CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF ALL MAINE RADIO STATIONS

[JIBGUY]

Did you know that Presque Isle had a radio station before Augusta did?
Did you know that L/A had the first station in Maine, before Portland did?
Did you know there are now 11 unbuilt AM station contruction permits in Maine?

Well, here's probably the only list of its kind, showing all Maine radio stations in chorological order according the the date they first signed on. Also showing all call letters each station ever had, in order. This list I prepared for a talk I gave (on Feb 20th) about the history of Maine radio and WJTO's history at Bath's library history series. Please review and see if I missed anything, or if there are any errors.

1922 Apr - WMB Auburn defunct
1922 Jun - WFAR Sanford defunct
1922 Jul - WJAL Portland defunct
1922 Sep - WLAN Houlton defunct
1923 Jan - WPAY Bangor defunct
1923 May - WABI WAEI 910 Bangor
1923 Aug - WTAJ Portland defunct
1924 Mar - WCBL Houlton defunct
1924 May - WDBN Bangor defunct
1924 Jun - WDBL Skowhegan defunct
1925 Feb - WHBK Ellsworth defunct
1925 Feb - WGBX Orono defunct
1925 Jun13 WCSH WYNZ WZAN 970 Portland
1926 Dec30 WLBZ Dover> Bangor WACZ WZON 620
1931 Jan 6 WAGM WKZX 950 Presque Isle defunct
1932 Jun - WRDO WMME WEZW WLTI WEZW WJZN 1400Augusta
1938 Aug 3 WGAN 560 Portland
1938 Aug21 WCOU WXGL WTME 1530/1240 WCNM WEZR Lewiston
1946 - - - WJOR Bangor defunct by 1950.
1946 - - - WMTW Portland defunct by 1950.
1946 Mar - WPOR WBAE 1490 Portland
1946 Jun19 WTVL WJZL WTVL 1490 Waterville
1946 Oct12 WFAU WMBR WFAU 1340 Augusta
1947 Sep 4 WLAM WKZN WZOU WLAM 1470 Lewiston
1947 Sep20 WGUY WMLI 1250 Brewer > 1200 as WKIT WNSW defunct
1947 Nov - WGUY-FM MAINE'S FIRST FM,100.9 > 100.3 WKIT
1947 Dec14 WGAN-FM 102.9 Maine's 2nd FM, defunct 1949
1948 - - - WIDE WVAE 1400 Biddeford
1948 Feb29 WCOU-FM WAYU-FM WXGL-FM WCLZ-FM WCYI-FM WARX-FM 93.9 Lewiston
1948 - - - WMNE-FM 48.3 Portland > WMTW-FM 48.1 Portsmouth NH > WNAC-FM 98.5 defunct, later moved to Boston
1950 Jul10 WABM WHGS WHOU 1340 Houlton defunct
1952 Oct 1 WRKD 1450 Rockland
1953 Aug21 WRUM WTME 790 Rumford
1955 Oct28 WXIV WOXO WKTQ 1450 South Paris
1955 Dec16 WCME WKXA WCLZ WJJB WWBK WCME 900 Brunswick (return to air Apr 2010)
1956 - - - WGHM WQMR 1150 > 1160 WSKW Skowhegan
1956 Jul15 WFST 600 Caribou
1956 - - - WFST-FM 97.7 Caribou
