WGRP
| City | Greenville, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Sharon, Pennsylvania, Hermitage, Pennsylvania, Youngstown, Ohio |
| Branding | AM 940 WGRP |
| Frequency | 940 kHz |
| First air date | September 19, 1959 |
| Format | Oldies |
| Power | 1,000 watts (day) 2 watts (night) |
| Class | D |
| Facility ID | 25227 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°23′10″N 80°24′35″W / 41.38611°N 80.40972°W |
| Callsign meaning | W GReenville, Pennsylvania |
| Owner | Vilkie Communications |
| Sister stations | WLOA, WMVL |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 940wgrp.com |
WGRP is a licensed Class D AM radio station broadcasting from Greenville, Pennsylvania at 940 kHz. WGRP broadcasts full-time. However, it only sends out 2 watts in the nighttime hours, in order to protect a Canadian clear-channel which is reserved by international treaty.
WGRP and WLOA, along with WMVL 101.7 FM in Linesville, PA, are owned by Vilkie Communications, and both feature an oldies format. Previously, WGRP and WLOA, along with former sister station WEXC were owned by Beacon Broadcasting, operated by Warren-based steel supply magnate Harold Glunt. After his death in January 2010, Glunt's surviving son put the stations up for sale. Educational Media Foundation acquired all three stations, with the intention to spin off WGRP and WLOA to separate owners.
International treaty requires WGRP to broadcast at only 2 watts during night hours. This is to allow uninterrupted broadcasting of CINW in Montreal, Quebec which occupied the same frequency until signing off permanently in January 2010 (another station will be signing on in Montreal in 2012, broadcasting under the same parameters as CINW did). In CINW's absence, and despite the night-time power limitation, listeners have reported hearing WGRP across much of northeast North America at night. As recently as March 2013, the new Montreal station is not yet on the air. WGRP, at local sunset, must reduce power to either 17 watts or 7 watts, for first two hours after the sunset time for that month. Some months allow the station to run 17 watts for the first hour after sunset, then 7 watts the second hour, then to the two watts nighttime. Some months, mostly in summer, station is limited to the 7 watts for both hours of post sunset operation.
Station operates same directional pattern day and night.
Many DX-ers, those that try to listen to distant stations as a hobby, have asked about if the station operates at a true 2 watts at night. Station officials have confirmed it, as an unusual antenna current meter, one measuring in milli-amps, has been used by current owners to confirm. Even they were surprised by the coverage of the station at night.
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Wikipedia