WEHH
Encyclopedia
WEHH signed on the air in 1956, the third AM
radio station
to sign on in Chemung County
and the fifth to sign on in the Elmira-Corning market in New York state. Testing on the frequency may have begun as early as 1952, according to documents at the original transmitter site found by former station engineer Jim Appleton.
It originally broadcast at 500 watt
s, with a nondirectional pattern, on 1590 kHz during daylight hours from studios over Oldroyd's Grocery Store on Hanover Square in Horseheads, NY. Later, a new studio facility was constructed on Latta Brook Road east of Route 17
in the town of Horseheads. When an overpass
was built on Latta Brook Road at Route 17, the new studio was in the construction area and had to go. Another facility was built just east of the Route 17
overpass (Latta Brook Road has no interchange with the highway). For years, the studio location was identified on-air as Latta Brook Park and during weather reports the forecast was always ended with "the current temperature is ... in beautiful Latta Brook Park." The single tower non directional antenna was fed by a trusty Collins 550A transmitter and was located in a field across the highway from the station. It stood until a storm
in the early 2000s blew it down across Latta Brook Road, according to Appleton.
The station, founded by Frank P. Saia was owned by the Elmira Heights-Horseheads Broadcasting Company (family owned) for many years and was the first rock'n'roll station in the market. In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s area teenagers held their transistor radios close, listening to RadioActive WEHH, Superhit Radio WEHH, and finally Rainbow Radio WEHH. Ed "Knucklehead" Knowles was the station's leading personality in the late 50's and early 60's. He did many Record Hops in the area with his engineer Rod Denson
. Other DJs during that time were, Bob Welch, and Lou Coughlin.
In the 1950's and 1960's, students rushed to the nearest drugstore for their free copy of the WEHH Fabulous 50, which detailed the 50 top hit songs of the day. Those drugstores were pretty smart because after the kids checked out the first 5 or 10 songs, they were buying them on 45 rpm
vinyl from the same stores. A stack of the Fabulous 50s was found in the basement of the Latta Brook Road studio when the station moved out in the early 2000s.
Many radio and television personalities known throughout the country got their break in broadcasting by working for Frank in beautiful Latta Brook Park.
By the early 1970s, the format had changed to easy listening
with Frank at the helm. In the 1980s, Ray Ross bought the station and switched the format to oldies
. The station also was noted for broadcasting Elmira Pioneers
' minor league
and local Little League
baseball
games, as well as high school
football
and Elmira College
hockey
games. Under Ross' ownership, the station's broadcast day expanded to midnight, then to 24 hours a day, at very low power. Among personalities on-air during this time were Norm Stull, Chris Sando, Scott Iddings, Jane MacNett, James Wilson, Pam Kauffman, Russ Ross, Ray Smith, Mike Owens, as well as owner Ray Ross. Nationally syndicated programs hosted by Cousin' Brucie and Kasey Kasem were also highlighted on WEHH during the 80's.
Seeking to fill a niche
in the market in the early 1990s, Ross switched the format to adult standards. By the end of the decade, the station was being operated at the WELM and WLVY studios by the Pembrook Pines Media Group under a limited marketing agreement.
WEHH was a standalone AM station for much of its existence until Mr. Saia decided to place an FM station on the air in the mid 1960s. Frank Saia was a visionary individual who believed in the future of FM broadcasting and was responsible for WEHH-FM which signed on at 94.3 MHz in 1964 with Elmira, NY as its city of license. Its studios were colocated with WEHH-AM in Latta Brook Park. Its transmitter was located at a private site on East Hill in Elmira, NY. The station broadcast mainly beautiful and classical music along with a bit of country in the mornings, "The Ralph Emery Show". In the 70's WEHH-FM broadcast Elmira City Council meetings live with Tony Volino handling the remote duties from the Council Chambers. Frank Saia, before the founding of WENY-TV also had the first crack at UHF TV channel 36 and at one time considered a WEHH-TV on channel 36. If that had happened, the WEHH callsign would have been prominent as an AM-FM-TV entity.
The FM station later was sold to crosstown rival WELM and changed to the current call letters, WLVY
. In 1990, Ross also was instrumental in getting a new station on the air on 96.9 MHz. That station -- then known as WMKB -- was never owned by Ross, but later was signed on as contemporary Christian station WREQ. For a brief time, WMKB-FM simulcast the WEHH-AM signal.
Ross formally sold WEHH to Pembrook Pines in 1999, after which it went dark
for several months.
It returned to the air in 2000 24/7 with reduced nighttime power, directional at 1600 kHz, and a satellite
-delivered adult standards format. It now uses the three towers off Lake Street in the city of Elmira. A simulcast of one watt erp was recently reinstated 24/7 at 93.9 mHZ. The call sign of the fm station not stated on air or on the webpage is W230BB-FM.The webstream player identifies the stream as WEHH AM & FM.
WEHH is one of a handful of broadcast stations in the country to carry a dual city of license
. The station is licensed to both Elmira Heights
and Horseheads
.
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
to sign on in Chemung County
Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
and the fifth to sign on in the Elmira-Corning market in New York state. Testing on the frequency may have begun as early as 1952, according to documents at the original transmitter site found by former station engineer Jim Appleton.
It originally broadcast at 500 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s, with a nondirectional pattern, on 1590 kHz during daylight hours from studios over Oldroyd's Grocery Store on Hanover Square in Horseheads, NY. Later, a new studio facility was constructed on Latta Brook Road east of Route 17
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
in the town of Horseheads. When an overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
was built on Latta Brook Road at Route 17, the new studio was in the construction area and had to go. Another facility was built just east of the Route 17
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
overpass (Latta Brook Road has no interchange with the highway). For years, the studio location was identified on-air as Latta Brook Park and during weather reports the forecast was always ended with "the current temperature is ... in beautiful Latta Brook Park." The single tower non directional antenna was fed by a trusty Collins 550A transmitter and was located in a field across the highway from the station. It stood until a storm
Storm
A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather...
in the early 2000s blew it down across Latta Brook Road, according to Appleton.