1957 Feb 2 WLOB 1300 Portland
1957 Apr - WBOR-FM 91.1 Brunswick (Bowdoin Col)
1957 Sep29 WMMS WJTO 730 Bath
1957 Nov 9 WSME WCDQ WPHX 1220 Sanford
1958 Jun11 WMTW-FM 94.9 Poland Spring > WMTW-FM Portland
1958 Oct 6 WRBC-FM 91.5 Lewiston (Bates College)
1958 Dec13 WDEA 1370 Ellsworth
1959 Jul 4 WQDY 1230 Calais defunct
1959 Nov 8 WJAB WMER WWGT WLPZ WJAE WJJB WRED 1440 Westbrook
1959 Dec21 WKTJ 1380 Farmington defunct
1960 - - - WDCS-FM WLOB-FM WPKM-FM WBQW-FM WHXQ-FM 106.3 Scarborough
1960 Jun 1 WLOB-FM WDCS-FM WJBQ-FM WWGT-FM WCSO-FM WJBQ-FM 97.9 Portland
1960 Jun24 WEGP 1390 Presque Isle
1961 May15 WABI-FM WBGW-FM WYOU-FM WWBX-FM WAEI-FM 97.1 Bangor
1961 Jul - WFAU-FM WKCG-FM WFAU-FM WVQM-FM 101.3 Augusta
1962 Dec 1 WSJR 1230 Madawaska defunct
1963 Dec 7 WMKR WSYY 1240 Millinocket
1964 Sep20 WBME 1230 Belfast defunct
1964 Nov 9 WLKN WTOX 1450 Lincoln defunct
1965 Apr11 WCME-FM WKXA-FM WCLZ-FM WTPN-FM WCLZ-FM 98.9
Brunswick > No.Yarmouth.
1965 Dec 5 WMCS WALZ 1400 Machias defunct
1965 Dec27 WDEA-FM WWMJ-FM 95.7 Ellsworth
1966 Feb - WGAN-FM WTHT-FM WBLM-FM 102.9 Lewiston
1967 Aug13 WDME 1340 Dover-Foxcroft defunct
1967 - - - WPOR-FM 101.9 Portland
1968 Apr16 WRKD-FM 93.3 > 103.3 WMCM-FM Rockland
1968 Mar26 WTVL-FM 98.3 > WDBX 98.5 WEBB-FM Waterville
1968 Jul 9 WPNO WRXV WTME 1530 Auburn defunct-1990
1968 Sep23 WABK WFAU 1280 Gardiner
1969 Nov13 WGHM-FM WTOS-FM 105.1 Skowhegan
1970 Sep14 WMEH-FM 90.9 Bangor (MPBN)
1970 Dec12 WNWY-FM 105.5 > WOXO-FM 92.7 Norway
1971 Jun - WJTO-FM WIGY-FM WKRH-FM WBCI-FM 95.3 > 105.9 Bath
1972 Feb - WUMF-FM 100.5 > 100.1 > 91.5 Farmington
1972 Apr 1 WBSF-FM 91.7 Biddeford (S.F.College)
1972 Aug - WIDE-FM WBYC-FM WSTG-FM WYJY-FM WCYY-FM 94.3 Biddeford
1972 Sep 1 WBHS-FM 91.9 Brunswick H.S. defunct
1973 Mar 1 WBLM-FM WTHT-FM WFNK-FM 107.5 Lewiston
1973 May 7 WVPI-FM 91.1 Presque Isle defunct
1973 Jul26 WUPI-FM 92.1 Presque Isle (UMaine)
1973 Aug21 WKTJ-FM 99.3 Farmington
1973 Sep 1 WMPG-FM 90.9 Gorham (Umaine)
1973 Sep 9 WNCY-FM 91.1 Springvale defunct
1973 Sep - WDHP-FM WBPW-FM 96.9 Presque Isle
1974 - - - WKME-FM WABK-FM 104.3 Gardiner
1974 - - - WUFK-FM 92.1 Ft Kent(UMaine) defunct
1974 Mar27 WRNE-FM 89.1 Houlton(Ricker College)
1974 Apr - WMEA-FM 90.1 Portland (MPBN)
1974 Sep - WHSN-FM 89.3 Bangor(Husson College)
1974 Oct 1 WMHB-FM 90.5 > 89.7 Waterville(Colby Col)
1975 - - - WMEM-FM 106.1 Presque Isle (MPBN)
