| SimulcastingWCCQ Crest Hill | |
|---|---|
 WXLC's studios at theGurnee Mills mall inGurnee, Illinois | |
| |
| Broadcast area | Lake County;Northeastern Illinois |
| Frequency | 102.3MHz |
| Branding | Free Country 98.3 & 102.3 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | May1963 (as WEFA)[1] |
Former call signs | WEFA (1963–1980) |
Call sign meaning | Across Lake County |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 10451 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 3,000 watts |
| HAAT | 98 meters (322 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WXLC (102.3FM) is a radio station based inWaukegan, Illinois. The format iscountry music and the station is owned byConnoisseur Media. WXLC broadcasts throughout Lake County, Illinois andKenosha County, Wisconsin. WXLC also penetrates the Illinois counties ofCook andMcHenry in addition toRacine County in Wisconsin as well. The station's transmitter is in Waukegan, while its studios are based in the north end of theGurnee Mills mall inGurnee.
The station began broadcasting in May 1963 and held thecall sign WEFA.[1][3] In 1980, the station's call sign was changed to WXLC, which stands for "Across Lake County".[3][4] The X illustrates "across." Itstower is clearly visible on Route 120, east of US 41. WXLC was also used onUS Cable Channel Guide, Lake County's only original Electronic Prevue Guide.[5]
WXLC was anaffiliate ofDan Ingram'sTop 40 Satellite Survey in the mid 1980s, an affiliate ofThe Rockin' America Top 30 Countdown withScott Shannon in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and an affiliate ofAmerican Top 40 withShadoe Stevens in the early 1990s.[6][7][8][5]
Many Chicago area radio personalities and other DJs nationwide can trace their careers back to WXLC at one time or another. Nick Farella (1948–2005) was a Chicago broadcaster (WMAQ) as well as a longtimeProgram Director at the station.
For many years, WXLC was known as "Hot 102.3 FM".[4] On March 20, 2023, WXLC rebranded as "Star 102.3", matching the branding used byAlpha Media's two otherhot AC stations in suburban Chicago (WSSR andWZSR).[9] On May 24, 2024, WXLC flipped to asimulcast of country-formatted sister station WCCQ inJoliet.[10] Alpha Media merged withConnoisseur Media on September 4, 2025.[11]
42°20′59″N87°52′53″W / 42.349760°N 87.881425°W /42.349760; -87.881425