The station, founded by Frank P. Saia was owned by the Elmira Heights-Horseheads Broadcasting Company (family owned) for many years and was the first rock'n'roll station in the market. In the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s area teenagers held their transistor radios close, listening to RadioActive WEHH, Superhit Radio WEHH, and finally Rainbow Radio WEHH. Ed "Knucklehead" Knowles was the station's leading personality in the late 50's and early 60's. He did many Record Hops in the area with his engineer Rod Denson
Rod Denson
Rod Denson was a former radio and television personality in the Elmira-Corning television market from 1959 to 1989.- The Radio Years :Known as "Rockin' Rod", Rod was a disk jockey for radio station WEHH from 1959 to 1963....
. Other DJs during that time were, Bob Welch, and Lou Coughlin.
In the 1950's and 1960's, students rushed to the nearest drugstore for their free copy of the WEHH Fabulous 50, which detailed the 50 top hit songs of the day. Those drugstores were pretty smart because after the kids checked out the first 5 or 10 songs, they were buying them on 45 rpm
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
vinyl from the same stores. A stack of the Fabulous 50s was found in the basement of the Latta Brook Road studio when the station moved out in the early 2000s.
Many radio and television personalities known throughout the country got their break in broadcasting by working for Frank in beautiful Latta Brook Park.
By the early 1970s, the format had changed to easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
with Frank at the helm. In the 1980s, Ray Ross bought the station and switched the format to oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
. The station also was noted for broadcasting Elmira Pioneers
Elmira Pioneers
The Elmira Pioneers are an amateur baseball team based in Elmira, New York. They currently compete in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league. Prior to the 2006 baseball season, the team was a professional ballclub with a rich history of league...
' minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
and local Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games, as well as high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Elmira College
Elmira College
Elmira College is a coeducational private liberal arts college located in Elmira, in New York State's Southern Tier region.The college is noted as the oldest college still in existence which granted degrees to women that were the equivalent of those given to men...
hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
games. Under Ross' ownership, the station's broadcast day expanded to midnight, then to 24 hours a day, at very low power. Among personalities on-air during this time were Norm Stull, Chris Sando, Scott Iddings, Jane MacNett, James Wilson, Pam Kauffman, Russ Ross, Ray Smith, Mike Owens, as well as owner Ray Ross. Nationally syndicated programs hosted by Cousin' Brucie and Kasey Kasem were also highlighted on WEHH during the 80's.
Seeking to fill a niche
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
in the market in the early 1990s, Ross switched the format to adult standards. By the end of the decade, the station was being operated at the WELM and WLVY studios by the Pembrook Pines Media Group under a limited marketing agreement.
WEHH was a standalone AM station for much of its existence until Mr. Saia decided to place an FM station on the air in the mid 1960s. Frank Saia was a visionary individual who believed in the future of FM broadcasting and was responsible for WEHH-FM which signed on at 94.3 MHz in 1964 with Elmira, NY as its city of license. Its studios were colocated with WEHH-AM in Latta Brook Park. Its transmitter was located at a private site on East Hill in Elmira, NY. The station broadcast mainly beautiful and classical music along with a bit of country in the mornings, "The Ralph Emery Show". In the 70's WEHH-FM broadcast Elmira City Council meetings live with Tony Volino handling the remote duties from the Council Chambers. Frank Saia, before the founding of WENY-TV also had the first crack at UHF TV channel 36 and at one time considered a WEHH-TV on channel 36. If that had happened, the WEHH callsign would have been prominent as an AM-FM-TV entity.
The FM station later was sold to crosstown rival WELM and changed to the current call letters, WLVY
WLVY
WLVY is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format. Licensed to Elmira, New York, USA, the station serves the Elmira-Corning area. The station is currently owned by Pembrook Pines Elmira, Ltd. and features programing from CBS Radio and Westwood One.The station signed on by Frank...
. In 1990, Ross also was instrumental in getting a new station on the air on 96.9 MHz. That station -- then known as WMKB -- was never owned by Ross, but later was signed on as contemporary Christian station WREQ. For a brief time, WMKB-FM simulcast the WEHH-AM signal.
Ross formally sold WEHH to Pembrook Pines in 1999, after which it went dark
Off-the-air
In telecommunication, the term off-air or off-the-air has the following meanings:# In radio communications systems, pertaining to a radio station or television station that is completely shut down, i.e. that is not transmitting any signal, not even an un-modulated carrier wave...
for several months.
It returned to the air in 2000 24/7 with reduced nighttime power, directional at 1600 kHz, and a satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
-delivered adult standards format. It now uses the three towers off Lake Street in the city of Elmira. A simulcast of one watt erp was recently reinstated 24/7 at 93.9 mHZ. The call sign of the fm station not stated on air or on the webpage is W230BB-FM.The webstream player identifies the stream as WEHH AM & FM.
WEHH is one of a handful of broadcast stations in the country to carry a dual city of license
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
. The station is licensed to both Elmira Heights
Elmira Heights, New York
Elmira Heights is a village in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 4,170 at the 2000 census.The Village of Elmira Heights is primarily within the Town of Elmira, but part of the village is in the Town of Horseheads. The village is a northern suburb of the City of Elmira...
and Horseheads
Horseheads (town), New York
Horseheads is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 19,561 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the number of bleached horses' skulls found there....
.