the FCC re-assigned the station to a new dial position -- that of 93.7 megacycles. In 1952, Mr. Haase was promoted to General manager of WDRC AM & FM . Studios of the FM station were moved in 1954 to the AM transmitting site at 869 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, Connectitut.
In early 1955 the call letters were changed from WDRC-FM to WFMQ (FM). The station was still using 7 KW of power on 93.7 megacycles. in June 1956, WFMQ (FM) was acquired from F. M. Doolittle's Connecticut Broadcasting Company by the General Broadcasting Corporation (T. Mitchell Hastinqs Jr., President and 53.7 percent owner). The assignee was the licensee of WTMH (FM) at Providence, Rhode Island. The sales application was filed with the FCC April 4th and received governmental sanction April 25th. Paid was $10 000 by The General Broadcasting Corporation to Mr. Doolittle and his associates, along with 1,000 shares of General Broadcasting stock. ln 1956 after this transfer of ownership took place, William Meola became Station Manager and independent programming began. Power was raised from 7 KW to 20 KW in 1956.

By 1957. General Broadcasting was operating "The Concert Network." which included WFMQ (FM) Hartfdrd, WTMH (FM) Providence, the new WGHF (FM) at Brookfield, Connecticut, and WFMX (FM) at New York City, all broadcasting classical music and fine arts programs. They were linked by an FM audio circuit providing high fidelity transmissions. Roger H. Strawbridge was named Assistant to the President in 1957. On April 22, 1957 the FCC granted WFMQ (FM) a construction perimit to change frequency to 105.9 megacycles. The station's licensee name was changed to the Concert Network Inc. on May 8, 1957. In late 1957, WFMQ (FM) changed call letters to WHCN (FM), (representing "Hartford Concert Network") and moved up the dial from 93.7 megacycles to 105.9 megacycles and concurently reduced power to 7 KW. The old 93.7 assigment was turned over to a new Hartford FM station, which, on November 26, 1958 was granted a new station permit by the FCC, WZMX (FM) Hartford.

President T. Mitchell Hastings held 41.7 percent of Concert Network Inc. stock by 1959. Former Station Manager, William Meola was WHCN (FM)'s Chief Engineer by 1961. The classical music formatted station's licensee was reorganized October 11, 1962 when the FCC approved a stock transfer from T. Mitchell Hastings Jr,: (now 49.6 percent owner) and 25 others, doing business as Concert Network Inc. to WHCN.Inc. (same principals as before). In early 1964 Coleman N Nee was named General Manager. at this time, WHCN (FM) was broadcasting from studios located at West Peak, Meriden, Connecticut site of its 750 foot tall antenna tower and was on the air daily from 6.55 am until 1.00 am with a "Concert Hall" music format. (Sunday sign-on was an hour later).

Marlin R. Taylor became General Manager of WHCN (FM) in 1966, the year Bryant Michaud became Station Manager. Replacing then both in 1967 was Leonard A. Cohen, who then became Vice President and General Manager. R. R. Riepen was chosen as WHCN (FM)'s new General Manager in 1968. A format shift took place with the station ending its long-time 'Beautiful Music' format May 12, 1969 when a stereo "Underground Rock Music" format was inaugurated. The FCC on December 4, 1969 granted WHCN (FM) a modification of its license to change studio location to 100 High Street, Hartford, and to operate its transmitter from there by remote control. The move to 100 High Street was carried out in 1970. Also in 1970, R. R. Riepen became President of WHCN Inc.,and Randall Mayer assumed the post of General Manager. On November 11, 1970, the station was granted permission to change studio and remote control site to 60 Washington Street, Hartford, and to increase.power.from 7 KW to 7.3 KW and reduce antenna height by 10 feet to 740 feet above ground. Studios of the "Progressive Rock Music" outlet were moved to 60 'Washington Street in 1971 and power concurrently rose to 7.3 KW (at 740 feet). In 1972, Mr. Mayer succeeded R. R. Riepen as President of the station's licensee while retaining his post of General.Manager until 1973 when Dick Paisley was appointed WHCN (FM) Vice President and General Manager.

