WCAT-FM (102.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

"Red 102.3") is a

commercial radio Commercial broadcasting (also called private broadcasting) is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship, for example. It was the United States' first model ...

station licensed to

Carlisle, Pennsylvania Carlisle is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2020 United States census ...

, and serving the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is owned by Harold Z. Swidler, with the license held by Radio Carlisle, Inc. WCAT-FM broadcasts a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

format, mixing current and recent hits with classic country. Programming is

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of "simultaneous broadcast") is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultaneously) ...

on co-owned WRDD (1480 AM) in

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania Shippensburg is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Cumberland and Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Franklin counties in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensb ...

. The radio studios and offices are on North Hanover Street in Carlisle. WCAT-FM has an

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ha ...

(ERP) of 3,000 watts

horizontal polarization , or , is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. One example of a polarize ...

and 2,750 watts vertical polarization. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is on Spring Road (Route 24) in Middlesex Township, Pennsylvania.Radio-Locator.com/WCAT-FM
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History

In 1959, WHYL-FM first signed on the air. It was a simulcast of co-owned WHYL (960 AM). The two stations were owned by Mid-Atlantic Broadcasting. WHYL had a middle of the road format of popular adult music, news and sports. By the 1970s, WHYL-FM began playing

using

broadcast automation Broadcast automation incorporates the use of broadcast programming technology to automate broadcasting operations. Used either at a broadcast network, radio station or a television station, it can run a facility in the absence of a human oper ...

. On December 31, 1979, the

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...

changed to WZUE and was branded as "Zoo 102". The WZUE calls were short-lived as the call sign reverted to WHYL-FM on October 14, 1981, branded as "Country 102". On April 26, 2002, the call sign was changed to WRKZ-FM. It began as a simulcast of WCAT-FM 106.7, and branded itself as "Cat Country 106.7". After a brief period, WRKZ-FM flipped formats to all-1980s rock hits and re-branded itself as "Z102.3". Another format change came shortly thereafter when "Cat Country 106.7" WCAT-FM, on 106.7, changed its call sign to WCPP (known as "Cool Pop") and changed its format to

hot AC Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, ...

. On February 17, 2004, the WCAT-FM call sign was moved to 102.3, the format was again changed to country, and it became "Red 102.3".

Citadel Broadcasting Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company founded and developed by Larry Wilson. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the count ...

, the station's former owner, merged with

Cumulus Media Cumulus Media, Inc. is a broadcasting company of the United States and is the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States ahead of Audacy and behind iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdi ...

on September 16, 2011. To comply with Department of Justice regulations, WCAT-FM, the license for WWKL, and the intellectual property of WTPA, along with WRSR in

Flint, Michigan Flint is the largest city in Genesee County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Flint River (Michigan), Flint River northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Central Michigan, Mid Michigan region. Flin ...

, were transferred to Potential Broadcasting LLC. In August 2012, Potential Broadcasting sold WCAT-FM to Harold Z. Swidler, owner of WIOO in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The sale was consummated on November 7, 2012. The studio facilities were relocated from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, at the former home of Citadel Harrisburg, to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The station has a "New Country & The Legends" format, with an emphasis on the local community, as reflected on the official website, boasting "Community-Minded Local Radio. Local Personalities. Local Owners."

Historic photographs

File:WZUE billboard.jpg, Photo of WZUE logo on a billboard, branded as "Zoo 102" File:Whyl-fm logo.jpg, WHYL-FM Logo, branded as "Country 102"

References

External links

Official websiteCall sign history (Official)
*
FCC History Cards for WCAT-FM
{{Country Radio Stations in Pennsylvania CAT-FM Country radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1959 1959 establishments in Pennsylvania Carlisle, Pennsylvania