1975 Apr 1 WGUY-FM 99.3 > 107.5 WLKN-FM,WHMX-FM Lincoln
1975 Jul30 WLVC 1340 Fort Kent
1975 Oct10 WEBI-FM 92.3 > 92.1 WSME-FM WCDQ-FM WPHX-FM Sanford
1975 Nov15 WRUM-FM WWMR-FM WLOB-FM 96.3 Rumford > WJJB-FM (96.3) Gray
1976 Jan13 WHOU-FM 100.1 Houlton
1976 Jan14 WQDY-FM 92.7 Calais
1976 Feb - WCSH-FM WRQN-FM WLOB-FM WYNZ-FM 100.9 Westbrook
1976 Jun 9 WPBC-FM WEZQ-FM 92.9 Bangor
1977 Jan31 WMOS-FM 90.3 >91.5 Bath(Morse)defunct-86
1977 Feb 9 WMAV-FM 100.1 Auburn > 99.9 WWAV-FM WKZS-FM WMEK-FM WTHT-FM
1977 Jun10 WMGX-FM 93.1 Portland
1977 Nov 7 WXMN-FM 89.5 Monticello defunct
1978 Apr12 WKTR-FM WSYY-FM 94.9 Millinocket
1978 Nov25 WALZ-FM 95.3 Machias
1980 Mar 3 WASY WJBQ 1590 Gorham defunct but continued on 870 around 1990
1980 Nov - WDME-FM WZON-FM 103.1 Dover-Foxcroft
1981 Jan14 WRDO-FM 92.1 > 92.3 WMME-FM Augusta
1981 Feb 2 WOZI-FM 101.7/101.9 Presque Isle
1981 - - - WTMS-FM WQHR-FM 96.1 Presque Isle
1981 Aug10 WHCF-FM 88.5 Bangor
1982 May27 WKSQ-FM 94.5 Ellsworth
1982 Jul 8 WPIG-FM WHYR-FM WRED-FM WPEI-FM 95.9 Saco
1983 Nov - WMED-FM 89.7 Calais (MPBN)
1983 Nov - WMEW-FM 91.3 Waterville (MPBN)
1984 - - - WCME-FM WTQX-FM 96.7 Boothbay Harbor
1984 Apr 1 WSJB-FM Standish (St.J.College) defunct
1984 Apr - WSHD-FM 91.7 Eastport (Shead H.S.)
1986 Jan20 WQCB-FM 106.5 Brewer
1986 Mar 7 WWFX-FM WBFB-FM 104.7 Belfast
1986 Nov15 WCXU-FM 97.7 Caribou
1987 Jun - WCQL-FM WUBB-FM WSKX-FM 95.3 York
1988 Jan30 WCXX-FM 102.3 Madawaska
1988 Sep 6 WMEB-FM 91.9 Orono (MPBN)
1988 Sep15 WTBM-FM 100.7 Mexico
1988 - - - WERU-FM 89.9 Blue Hill
1988 May 5 WESK-FM WQSS-FM WMFT-FM 102.5 Camden
1989 Sep - WHQQ-FM WFMX-FM 107.9 Skowhegan
1990 - - - WKZN WLAM WMTW WLVP 870 Gorham (see 1980)
1991 - - - WBQQ-FM 99.3 Kennebunk
1992 Mar 2 WSEW-FM 88.5 Sanford
1992 May29 WAVX-FM WBQX-FM 106.9 Thomaston
1992 Jun 1 WPRG-FM WLKE-FM 99.1 Bar Harbor
1992 Oct - WXBB-FM WSHK-FM 105.3 Kittery
1993 Jun - WSNV-FM WVOM-FM 103.9 Howland
1993 Jul 8 WMSJ-FM WYFP-FM 91.9 Harpswell
1993 - - - WGUY-FM WKVZ-FM 102.1 Dexter
1993 - - - WPBC-FM WJCX-FM 99.5 Pittsfield
1994 Mar - WMEF-FM 106.5 Fort Kent (MPBN)
1994 Oct10 WBYA-FM WFZX-FM WKVV-FM 101.7 Searsport
1994 Dec 1 WQEZ-FM WHXQ-FM WBQW-FM 104.7 Kennebunkport
1995 Jan 1 WBZN-FM 107.3 Old Town
1997 - - - WXGL-FM WCLZ-FM WLOB-FM 95.5 Topsham
1999 - - - WMSJ-FM 89.3 Freeport
1999 - - - WBYA-FM 105.5 Islesboro

