WPJX

WPJX (1500 AM) is a radio station, licensed to Zion, Illinois, that airs a heavy metal format."Heavy Metal, Underground Music Station, Rebel Radio, Rocks Hard, Rocks Heavy, for 21 Years!", Lincolnshire Review. September 2, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2020. The station is owned by Polnet Communications, which also owns WKTA in Evanston, WNVR in Vernon Hills, and WEEF in Highland Park-Deerfield. The station transmits with a directional 250 watts of power from three towers located on the corner of Delany Road and 21st Street near Wadsworth, Illinois. The station's daytime signal serves northern Lake County, Illinois, and Kenosha County, Wisconsin. WPJX was licensed to operate during daytime hours only until May 2009, when it began broadcasting 24 hours a day with a power of 250 watts daytime and 2 watts nighttime. The station has an extremely weak signal null to the north and south.

History The station first began broadcasting on September 19, 1967, and originally held the call sign WZBN.Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History, Crossroads Communications. pp. 348-350. The station was originally owned by the Zion-Benton Broadcasting Company.

The station was once co-owned with WKZN 96.9 (later WNIZ and now WWDV) and had studios in downtown Zion during this period. In 1977, the station's call sign was changed to WKZN.History Cards for WPJX, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 20, 2020. As WKZN, it aired an MOR-adult contemporary format, simulcasting the programming of WKZN-FM 96.9."Illinois Media", Midwest Newsclip, Inc., (1982). p. 169"Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 37. Accessed August 8, 2015

In 1983, the station's call sign was changed to WNIZ, and the station began airing a classical music format, simulcasting the programming of its sister stations WNIZ-FM 96.9 and WNIB 97.1.Call Letters - Grants, Broadcasting, August 8, 1983. p. 80. Accessed August 8, 2015"Illinois Media '84/'85", Midwest Newsclip, (1984). p. 143 In 1984, Lake County Broadcasting Co. purchased the station from Northern Illinois Broadcasting Co. for $200,000.For the Record - Ownership Changes, Broadcasting, August 13, 1984. pp. 74-75 Accessed August 8, 2015 On December 1, 1984, the station's call sign was changed to WRJR.Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Accessed August 7, 2015

On December 1, 1987, the station's call sign was changed to WKGA. As WKGA, the station aired a Spanish music format and was branded "Radio Borinquen"."Chicagoland Radio Waves: Your Complete Guide to Local Radio", Media Ties, Summer 1988. Accessed August 7, 2015

On November 7, 1994, WKGA adopted a classic country format.Feder, Robert. "Oprah's Ex-Publicist Keeps Mum for Now", Chicago Sun-Times. November 3, 1994. p. 49."Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 11, No. 45. November 9, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2020. In early 1996, the station was sold to Lotus Communications Corporation for $210,000,Feder, Robert. "Three Radio Groups Control Lion's Share", Chicago Sun-Times. February 6, 1996. p. 29. and it adopted a regional Mexican format, simulcasting the programming of sister station 1300 WTAQ."Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 13, No. 5. February 1, 1996. p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2020. On June 24, 1996, the station's call sign was changed to WTAU.

In 1998, the station was sold to ABC Radio, and on July 16, the station became an affiliate of Radio Disney along with its sister station WTAQ,"Getting Kids To Listen", Chicago Tribune, August 21, 1998. Accessed August 7, 2015Feder, Robert. "Love ya, love the show, but hate the hypocrisy", Chicago Sun-Times. July 8, 1998. p. 55. and the station began broadcasting in AM stereo using the C-QUAM system. On December 3, the station's call sign was changed to WDDZ. The station continued to simulcast Radio Disney with its sister station WRDZ until it was taken off the air on January 14, 2000.Application Search Details – BLSTA-20001012ACB, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 19, 2020.

A short-lived LMA to the owners of WBJX in Racine, Wisconsin (now WJTI), brought the station back on the air in January 2001, simulcasting WBJX and airing a regional Mexican format."Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 05. January 31. 2001. p. 2. Retrieved April 19, 2020."Elsewhere", The M Street Journal. Vol. 18, No. 05. January 31. 2001. p. 6. Retrieved April 19, 2020.Feder, Robert. "Ramblin' Ray Stevens out in US-99 shakeup", Chicago Sun-Times. January 30, 2001. p. 43. On May 16, 2001, the station's callsign was changed to WPJX. The station again signed off the air in October 2001. It returned to the air permanently in spring 2002, first with its previous format, a simulcast of the Radio Disney station WRDZ.

In 2002, Multicultural Broadcasting of Chicago, Inc. purchased the station from ABC Radio for $70,000.Consent to Assignment, fcc.gov, July 24, 2002. Accessed August 7, 2015Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, fcc.gov, May 9, 2002. Accessed August 7, 2015Feder, Robert. "ABC Radio selling Zion station for second time", Chicago Sun-Times. June 18, 2002. p. 55. Under Multicultural's ownership it aired an oldies format.The M Street Radio Directory. Thirteenth Edition. 2004-2005. p. 208. Retrieved April 19, 2020.

In 2006, Polnet bought the station from Multicultural Broadcasting for $230,000.Consent to Assignment, fcc.gov, March 21, 2006. Accessed August 7, 2015Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement, fcc.gov, November 10, 2005. Accessed August 7, 2015Feder, Robert. "Brandmeier's contract already paying dividends", Chicago Sun-Times. January 18, 2006. p. 75. When Polnet bought the station, it switched to a Spanish-language reggaeton format.Feder, Robert. "Reggaeton newcomer on Spanish radio lineup", Chicago Sun-Times. May 25, 2006. p. 59.Feder, Robert. "New Spanish station gets seasoned manager", Chicago Sun-Times. June 8, 2006. p. 61. In February 2009, the heavy metalRebel Radio - About Us format "Rebel Radio" began airing full-time on the station."Media: October 2009", Illinois Entertainer. September 30, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2020. "Rebel Radio" was replaced by a syndicated Spanish format in mid-February 2011."Rebel Radio Rides Again", Chicagoland Radio and Media, February 27, 2011. Accessed August 8, 2015

On October 1, 2018, at noon, the heavy metal format of "Rebel Radio" returned to WPJX, after an eight-year hiatus."News Bites: '101.9 PINK,' WBEZ, 'Rebel Radio,' WIP-FM", InsideRadio. October 4, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2020."Rebel Radio Returns To Chicago Suburbs", Radio Insight. October 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2020.Feder, Robert. "Robservations: Chuck Schaden returns for 'Those Were the Days' milestone", RobertFeder.com. October 4, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2020. During the first day back, Rebel Radio aired only the "Big 4" thrash metal bands: Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer.

Translator WPJX is also heard on 92.5 MHz, through an FM translator.

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