WSSL-FM

WSSL-FM
Gray Court, South Carolina;
Broadcast area	Greenville - Spartanburg - Upstate South Carolina
Frequency	100.5 MHz
Branding	Whistle 100.5
Programming
Format	Country
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc.; (iHM Licenses, LLC);
Sister stations	WESC, WESC-FM, WGVL, WMYI, WROO
History
First air date	November 1960; 64 years ago
Former call signs	WLBG-FM (1960-1970s); WGXL (1970s-1981)
Call sign meaning	Sounds like "whistle"
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	59819
Class	C0
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	381 meters (1,250 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	34°34′18.00″N 82°06′44.00″W / 34.5716667°N 82.1122222°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wsslfm.iheart.com

WSSL-FM (100.5 MHz, "Whistle 100.5") is a commercial radio station licensed to Gray Court, South Carolina, and serving Greenville, Spartanburg and Upstate South Carolina. It airs a country music format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on North Main Street in downtown Greenville. On weekdays, WSSL-FM carries two nationally syndicated country music programs, The Bobby Bones Show heard evenings and After Midnite with Granger Smith heard overnight.

WSSL-FM is a Class C0 station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter is off Bethel Grove Church Road near Sawmill Road in Gray Court.^[2] Its auxiliary transmitter next to the main transmitter operates at 98,000 watts ERP. WSSL-FM broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 digital subchannel formerly carried iHeartRadio's "Club Jam Country" channel, which played rhythmic country songs. The HD2 subchannel has since been turned off.

History

The first station at 100.5 MHz in the Greenville-Spartanburg market was WDXY-FM, a sister station to WORD 910 AM in Spartanburg. It was owned by the Spartanburg Radiocasting Company and launched in 1948.^[3] But with few people owning FM receivers in that era, the owners saw little opportunity to make the station profitable. The company turned in the license after a few years.

A new station signed on the air in November 1960; 64 years ago (November 1960). The call sign was WLBG-FM, the FM sister to WLBG 860 AM in Laurens. It became WGXL in the 1970s. The tower was moved to Gray Court and the power was increased to allow it to be heard in the Greenville-Spartanburg radio market. Well known local disc jockey Monty Dupuy moved his morning show from WFBC 1330 AM to what was then called "XL Stereo 100." Former WFBC-TV news director Dave Partridge also provided news on the station during this time.

WGXL was sold in the early 1980s to the Keymarket Group, which flipped the station to country music in September 1981. The call letters became WSSL-FM.

In August 2000, the station was acquired by Capstar.^[4] Capstar was later merged into Clear Channel Communications, the forerunner to today's iHeartMedia. This meant WSSL would be co-owned with competing country station WESC-FM 92.5 MHz. Musically, the stations were similar and both scored well in the ratings. Over time, WSSL became the more contemporary country station with WESC-FM leaning toward classic country. WSSL is home to the popular Ellis & Bradley morning show.

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WSSL-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Radio-Locator.com/WSSL
^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1954 page 287. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-460. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

External links

Official website
Facility details for Facility ID 59819 (WSSL-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
WSSL-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

[1] "Facility Technical Data for WSSL-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[2] Radio-Locator.com/WSSL

[3] Broadcasting Yearbook 1954 page 287. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

[4] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-460. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

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