WPYX

WPYX
City of license Albany, New York
Broadcast area Adirondacks, Capital District, and upper Hudson Valley
Branding PYX 106
Slogan "Your Classic Rock"
Frequency 106.5 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date September 1967 (as WDKC)
Format Classic rock (with mainstream rock lean)
ERP 15,500 watts
HAAT 275 meters
Class B
Facility ID 73911
Callsign meaning Calls chosen for name (play on "picks")
Former callsigns WDKC (1967-1971)
WTRY-FM (1971-1973)
WHSH (1973-1980)
Affiliations New York Giants Radio Network
Owner Clear Channel Communications
Sister stations WGY, WGY-FM, WRVE, WTRY-FM, WKKF, WOFX
Webcast Listen Live
Website pyx106.com

WPYX (PYX 106) is a Classic Rock radio station licensed to Albany, New York and primarily serving New York's Capital Region, the Adirondacks, and surrounding areas. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasts at 106.5 MHz at 15.5 kilowatts ERP from a non-directional transmitter located from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland.

Though billed as classic rock, WPYX plays a moderate amount of currents which puts it on a fringe alongside mainstream rock. Regardless of what format the station is filed under, WPYX is one of the longest lasting stations in the Capital District since it began on September 15, 1980. However, newer rock can still be heard on Townsquare Media's Q103 active rock stations (WQBK-FM/WQBJ) and Albany Broadcasting's WKLI-FM (Rock 100.9).

During the NFL season, WPYX also broadcasts New York Giants football games.

History

The 106.5 frequency signed on in September 1967 as WDKC, operating as an MOR music station. It was owned by Kopps-Monahan Communications, Inc., owners of Top 40 powerhouse WTRY 980 (today's WOFX). In 1971, the call letters were changed to WTRY-FM. It continued as an MOR station during the day, but simulcasted WTRY's Top 40 format at night; returning to full-time MOR programming in 1972. In early 1973, the WTRY stations were sold, and WTRY-FM became WHSH, which then went to its first full-time rock format as the format was changed to a Top 40–Oldies hybrid with live DJs. The station was now known as "Wish" as well as "The Albany Stereo Giant". Ownership automated the station a year later in 1974, and changed the format to Oldies. During Labor Day weekend, 1975, the format was flipped again, this time to beautiful music, while keeping the "Wish" nickname.

By 1980, there was an obvious hole for a mainstream album-oriented rock station in the Albany market, and the station flipped to its current format on September 15, 1980, changing its call letters to WPYX.

WPYX and WTRY went through several ownership changes which includes Scott Broadcasting of Pennsylvania, television personality Merv Griffin and Capstar Broadcasting (which was controlled by billionaire mogul Tom Hicks). In 1999, Capstar merged with another Hicks-owned company, Chancellor Media Corporation, to form AMFM Inc. In 2000, the stations were acquired by its current owner Clear Channel Communications when they merged with AMFM.

The Wolf is the host of the WPYX morning show, Wakin' Up With the Wolf. His program runs weekdays 5:30 to 10:00 a.m. Until April 28, 2009, other personalities included:

Presently, only morning drive and afternoon drive remain local and live.

HD Radio operations

In 2005, WPYX upgraded to IBOC digital radio alongside the rest of Clear Channel's Albany stations. On August 17, 2006, WPYX began airing an HD2 channel with a deep tracks classic rock format, known as Vinyl Vineyard which remains to this day.

External links