WEXP-FM
Encyclopedia
WEXP is a radio station
licensed to Brandon, Vermont, that broadcasts a classic rock
format
with an effective radiated power
of 350 watt
s with a directional antenna located atop "Grandpa's Knob" near Castleton, Vermont
. WEXP's on air slogan
is "Vermont's Best Rock". WEXP is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners
. The station previously carried "Imus in the Morning
" when it was syndicated by Westwood One
. The current morning show is the "Free Beer and Hot Wings".
was the only place that would be suffice to get a city grade signal over the majority of Brandon. An FCC waiver permitted this operation. A story in the Rutland Herald
depicted a large type balloon being raised over a hilltop in Pittsford to depict how high a proposed tower could be. What made the story enticing was that a series of hunters shot the balloon down, since the people there did not want a tower erected in their town.
WEXP went on the air in April 1999 under "Program Test Authority" from the FCC with no sales staff, no disc jockeys and only a Technics CD player play the same constantly repeating dance music
CD with a legal ID imbedded calling itself "Express 101". http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-991022.html. A contract engineer, Neil Langer, was the keeper of the operation, and kept the stations public file at his residence. Langer built the facility where the station is currently housed in the Howe Center complex in Rutland. . In October 2000, WEXP began to simultcast its signal over WVAY 100.7 (now WTHK
) in Wilmington, Vermont and its translator W284AB Jamaica, Vermont.
On May 16, 2000 at noon, WEXP, 101.5 FM in Rutland, VT became Classic Rock 101, The Fox. The very first song played was "Long Live Rock" by The Who
.
The station's initial lineup included the syndicated Imus In The Morning
show. Alicia Ty hosted the midday slot. Baker (from the famous Mason and Sheehan Show in Albany NY) was the first program director and afternoon host. John Roberts was hired a bit later, and handled the nighttime programming. "The Janitor" was around for the overnights, and was platooned with "Rachel Lee" in the overnight lineup. "Blade Michael" was the stations first part time announcer hired, and remains with the station to this day. The station became very popular in a short amount of time. A $1.01 Gas promotion at a Citgo gas station in Fair Haven, Vermont that brought in hundreds of vehicles, and lots of traffic in a three hour time span was a major catalyst in establishing the station quickly as a major player in the local marketplace.
Several early disc jockey's
at the station have moved on to other stations such as Baker going to launch the former WRCZ, "Moose" Waters KAZR Des Moines, Iowa
and "Sloppy" Joe going to KDAT
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
.
The station's signal is directional to the southwest since it is short spaced to WNYQ
101.7 Glens Falls, NY and slightly to the southeast to protect WRSY
101.5 in Marlboro, Vermont
. At one time all three radio stations were owned by Vox Radio Group. The original allocation for the Brandon, Vermont frequency was 101.9 FM, and was moved to its current 101.5 frequency when WCVR-FM in Randolph, Vermont
upgraded from a class A at 102.3 FM to a class C3 at 102.1http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990827.html. The original call sign for WEXP was WADT which was used from 1993 to 1998, though the station never made it on the air under the WADT callshttp://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?call=WEXP&city=&state=&country=US. The WEXP calls were previously used on WKOL
Plattsburg, New York until 1995, and on WSGN-FM in Gadsden Alabama from 1975 until 1984.
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...
licensed to Brandon, Vermont, that broadcasts a classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 350 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 directional antenna located atop "Grandpa's Knob" near Castleton, Vermont
Castleton, Vermont
Castleton is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. Castleton is about to the west of Rutland, and about east of the New York/Vermont state border. The town had a population of 4,717 at the 2010 census. Castleton State College is located there, with roots dating to 1787...
. WEXP's on air slogan
Slogan
A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a political, commercial, religious and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. The word slogan is derived from slogorn which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm . Slogans vary from the written and the...
is "Vermont's Best Rock". WEXP is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners
Nassau Broadcasting Partners
Nassau Broadcasting Partners LP is a company based in Princeton, New Jersey that owns radio stations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic United States. Nassau's stations, which include both AM and FM frequencies, are located in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,...
. The station previously carried "Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
" when it was syndicated by Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. The current morning show is the "Free Beer and Hot Wings".