Licensee WHCN Inc. was acquired from the former Concert Network principals by Beck-Ross Communications Inc. (Martin F. Beck, President and co-owner along with his brother-in-law attorney George E. Ross) for $560,000 in August 1974. On October 9, 1974, WHCH (FM) was qranted FCC permission to increase power from 7.3 KW to 19 KW (horizontal polarization).and,to 15.5 KW (vertical polarization). Jay I. Mitchell succeeded Mr. Paisley as vice President and General Manager in November.1974. Power changed to the new levels in 1975 from an antenha height of 740 feet. Studios continued to be located in a suite of offices at 60 Washington Street in downtown Hartford.

In 1977, WHCN (FM) affiliated with the ABC/FM Radio Network. A. William Lee succeeded Jay Mitchell, reassigned, as Vice president and General Manager of the Hartford FM station in July 1977. Studios were relocated from 60 Washington Street to new quarters at 1039 Asylum Avenue in 1979. It was now operating 24 hours a day with a stereo "Album-Oriented Rock" music format. On October 14, 1981, WHCN (FM) obtained FCC permission to change power levels to 16 KW (horizontal and vertical polarization) from a new antenna height of 867 feet. The station joined the new ABC/Rock Radio Network in the spring of 1982. In that year, power changed to 16 KW (horiz. & vert.). Boyd E. Arnold was appointed WHCN (FM)'s new Vice President and General Manager in early September 1984.

Co-owner Martin F. Beck was named Chairman of the Beck-Ross Stations in 1990. His replacement as President was co-owner James E. Champlin. Boyd E. Arnold rose to Executive Vice President and General Manager of WHCN (FM) in 1993. FM pioneer and former owner T. Mitchell Hastings died at 84 on September 27, 1994. Earlier, as a Harvard engineering graduate, he developed the first FM car radio. The station was sold on January 27, 1995 by WHCN Inc. (Martin Franklin Beck Chairman et al) to the Liberty Broadcasting Group Inc. (Mike Craven, Chairman et al) for an undisclosed purchase price, Included in the deal were Beck-Ross FM stations in Taunton, Massachusetts and Pachogue, New York. FCC approval took place November 15, 1994. In early 1995, Al Vicente succeeded Boyd E. Arnold as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the "Young Adult AOR" music formatted outlet and Gordon Weinqarth was upped to Station Manager.

In September 1996, SFX Broadcasting Inc. purchased WHCN (FM) from Mike Craven's Liberty Broadcasting Group Inc. through a stock merger totalling 100.1 million dollars. "AOR" music was replaced by a "Classic Rock" music format in September and Manuel Rodriguez was named to succeed Al Vicente as Executive Vice President. Former General Manager (1977-'85) Alan William Lee died November 9, 1996 at the age of 74. He left Hartford in 1984 to enter station ownership in Flint, Michigan.

Offices and studios at 1039 Asylum Avenue were closed in early 1998 when SFX Broadcasting consolidated its four area FM stations into existing quarters, at 10 Columbus Boulevard Hartford. It now occupied two floors of Hartford Square North. On May 29, 1998, the 31 station SFX Broadcasting group was sold to Tom Hick's Capstar Broadcastinq Partners Inc. for 2.1 billion dollars. WHCN (FM) was assigned to subsidiary Atlantic Star Communications Inc. (James,T. Shea, President), the licensee of Capstar's east coast stations. Also in 1998, Station Manager Gordon Weingarth relinquished that position to Rob Williams.

Today, WHCN (FM), Connecticut's oldest continuously licensed FM broadcast station, operates on 105.9 mHz. with a power of 16 KW (horiz. & vert.) from an 867 feet high antenna towers from studios at 10 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, Connecticut and airs a "Classic Rock" music format in stereo 24 hours a day. It remains affiliated with the ABC/Rock Network. WHCN-FM Inc. (a subsidary of Atlantic Star Communications Inc.) is licensee of the station, which is managed by Rob Williams. The merger of the Capstar Broadcasting group of stations into Chancellor Media Corporation pends.

WHCN (FM) profile/ December 30, 1999.
Broadcast Pro-File
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