1999-to-2009 (exact sign-on dates unknown)
WNZT 1230 Hermon
WREM 710 Monticello defunct
WNZS 1340 Veazie
WWNZ 1400 Veazie
WBCQ-FM 94.7 Monticello
WCTB-FM 93.5 Fairfield
WCXV-FM 98.1 Van Buren
WHAA-FM WIGY-FM 97.5 Madison
WJZF-LP 97.1 Standish
WJZP-LP 105.1 Portland
WLEK-FM 101.1 Machias > moving to Gouldsboro
WMDI-FM WBQI-FM 107.7 Bar Harbor
WMDR-FM 88.9 Oakland
WMEP-FM 90.5 Camden (MPBN)
WMHB-FM 89.7 > 90.5 Waterville
WMPG-FM 91.1 > 90.9 Gorham
WAKN-FM WNSX-FM 97.7 Winter Harbor
WRMO-FM 93.7 Milbridge
WRFR-LP 93.3 Rockland
WUMM-FM 91.7 Machias
WVYH-FM WLAM-FM WMTW-FM WHXR-FM 106.7 North Windham
WVZD-FM WCRQ-FM 102.9 Dennysville
WWWA-FM 95.3 Winslow

FCC CONSTRUCTION PERMITS for NEW AM STATIONS
-with power in watts shown.......
---- 650 Raymond 2000w day / 500w night
WRME 750 Hampden 50000w day / 10000w night
WXME 780 Monticello 5000w day / 60w night
---- 830 Lorring 10000w day / 1000w night
---- 890 Calais 1000w day & night
---- 990 Belfast 1000w day & night
---- 1120 Caribou 10000w day / 1000w night
WZME 1120 Richmond 1000w day / 600w night
WGUY 1230 Newport 1000w day / 690w night
---- 1240 Ellsworth 1000w day / 650w night
WFGO 1530 Orono 50000w day / 270w night

FCC CONSTRUCTION PERMITS for NEW FM STATIONS
88.1 WHPF-FM Pittston Farm 250w
88.1 -----FM Bowdoin 50000w
88.3 WMTP-FM Kennebunkport 250w
88.5 WRKJ-FM Westbrook 415w
89.3 WRPB-FM Benedicta 13000w
89.5 WMWR-FM Lincoln 360w
89.5 WWTP-FM Augusta 410w
89.7 WTBP-FM Bath 14000w
90.3 -----FM Corinth 2000w
90.5 WWLN-FM Lincoln 65w
90.5 WRGY-FM Rangeley 5w
90.7 WTWP-FM Madison 2550w
91.1 WFGP-FM Greene 450w
91.5 WJVH-FM Belfast 50000w
91.5 WFYB-FM Fryeburg 430w
NOTE: No `translators` (repeater stations)
are shown on these lists.

 

[Mainedude2007]

WNZT 1230 Hermon

Never made it on, defunct

WREM 710 Monticello defunct

Moved to 780, on air as WXME

WNZS 1340 Veazie
WWNZ 1400 Veazie

2005

WBCQ-FM 94.7 Monticello

September 2008

WCTB-FM 93.5 Fairfield

1993

WCXV-FM 98.1 Van Buren

2006

WJZF-LP 97.1 Standish

September 2005

WJZP-LP 105.1 Portland

April 2005

WLEK-FM 101.1 Machias > moving to Gouldsboro

never been on the air (but still exists)

WMDR-FM 88.9 Oakland

December 2005

WMEP-FM 90.5 Camden (MPBN)

September 2002

WMHB-FM 89.7 > 90.5 Waterville

1973

WMPG-FM 91.1 > 90.9 Gorham

1973

WAKN-FM WNSX-FM 97.7 Winter Harbor

2000 as WNSX, never went on as WAKN

WRMO-FM 93.7 Milbridge

2005

WRFR-LP 93.3 Rockland

Feb. 2002

WUMM-FM 91.7 Machias

January 2009

 

[rjoc]

Great lists!!! Thanks for posting!!!

 

[Channel Surf]

Fascinating list to be sure....Just a couple of questions though...

100.9-WYNZ, I believe started out as WRQN in 1976, before flipping to AOR as WLOB-FM in 1978, and than
WYNZ-FM, still as an AOR station in late 1980....I worked there during the AOR format, and am very
certain that it was never WCSH-FM...