History
The station's construction permit was originally owned by Tim Hoehn, Gary Savoie, and local resident Michael Carr who wound up selling a controlling interest to Jeff Shapiro. Although the transmitter is located a distance from Brandon, the tower site on Grandpa's Knob in Castleton, VermontCastleton, Vermont
Castleton is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. Castleton is about to the west of Rutland, and about east of the New York/Vermont state border. The town had a population of 4,717 at the 2010 census. Castleton State College is located there, with roots dating to 1787...
was the only place that would be suffice to get a city grade signal over the majority of Brandon. An FCC waiver permitted this operation. A story in the Rutland Herald
Rutland Herald
The Rutland Herald is the second largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Vermont . It is published in Rutland. With a daily circulation of about 12,000, it is the main source of news geared towards the southern part of the state, along with the Brattleboro Reformer and the Bennington Banner...
depicted a large type balloon being raised over a hilltop in Pittsford to depict how high a proposed tower could be. What made the story enticing was that a series of hunters shot the balloon down, since the people there did not want a tower erected in their town.
WEXP went on the air in April 1999 under "Program Test Authority" from the FCC with no sales staff, no disc jockeys and only a Technics CD player play the same constantly repeating dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
CD with a legal ID imbedded calling itself "Express 101". http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-991022.html. A contract engineer, Neil Langer, was the keeper of the operation, and kept the stations public file at his residence. Langer built the facility where the station is currently housed in the Howe Center complex in Rutland. . In October 2000, WEXP began to simultcast its signal over WVAY 100.7 (now WTHK
WTHK
WTHK, known on-air as "The Hawk" was a radio station located at 97.5 FM which had a classic rock format. Although the station was originally licensed to Trenton, New Jersey, changing to Burlington, New Jersey in early 2006, The Hawk targeted the Philadelphia broadcasting area in addition to its own...
) in Wilmington, Vermont and its translator W284AB Jamaica, Vermont.
On May 16, 2000 at noon, WEXP, 101.5 FM in Rutland, VT became Classic Rock 101, The Fox. The very first song played was "Long Live Rock" by The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
The station's initial lineup included the syndicated Imus In The Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
show. Alicia Ty hosted the midday slot. Baker (from the famous Mason and Sheehan Show in Albany NY) was the first program director and afternoon host. John Roberts was hired a bit later, and handled the nighttime programming. "The Janitor" was around for the overnights, and was platooned with "Rachel Lee" in the overnight lineup. "Blade Michael" was the stations first part time announcer hired, and remains with the station to this day. The station became very popular in a short amount of time. A $1.01 Gas promotion at a Citgo gas station in Fair Haven, Vermont that brought in hundreds of vehicles, and lots of traffic in a three hour time span was a major catalyst in establishing the station quickly as a major player in the local marketplace.
Several early disc jockey's
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at the station have moved on to other stations such as Baker going to launch the former WRCZ, "Moose" Waters KAZR Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
and "Sloppy" Joe going to KDAT
KDAT
KDAT is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary music format. Licensed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, the station serves the Cedar Rapids area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media.-External links:*...
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
.
The station's signal is directional to the southwest since it is short spaced to WNYQ
WNYQ
WQSH are the call letters of a radio station licensed to Malta, New York and playing a 90s Hits format. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts with 25 kilowatts ERP from the Bald Mountain tower formerly used by the now-defunct analog signal of WNYT in the hamlet of Speigletown, in...
101.7 Glens Falls, NY and slightly to the southeast to protect WRSY
WRSY
WRSY is a radio station licensed to serve Marlboro, Vermont. The station is owned by Saga Communications. It airs an Adult Album Alternative music format, via a simulcast of WRSI.-History:...
101.5 in Marlboro, Vermont
Marlboro, Vermont
Marlboro is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 978 at the 2000 census. The town is home to both the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum and Marlboro College, which each summer hosts the Marlboro Music School and Festival....
. At one time all three radio stations were owned by Vox Radio Group. The original allocation for the Brandon, Vermont frequency was 101.9 FM, and was moved to its current 101.5 frequency when WCVR-FM in Randolph, Vermont
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
upgraded from a class A at 102.3 FM to a class C3 at 102.1http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990827.html. The original call sign for WEXP was WADT which was used from 1993 to 1998, though the station never made it on the air under the WADT callshttp://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?call=WEXP&city=&state=&country=US. The WEXP calls were previously used on WKOL
WKOL
WKOL is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, USA, the station serves the Burlington-Plattsburgh area. The station is currently owned by Hall Communications, Inc..-History:...
Plattsburg, New York until 1995, and on WSGN-FM in Gadsden Alabama from 1975 until 1984.