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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Area |
| Frequency | 93.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Trump Country 93.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country music |
| Subchannels | HD2:Fox Sports Fort Myers (sports radio) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sun Broadcasting, Inc. |
| History | |
First air date | December 1971; 53 years ago (1971-12) |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies | 93.5MHz (1971–2000) |
Call sign meaning | Station was branded as "Hell Yeah" from 2020 until 2024 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 66223 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 43,000watts |
| HAAT | 145 meters (476 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 26°30′19.3″N81°51′13.3″W / 26.505361°N 81.853694°W /26.505361; -81.853694 |
| Translator(s) |
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| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | |
WHEL (93.7FM) is acommercialradio stationlicensed toSanibel, Florida, and broadcasting to theCape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Area. The station is owned by Sun Broadcasting and airs acountry musicradio format branded as "Trump Country." The studios and offices are on Palm Beach Boulevard (Florida State Road 80) in Fort Myers, near theCaloosahatchee River.
WHEL is aClass C2 FM station with aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 43,000watts. Thetransmitter is on Ten Mile Drive inSan Carlos Park, off OldRoute 41.[2] The station broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. On its HD2digital subchannel, it carries asports radio format known as "Fox Sports Fort Myers." The subchannel feeds twoFM translators, 94.1 inFort Myers and 103.3 inBayshore.
The stationsigned on the air in December 1971; 53 years ago (December 1971). Its originalcall sign was WALJ-FM, itscity of license wasNaples and it broadcast on 93.5 MHz. It was a Class A station, only powered at 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output.[3]
The station changed its call letters to WRGI-FM in 1974. It became thesister station to WRGI 1510 AM onMarco Island, nowdark. WRGI-FM was known as "G-93.5," airing aTop 40 format. It flipped toadult contemporary music during the late 1970s. In 1987, the station returned to Top 40 hits when it became "Lazer 93.5". At first, it kept its WRGI call letters but switched to WLAZ as "Lazer 93.5" in 1989.[4] Its Top 40 format lasted for nearly three years.
The station changed toclassic rock and returned back to its WRGI call letters on November 19, 1990. It later shifted to anoldies format. In mid-September 1994, the station dropped the format and WRGI call letters. It became a simulcast of WNOG 1270 AM (now dark) airing atalk radio format as WNOG-FM.
On February 17, 1997, WNOG-FM became WPRW with adance radio format with the station's moniker name "Power 93.5". This lasted until March 24, 1999, when the station flipped tosoft adult contemporary as "Lite 93.5" with the call letters WTLT.[5] It later shifted to mainstream adult contemporary.
In late 2002, WTLT's frequency changed from 93.5 to 93.7 FM. This was coupled with an increase to its power, giving it a larger coverage area. In 2010, WTLT moved its transmitter closer toFort Myers, to more effectively coverLee County, and the northern part of the market.
On September 16, 2020, the station flipped toautomatedcountry music as "Trump Country 93.7", with no airstaff. It used promos performed by aDonald Trump impersonator.[6] The93X Facebook page announced that it would be "back on a new channel soon!"[7] The Trump-branded country music lasted only three months.
On December 18, WXNX rebranded as "Hell Yeah 93.7" under new WHEL call letters.[8] The station's programmer claimed the switch was made due toJoe Bidencampaign officials reaching out to the station. The claim included threats that Biden's newFCC commissioners would revoke the station's license upon his taking office on January 20, 2021, due to allegedequal time violations, though this was likely promotional hyperbole, as both the campaign and FCC never commented on the claims.[9]
In September and October 2022, the station was silent for several weeks due toHurricane Ian. WHEL returned to the air with the "Latino" Spanish-languagecontemporary hit radio format normally heard onWTLQ-FM (97.7), which was still out of service at the time.[10] On October 21, WTLQ-FM returned to the air, allowing WHEL to resume its country format.[10]
In 2023, theBeasley Broadcast Group shifted itsactive rock format fromWJBX toWRXK-FM to make room for the move ofESPN Radio to 99.3 FM. On June 19, 2023, WTLT dropped its "Lite 93.7" adult contemporary format and assumed the "X" moniker and active rock format. On June 26, 2013, WTLT changed its call letters to WXNX.[11]
On January 18, 2024, WHEL dropped the country format, moving it to WHEL-HD3 and translator W231DC (94.1 FM). The main signal beganstunting with all-Taylor Swift music.
At 9 a.m. on January 22, WHEL flipped back to contemporary hit radio as "Hot 93.7", with the intention of taking on Top 40 leader 103.9WXKB. Hot 93.7 took swipes at WXKB about its commercial break lengths, music choices, and "national" focus in contests.[12] It also creates a flanker for sister stationWFFY against its own rivalWBTT. The first song as "Hot 93.7" was "Dance the Night" byDua Lipa.[13]
On January 20, 2025, the day that Donald Trump wasinaugurated as the 47th president of the United States, WHEL switched back to its "Trump Country 93.7" country music format. Station promos and announcements continue to use the same Donald Trump impersonator as the first time the station called itself "Trump Country 93.7."[14]
On March 7, 2022, WHEL-HD2 changed its format fromRegional Mexican music toActive Rock. It used the branding "Rock 103.3".[15]
On May 14, 2024, WHEL-HD2/W277AP dropped its "Rock 103.3" format. It switched to a simulcast of WFSX-HD2's "Fox Sports Fort Myers"sports radio format.[16]
On July 1, 2024, WHEL dropped the "Hell Yeah 94.1" country format on its HD3 subchannel and the 94.1 translator, switching to "Fox Sports Fort Myers", simulcasting WFSX-HD2.[17]
26°30′18″N81°51′14″W / 26.505°N 81.854°W /26.505; -81.854