WDON (1540 AM) is a radio station broadcasting on 1540 kHz in the

medium wave Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. The spectrum provides about 120 channels with more limited sound quality than FM stations on the FM broadcast band. During the daytime ...

AM band, airing Spanish-language Catholic programming known as ''Radio Vida en Abundancia'' (Life in Abundance Radio). Its transmitter is located in Wheaton, Maryland, and it serves the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. WDON has a daytime transmitter power of 5,000 watts, reaching as far north as Frederick County in Maryland and as far south as

Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...

and Prince William Counties in Virginia.

History

Early history (1953–1981)

Founded by Everett L. Dillard, WDON first signed on December 4, 1953 with a daytime-only, 250-watt signal. Dillard named the call sign after his son Don, who was also a DJ at the station. Don Dillard is credited for introducing rock and roll to Washington radio and also played rhythm and blues,

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

, and rockabilly on his shows; he was popular among white teenagers in Northwest Washington and suburbs in neighboring

Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous county in the state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat and largest municipality is Rockville, although the census-design ...

. By the early 1960s, WDON shifted its format to country. Following a two-year

construction permit Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building perm ...

, WDON officially increased its power to 1 kW in 1962. In the 1970s, it was an oldies station, and then briefly "

Disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

D-O-N". Later in the 1970s, WDON changed its format to religion.

As a Spanish-language station (1981–present)

WDON changed its call sign to WMDO on September 8, 1981. Nearly two weeks later on September 24, California-based Lotus Communications purchased WMDO. In 2019, Carrasco purchased the 900 kHz facility and moved Radio América programming there. 1540 kHz was leased out that January and switched to Spanish-language Christian programming as Vida en Abundancia. In 2021, Renovación Media Group, headed by Father Roberto Cortés Campos, purchased the station for $700,000; the WACA call letters moved to 900 upon the consummation of the sale, and the WDON call letters returned to Wheaton for the first time in 40 years.

References

External links

{{Daytime-only radio stations in Maryland DON DON Wheaton, Maryland Radio stations established in 1953 1953 establishments in Maryland DON