WLLQ

WLLQ is a daytime only AM radio station licensed to Chapel Hill, North Carolina heard at 1530 kHz. The station is part of a simulcast of the regional Mexican music format called La Grande.

WLLQ
CityWLLQ: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
WRTG: Garner, North Carolina
WGSB: Mebane, North Carolina
FrequencyWLLQ: 1530 kHz
WRTG: 1000 kHz
WGSB: 1060 kHz
BrandingLa Grande
Programming
FormatRegional Mexican
WGSB: Defunct
Ownership
OwnerEstuardo Valdemar Rodriguez and Leonor Rodriguez
Sister stationsWRTG, WGSB
History
First air dateWLLQ: 1973 (as WRBX)
WRTG: 1994
WGSB: 1973
Former call signsWLLQ:
WRBX (1973-1986)
WRTP (1986-2005)
WRTG:
WKBQ (?-1987)
WHEV (1987-1994)
WGSB:
WMYT (1985-1986)
WGLH (1986-1990)
Technical information
Facility IDWLLQ: 9068
WRTG: 9072
WGSB: 25036
ClassWLLQ: D
WRTG: D
WGSB: D
PowerWLLQ: 10,000 watts daytime only
WRTG: 1,000 watts daytime only
WGSB: 1,000 watts day
500 watts critical hours
Transmitter coordinatesWLLQ:
35°58′07″N 79°00′10″W
WRTG:
35°43′50″N 78°36′12″W
WGSB:
36°03′28″N 79°16′36″W
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitelagrandenc.com

History

Prior to their current Spanish language format with programing from Que Pasa, WLLQ, WRTG, and WGSB broadcast a contemporary Christian format as His Radio WRTP, which now airs from WRTP-FM and WCCE-FM, along with a number of FM translators throughout central and eastern North Carolina.

WLLQ

In 1973, WRBX began life as a jazz-formatted station under the ownership of Stuart Epperson, now the head of national Christian broadcaster Salem Communications.

WRBX's studios were located on Chapel Hill's West Rosemary Street and the daytime-only station had 5,000 watts of power. As the jazz format lost listeners to competitors on the FM dial, WRBX moved towards an inspirational Christian format.

By 1978, WRBX had gone Southern gospel, increased its power to 10,000 watts and moved to studios on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard (US 15/501) near present-day New Hope Commons Shopping Center.

In 1979, Epperson sold the station to Hugh Johnston, who changed WRBX to a country format. The country format continued until 1985, when WRBX was then sold to L. L "Buddy" Leathers' Carolina Christian Communications.

Under Leathers' Carolina Christian Communications, an inspirational Christian format was reinstated, the station's studios were moved into Leathers' repair shop and WRBX became WRTP.

The inspirational format soon became a contemporary Christian one. Carolina Christian Communications expanded WRTP to a simulcast with Garner-based WRTG, 1000 AM, in 1994 and to Mebane-based WGSB, 1060 AM in 1995. Between these three stations, the Triangle area was covered, but only during daylight hours, as all three stations were licensed only for daytime operation.

In October 2004, WRTP-AM, WRTG and WGSB were purchased by Estuardo Valdemar Rodriguez and Leonor Rodriguez, owners of WLLN in Lillington, for $1.1 million.

On February 3, 2005, WRTP and its sister AM stations ceased broadcasting the "His Radio WRTP" Christian format on AM, but WRTP still continues on a number of frequencies on FM 24 hours a day. After a day off-air, the three stations resumed broadcasting a regional Mexican format on February 4, 2005, with AM 1530 adopting the new call letters WLLQ.

WGSB's license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission on March 12, 2019, due to the station having been silent since January 13, 2017.

References
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