102.9-WBLM...I was told back in 1980, that what at that time was WGAN-FM, had originally been WLOB-FM.

1590-WASY/WJBQ was originally religious WDCI....

Now JIBGUY...for extra credit....What station described itself as "more powerful than an electric toaster....able to change formats in a single sale"????

 

[JIBGUY]

Now JIBGUY...for extra credit....What station described itself as "more powerful than an electric toaster....able to change formats in a single sale"????

Good question... I don't know the answer. But it can't be either of my two stations because of no format-changes. HOWEVER, the Cambridge station, WJIB, is near electric toaster status; and both added up together don't make it to hair-dryer status!

 

[Channel Surf]

/quote]

Good question... I don't know the answer. But it can't be either of my two stations because of no format-changes. HOWEVER, the Cambridge station, WJIB, is near electric toaster status; and both added up together don't make it to hair-dryer status!

"The adventures of Super Station....More powerful than an electric toaster! Able to change formats in a single sale!"

Actually...it was your station WJIB, in a different era....WCAS in early 1974, was facing a sale from Kaiser Broadcasting to Family Radio (I believe)...In any case, WCAS was programming folk rock at this point and facing a format change to syndicated religion. At the time, there was a very active citizens group that was determined to preserve the folk rock format of WCAS. WCAS ran that announcement ("The adventures of super station....More powerful than an electric toaster...able to change formats in a single sale")during their sunset sign off (in those days). Amazingly...the citizens group was successful...Family Radio pulled out of the sale, never estimating the reaction that the loss of WCAS would cause. In fact, the format was preserved for another seven years until 1981. There was a similar situation in early 1976 too, where an attempt was made to flip it to religion, and that too was blocked. Imagine in today's corporate culture, that the FCC would actually pay attention to the interests of the community and a citizens group that was attempting to preserve a unique radio station....By the way...At the time, WCAS was co-owned with 96.9-WJIB...Ironic...

 

[Maine-i-ac]

1947 Nov - WGUY-FM MAINE'S FIRST FM,100.9 > 100.3 WKIT

1988 - - - WERU-FM 89.9 Blue Hill

I'm just curious if anyone has an answer about WGUY-FM. I remember when WGUY-FM signed on in '78 or '79 or '80. (Hey it was the 70's! Anyway they had a party for their clients, etc. at the Corral behind the Stable Inn in Brewer.) Did they sign on with programming in 1947? How long did they broadcast? How did they keep the license if they had stopped broadcasting?

The sign on date for WERU was 5/1/1988.

Thanks JIBGUY for posting this list!!!

 

[True Grit]

1947 Nov - WGUY-FM MAINE'S FIRST FM,100.9 > 100.3 WKIT

1988 - - - WERU-FM 89.9 Blue Hill

I'm just curious if anyone has an answer about WGUY-FM. I remember when WGUY-FM signed on in '78 or '79 or '80. (Hey it was the 70's! Anyway they had a party for their clients, etc. at the Corral behind the Stable Inn in Brewer.)

Ah, The Corral. Saw Bill Chinnock there more times than I can count. Great memories.

 

[Maine-i-ac]

I hear ya Grit! Also saw The Blend and Oak there when they came to town. In fact I still have a "chit". Remember that you used to have to trade money for chits at the door?

 

[chuckfoster]

WGUY FM came on the air about 1979. It was at 100.9 3kw for a bit and later moved to 100.3 as WKIT. It was owned by Mel Stone, who also owned WCAS Cambridge and WRUM Rumford.

 

[noflufftampa]

June 3, 1995 WMDI FM 107.7 Bar Harbor Original Format 70's

 

[Andy Taylor]

1948 Feb29 WCOU-FM WAYU-FM WXGL-FM WCLZ-FM WCYI-FM WARX-FM 93.9 Lewiston
Was 93.9 ever WCLZ-FM? I remember WCOU-FM calling itself Maine's first FM station for years in their legal I D.

