Included on another tape in the ‘annonymous’ donation from Christmas ’04, this is part of the sign off of WPIK Alexandria VA. It invites listeners to tune to their FM station for more Country music all night.
A bit of research turns up that WPIK was on 730 in Alexandria VA, the Washington DC market. Signed on in 1945 and changed call letters to WPKX in 1980 (and those calls have been on 97.9 in Springfield Mass since 1989). You can research the entire AM band history in Washington by going to this website.. Thanks to Thomas A. White for the information.
Very few stations sign off at midnight anymore, but years ago, it was common practice for class C AMs to go off the air at midnight, or at dusk, if they had to protect a clear channel (FCC Designation, not the company) AM station’s night contour. Even some FM stations would sign off at Midnight thinking there wasn’t enough audience to support the light bill during the overnight. So, we bring you a signoff as a part of radio history not often repeated anymore.
I grew up listening to WPIK/WXRA in the seventies. I’ll always remember the WPIK clock ads and The morning DJ saying “Hit it, Darlin'” as well as all the great music I listened to back then.
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I see that my initial comments are missing! But I too grew up in the late 50s / early 60s listening to WPIK when it was just country music on AM 730. The transmitting tower was only 1/2 mile from my house so my crystal radio was swamped by that strong signal. When it went off at 6:30 we were able to receive WEAM and WPGC AM radio stations. The radio tower fell down one time and cut off power for the whole area. The antenna transmitter also burnt up one time as I remember. Sorry to see that it is now WTNT radio!
Actually, it was “Rise. Shine. And feelin’ fine …. Hit it, darlin’.”