Chicago Radio: 100.7 T-FM 'Powers' Up

W264BF 100.7 FM (10watts) 60dBu Coverage

Chicago translator W264BF on 100.7 T-FM powers up last weekend, increasing from 2-watts to 10-watts.

Last July, Calvary Radio Network agreed to sell W264BF, a 2 watt radio translator, for an incredible $4.6 million. The purchaser is Integrity Radio Communications, owned by former Chicago radio programming great, Elroy Smith.

Integrity is headed by Elroy Smith, started as PD for WGCI-FM in 1992. Within a year after his start, WGCI-FM became the #1 station in Chicago. In 2000, he was also named as the Operations and Program Director for WVAZ-FM.  Clear Channel cutbacks knocked Smith down to only being the Program Director of WVAZ-FM, and two months later, another wave of cutbacks had Smith pushed out from the company and from Chicago radio.

According to the FCC documents on this transaction, Smith plans on launching a format on one an HD channel  for WILV 100.3 FM and simulcast it on W264BF 100.7 FM.

Power-up-day Tuesday (11/18/2014) was the final day that the station's current owner, Calvary Radio Network had to increase the power under the FCC's construction permit. The FCC gave Calvary Radio Network an approved License to Cover on Tuesday, allowing the increased transmission to take place.

WRXQ 100.7 FM (2.45Kw) 60dBu Coverage

In September, south suburban WRXQ 100.7 FM/Q Rock licensed to Coal City, IL was so concerned about the power-up, it asked fans to fill out a form on their website, which they will then submit to the FCC to insure that the upcoming low-powered translator broadcast will not interrupt their fans' enjoyment of the full-powered radio station.

According to the FCC, the proposed 10 watts broadcast via W264BF after its upgrades will not interfere with WRXQ-FM/Q Rock 100.7 in the south suburbs, WBYT-FM/B100 in northwest Indiana, or Milwaukee's WKKV-FM/V100.7.