WYKT

WYKT (105.5 FM, "The Ticket") is a radio station in northeastern Illinois. It is licensed to Wilmington, Illinois and is a Fox Sports Radio affiliate. It has an effective radiated power of 1,300 watts at 147 meters height above average terrain.[5]

WYKT
Broadcast areaJoliet, Illinois
Frequency105.5 MHz
Branding105.5 The Ticket
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Ownership
OwnerSTARadio Corporation
WKAN, WXNU
History
First air date
September 29, 1980 (as WLMT)[1]
Former call signs
WLMT (1980[2]-1982)[3]
WDND (1982-1995)[3]
Call sign meaning
W Y KaT
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID36120
ClassA
ERP1,300 watts
HAAT147 meters (482 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°17′11″N 88°14′23″W
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Website1055theticket.com

History

The station began broadcasting on September 29, 1980, and held the call sign WLMT.[6] The station was originally owned by Viking Broadcasting Corporation, and had an ERP of 3 kw at an HAAT of 275 feet.[6][2] WLMT initially aired a MOR format,[6] later switching to a top 40 format.[7] In 1982, the station was sold to DBC Broadcasting for $160,000.[8]

On November 1, 1982, the station's call sign was changed to WDND by then-owner Donald T. Burgeson.[3] WDND aired an adult contemporary format.[9][10][11] In 1994, the station was sold to L.B.R. Enterprises for $257,000.[12]

In February 1995, the station's format was changed from adult contemporary to Triple-A.[11] In April 1995, the station's call sign was changed to WYKT.[3] The station was branded "The Kat".[13] In July 1995, the station picked up the WDRE Underground Network at night, while continuing to air its local Triple-A format during the day.[14] In 1998, the station was sold to STARadio Corporation.[15] WYKT would continue airing a Triple-A format until 2003.[16][1]

On August 18, 2003, WYKT adopted an oldies format branded as "The Pickle", playing music from 1964 to 1983.[17][18][19] In October 2007, WYKT began airing a Top 40 format and was branded as "My 105.5".[20] "My 105.5" carried American Top 40, along with local personalities.[20] In September 2009, the station switched to a classic rock format, and was again branded "The Kat", with the slogan "The Southland's Rock and Roll Animal".[21][22] The station's format would gradually shift to active rock.[21]

On July 10, 2014, the station's format was switched to sports, as "105.5 The Ticket".[21] "The Ticket" was initially a CBS Sports Radio affiliate,[21][23] but by 2018, it would become an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio.[24]

References
  1. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2002-2003, Broadcasting & Cable, 2002. p. D-148. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  2. History Cards for WYKT, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  3. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  4. "Facility Technical Data for WYKT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. "WYKT-FM 105.5 MHz - Wilmington, IL". Radio-locator.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  6. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1981, Broadcasting & Cable, 1981. p. C-75. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  7. Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1982, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1982. p. C-77. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. "Ownership Changes", Broadcasting, February 1, 1982. p. 90. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  9. Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1984, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1984. p. B-85. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  10. Chicagoland Radio Waves, MediaTies. Summer 1988. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  11. "Format Changes & Updates", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 12 No. 8. February 22, 1995. p. 1. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  12. "Transactions", Radio & Records, October 28, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  13. "WYKT -The Kat - 105.5FM". WYKT. Archived from the original on February 8, 1999. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  14. "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 30. July 29, 1995. p. 114. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  15. "Proposed Station Transfers", The M-Street Journal. Vol. 15 No. 22. June 3, 1998. p. 6. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  16. The M-Street Radio Directory. 2002-2003. p. 203. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  17. "Oldies radio parties like it's '79 but not '99", Daily Journal, November 3, 2003. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  18. "The Pickle". WYKT. Archived from the original on August 30, 2004. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  19. The M-Street Radio Directory. 2004-2005. p. 208. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  20. "MY 105.5!". WYKT. Archived from the original on January 10, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  21. "Rocker 'The Kat 105.5' To Flip To All-Sports '105.5 The Ticket'", Chicagoland Radio and Media, June 19, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  22. "The Kat 105.5 - The Southland's Rock and Roll Animal". WYKT. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  23. "Shows - 105.5 The Ticket". STARadio Corp. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  24. "Shows - 105.5 The Ticket". STARadio Corp. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
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