WYFM
Encyclopedia
WYFM is a commercial FM
radio station
licensed to Sharon, Pennsylvania
, USA, serving the Youngstown, Ohio
market broadcasting at 102.9 MHz with a classic rock
format. It is one of seven radio stations in the Youngstown market owned by Cumulus Broadcasting with studios and transmitter at "The Radio Center" in Youngstown. The station has a surprisingly large coverage area and can be picked up fairly well even in Akron
.
WYFM originally signed on the air as WPIC-FM in 1947, simulcasting sister AM 790 WPIC until the early 70s. The call letters were changed to WYFM in 1973.
From the early to late 70s, the station was known as "The Alternative at 102.9", playing the music of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Cream and lesser-known rock and roll performers. Programmed by Ralph Caldwell with the consultancy of Edward John "Bo" Volz, it was the first station in the area to feature album-length selections and introduce new artists not heard on other stations. The announcers, including Holly, Fid, Vince, Jimmy, Lee, Ralph and others, followed the practice of the day by using only their first name in identifying themselves.
Y-103 broadcast from Sharon/Hermitage, PA until November 1998, when the studios were moved to the "Radio Center" in Youngstown, OH. The transmitter and antenna remained at the Pennsylvania location transmitting from, what was at the time of its construction the tallest self support tower east of the Mississippi (500'), until 2001. The Sharon tower has since been demolished.
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
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...
licensed to Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, USA, serving the Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
market broadcasting at 102.9 MHz with 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. It is one of seven radio stations in the Youngstown market owned by Cumulus Broadcasting with studios and transmitter at "The Radio Center" in Youngstown. The station has a surprisingly large coverage area and can be picked up fairly well even in Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
.
WYFM originally signed on the air as WPIC-FM in 1947, simulcasting sister AM 790 WPIC until the early 70s. The call letters were changed to WYFM in 1973.
From the early to late 70s, the station was known as "The Alternative at 102.9", playing the music of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Cream and lesser-known rock and roll performers. Programmed by Ralph Caldwell with the consultancy of Edward John "Bo" Volz, it was the first station in the area to feature album-length selections and introduce new artists not heard on other stations. The announcers, including Holly, Fid, Vince, Jimmy, Lee, Ralph and others, followed the practice of the day by using only their first name in identifying themselves.
Y-103 broadcast from Sharon/Hermitage, PA until November 1998, when the studios were moved to the "Radio Center" in Youngstown, OH. The transmitter and antenna remained at the Pennsylvania location transmitting from, what was at the time of its construction the tallest self support tower east of the Mississippi (500'), until 2001. The Sharon tower has since been demolished.