WNNO
Encyclopedia
WNNO-FM is a Hot AC music formatted radio station
. WNNO is a sister station to WDLS
-AM. Its station is located in the vacation mecca of Wisconsin Dells
and Lake Delton
, and its signal can be reached out to Portage, Poynette, Baraboo, Lyndon Station, and Adams-Friendship, even as far as the northern Madison Metro area.
On-air disc jockeys of this era: Wayne Phillips (Mornings), Bob Hobart (Mid day), Bruce Golla (Afternoons), Chuck Bailey (evenings), Buddy Albert, Clark Curtis, Dave Duncan, Dale Valentine, Dale Daniels, Bob Leonard
The station was sold to Voss Radio, Inc. in 1977 and continued to simulcast Top 40 hits with WNNO-AM, which had now changed frequency to AM 900. The format changed to “Memory Music” in late 1983-1985 and Chicago Cubs games were also broadcast during this period.
On-air disc jockeys of this era: Gary Voss (Owner and Morning Man), Bruce Voss (Middays/Afternoons), “Captain” Gordy Young (Middays), Bruce Golla (Afternoons), “Jock of Rock” John R. Luzjock (Evenings), Buddy Albert (PD 1981-82), Chuck Sweeney (evenings 1981-82)
Voss sold the station to Armada Broadcasting in 1985, and the format was changed back to simulcasting Top 40 hits. Mutual News was dropped and the emphasis was on more local events. An interesting note, one of the principal owners of Armada is the nephew of radio legend Gary Owens
Gary Owens], and Gary’s liners for WNNO could be heard on-air at this time.
On-air disc jockeys of this era: Denny Heier (PD and Morning Man), Bruce Golla (Middays), Jerry Gerke (Afternoons), Jim Finn (Afternoons), John Perry (Evenings), Dianne McKenzie (aka Patty McLain) (Evenings)
During the early to mid 90s, WNNO-FM was a Top-40 station, and WNNO-AM was simulcasting WNNO-FM or it was otherwise off the air, usually after sunset. WNNO and WNNO-FM had studios together on Superior Street in Wisconsin Dells and would usually be on the air from 6AM-12 midnight.
In the late 1990s WNNO-AM and WNNO-FM were purchased by Magnum Radio Group and studios were moved to Church Street in Wisconsin Dells, using the call of WBKY-FM Bucky Country (95.9) Portage. By this time, WNNO-AM had become nothing but a simulcast of WIBU-AM (1240) Poynette/Portage, which aired Jones Radio Networks' Classic Hit Country format at the time. The calls of WNNO-AM were changed to WDLS
, which is now a classic country station; concurrently, WNNO-FM became Hot AC under the name "Mix 106".
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...
. WNNO is a sister station to WDLS
WDLS
WDLS is a radio station in the resort community of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.The station was the first in the industry to introduce a "visitor information" format since the format signed on during the Memorial Day weekend of 2004...
-AM. Its station is located in the vacation mecca of Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin Dells may refer to:* Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin* The Dells of the Wisconsin River...
and Lake Delton
Lake Delton
Lake Delton is a man-made freshwater lake in Sauk County in central Wisconsin. For much of 2008, it was a mostly empty lake basin after a portion of a county highway that forms part of the dike wall eroded on June 9, 2008, under the pressure of floods in the area. The resulting washout caused the...
, and its signal can be reached out to Portage, Poynette, Baraboo, Lyndon Station, and Adams-Friendship, even as far as the northern Madison Metro area.
History
WNNO-FM originally signed on as WWDA-FM in the late sixties. Owned by Taylor Electric, the call letters supposedly meant "Wonderful Wisconsin Dells Area". The original “studio” was in a trailer, located at the transmitter site along Highway 23, about three miles outside of Wisconsin Dells. Listeners passing by would occasionally honk their horns, to which the on-air jocks would acknowledge the "neighbors driving by". The calls were changed and the permanent studios were built in the early 1970s at 721 Superior Street in downtown Wisconsin Dells, where they would stay for the next 28 years. John Taylor was the station GM, and the WNNO-FM format was Top 40 hits. The station simulcast with WNNO-AM (AM 990). Interesting enough, the call letters WNNO stand for the AM frequency - Nine Nine Oh.On-air disc jockeys of this era: Wayne Phillips (Mornings), Bob Hobart (Mid day), Bruce Golla (Afternoons), Chuck Bailey (evenings), Buddy Albert, Clark Curtis, Dave Duncan, Dale Valentine, Dale Daniels, Bob Leonard
The station was sold to Voss Radio, Inc. in 1977 and continued to simulcast Top 40 hits with WNNO-AM, which had now changed frequency to AM 900. The format changed to “Memory Music” in late 1983-1985 and Chicago Cubs games were also broadcast during this period.
On-air disc jockeys of this era: Gary Voss (Owner and Morning Man), Bruce Voss (Middays/Afternoons), “Captain” Gordy Young (Middays), Bruce Golla (Afternoons), “Jock of Rock” John R. Luzjock (Evenings), Buddy Albert (PD 1981-82), Chuck Sweeney (evenings 1981-82)
Voss sold the station to Armada Broadcasting in 1985, and the format was changed back to simulcasting Top 40 hits. Mutual News was dropped and the emphasis was on more local events. An interesting note, one of the principal owners of Armada is the nephew of radio legend Gary Owens
Gary Owens
Gary Owens is an American disc jockey and voice actor. His polished baritone speaking voice generally offers deadpan recitations of total nonsense, which he frequently demonstrated as the announcer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Owens is equally proficient in straight or silly assignments and is...
Gary Owens], and Gary’s liners for WNNO could be heard on-air at this time.
On-air disc jockeys of this era: Denny Heier (PD and Morning Man), Bruce Golla (Middays), Jerry Gerke (Afternoons), Jim Finn (Afternoons), John Perry (Evenings), Dianne McKenzie (aka Patty McLain) (Evenings)
During the early to mid 90s, WNNO-FM was a Top-40 station, and WNNO-AM was simulcasting WNNO-FM or it was otherwise off the air, usually after sunset. WNNO and WNNO-FM had studios together on Superior Street in Wisconsin Dells and would usually be on the air from 6AM-12 midnight.
In the late 1990s WNNO-AM and WNNO-FM were purchased by Magnum Radio Group and studios were moved to Church Street in Wisconsin Dells, using the call of WBKY-FM Bucky Country (95.9) Portage. By this time, WNNO-AM had become nothing but a simulcast of WIBU-AM (1240) Poynette/Portage, which aired Jones Radio Networks' Classic Hit Country format at the time. The calls of WNNO-AM were changed to WDLS
WDLS
WDLS is a radio station in the resort community of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.The station was the first in the industry to introduce a "visitor information" format since the format signed on during the Memorial Day weekend of 2004...
, which is now a classic country station; concurrently, WNNO-FM became Hot AC under the name "Mix 106".