1953 Aug21 WRUM WTME 790 Rumford
WRUM is now @ 780

1958 Jun11 WMTW-FM 94.9 Poland Spring > WMTW-FM Portland
94.9 was WMTQ for a short time right before it became WHOM.

1960 - - - WDCS-FM WLOB-FM WPKM-FM WBQW-FM WHXQ-FM 106.3 Scarborough
I don't think 106.3 was ever WLOB-FM. They were WJBQ-FM at one time.

1975 Oct10 WEBI-FM 92.3 > 92.1 WSME-FM WCDQ-FM WPHX-FM Sanford
Was WEBI at 92.3?


1982 May27 WKSQ-FM 94.5 Ellsworth
WKSQ originally was at 94.3

1989 Sep - WHQQ-FM WFMX-FM 107.9 Skowhegan
WHQO not WHQQ

1997 - - - WXGL-FM WCLZ-FM WLOB-FM 95.5 Topsham
95.5 went on the air as WPME

 

[True Grit]

I hear ya Grit! Also saw The Blend and Oak there when they came to town. In fact I still have a "chit". Remember that you used to have to trade money for chits at the door?

I remember the chits. Didn't keep one, though. Remember the girls, too, but didn't keep them, either

Bill put on incredible, high energy shows. It's maybe a corny thing to say, but he was 'our' Springsteen.

 

[kb3ouk]

WREM 710 in Monticello was WOZW from 1981 to 1987, WREM from 1987 to 2007, moved to 780 and became WCXH in 2007, then in 2008 changed calls to WXME.

 

[maineengineer]

To the best of recollection, WFAU(AM) became WMDR(AM), not WMBR(AM), and never reverted to WFAU(AM); WABK(AM) became WQZN(AM), later taking WFAU(AM); WRDO-FM was orginally WSCL(FM), before becoming WMME-FM.

 

[noflufftampa]

In 1992'ish 1590-WASY, 620 WZON and WKIT AM were doing a morning news show called The Voice of Maine or something like that. I was hired a transmitter reader for the WASY at the Gorham tower site in the Fall, It was the only gig in Radio the required me to wear a bright orange hunting vest! The only plus to that gig was getting a 8 Point Buck that year from the Transmitter front door! A dentist from the Bangor area bought all 3 stations and well tried to make a state wide news network. He failed, owed alot of good people alot of money and went to jail! I think "WASY went dark after that!

 

[Mainedude2007]

A dentist from the Bangor area bought all 3 stations and well tried to make a state wide news network. He failed, owed alot of good people alot of money and went to jail!

Was this the same dentist that ran a fairly well powered pirate station in Bangor during the late 90's? I think it was on 99.9 or somewhere close to WKIT's frequency

 

[chuckfoster]

In the early 90s, Stephen King sold the license for WZON AM to his dentist, who tried to run it as talk. King did not sell the Broadway property. The dentist hired his real estate agent to run the operation and it sank quickly. He in turn sold WZON to a R.I. group headed by a DJ named Big Ange who had been on air at a previous incarnation of WASY. It was that group which re-activated WASY and tried to do a Bangor- Portland network. They quickly went bankrupt, leading to the Kings re-purchase of the WZON license in bankruptcy court. They then bought WKIT and moved it to Broadway. The 1200 AM of WKIT was let go dark. I can't remember Big Ange's real name, but apparently he is now deceased.

 

[noflufftampa]

Thank you Chuck for clearing that up for me.......All I really remember is how I got F**Ked over on the gig....Checks bouncing.....and then they gave me a W-2 with the " taxes taken out of what i would of made"....I knew something was up when the interview was in a motel room in South Portland!
....Hey Chuck do you have any of your old "All Hit Video" intros saved? I have a video tape somewhere with your old show. Let me know if there are any on you tube?

 

[chuckfoster]

As I understand it, many people had bounced checks from the R.I. guys. WZON had its power shut off a few times and had to use its generator to operate. There were times with no heat in the middle of the winter, etc. It was quite the mess. As for All Hit Videos, I have put nothing on Youtube as contracts with some labels prohibit internet broadcast. However that seems to be changing, and may be possible in the future, for both current and classic episodes.