 | |
| Broadcast area | Charlotte metropolitan area -Piedmont Triad (partial) |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.5MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 106.5 The End |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative Rock |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WHQC,WKKT,WLKO,WRFX,W254AZ | |
| History | |
First air date | March 16, 1946; 79 years ago (1946-03-16) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "The End" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 74074 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 84,000watts |
| HAAT | 319 meters (1,047 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°35′32.00″N80°37′44.00″W / 35.5922222°N 80.6288889°W /35.5922222; -80.6288889 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | 1065 |
WEND (106.5FM) – branded106.5 The End – is acommercialradio stationlicensed toSalisbury, North Carolina, primarily serving theCharlotte metropolitan area, as well as parts of thePiedmont Triad. It airs analternative rockformat and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. The studios are on South Tryon Street in Charlotte. In morningdrive time, WEND airsThe Woody & Wilcox Show, with Chris Rozak in afternoons. On weekends, thenationally syndicatedSkratch 'N Sniff program is heard.
WEND has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 84,000watts. Thetransmitter is off Brown Road at Lipe Road inLandis.[2] The station broadcasts usingHD Radio technology and is available online viaiHeartRadio.
The stationsigned on the air on March 16, 1946.[3] The originalcall sign was WSTP-FM,simulcasting itssister stationWSTP 1490 AM. The stations were owned by the Piedmont Broadcasting Corporation with studios in the State Theater Building. Both werenetwork affiliates of theMutual Broadcasting System (MBS).
The simulcast ended in 1970 and the call letters were changed to WRDX.[4] It was still co-owned with WSTP, broadcasting acountry music sound. Pat Heiss was the morning host.[5]
Doug Rice (later withSpeedway Motorsports) joined WSTP and WRDX in 1977, working a variety of on-air jobs and eventually becoming morning host and program director. In addition, he served as play-by-play announcer forCatawba Collegefootball for nearly a decade, andcolor analyst for Catawba basketball. He also called theRowan Countyhigh school football game of the week on WRDX.[6]
WRDX had been powered at 15,000 watts, broadcasting from atower at only 250 feet. It was mostly heard in and around Salisbury. The station got a signal and tower height increase from theFCC in 1987 that allowed WRDX to cover both Charlotte and part of the Triad, includingWinston-Salem andHigh Point. At that time the station switched to satellite-deliveredadult contemporary music. Late in the 1980s, the station began playing moreoldies, especially from the category of CarolinasBeach Music.
The Dalton Group, owner ofWWMG in Charlotte, bought WRDX and WSTP for $3 million in 1995. It began operating the stations under alocal marketing agreement (LMA).[7]
In May, WRDX changed its call letters to WEND. With the switch, it adopted its currentalternative rock format.[8] Its core artists includedU2,The Red Hot Chili Peppers,Pearl Jam andNirvana.[9] With its new ownership, it moved its studios to Charlotte. This triggered several letters of protest in theSalisbury Post.
In its early years as a modern rock station, WEND carried thesyndicatedBob and Tom Show fromIndianapolis. This lasted until March 31, 2010.[10]
Woody & Wilcox, fromKBFX inAnchorage, Alaska, moved their morning show to Charlotte on April 19, 2010.[11] (They also continued to air on KBFX.)[12] The new wake-up show proved to be popular. The audience for mornings jumped 74 percent.[13] On February 24, 2014, co-ownedWVBZ inGreensboro, North Carolina, became the first station other than WEND and KBFX to add the team.[14] During 2014, Woody & Wilcox added three other affiliates:KKZX inSpokane, Washington;KKED inFairbanks, Alaska;[15] andKPAW inFort Collins, Colorado.[16]
WEND aired weekend specialty showsResurrection Sunday and90 Minutes starting in 1995. These have since ended.90 Minutes was hosted by Divakar & featured local and independent artists.Resurrection Sunday featured the roots of alternative rock & was hosted by "The Wizard". WEND airsSkratch 'N Sniff, a music program syndicated viaCompass Media Networks, on Saturday nights, as well asOut of Order hosted by Stryker on Sunday nights.[17]
In 2001, WEND was acquired by Capstar.[18] That company was later merged intoSan Antonio-basedClear Channel Communications. Clear Channel changed its name to iHeartMedia in 2014.
In October 2015, iHeartMedia announced that it had acquired local rights to theMotor Racing Network andPerformance Racing Network's coverage of theNASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Those races began airing on WEND. Representatives of the two networks were positive over the new deal, as WEND provides better over-the-air coverage of North Carolina than previous rightsholder, 107.1WRHM.[19] Also, sinceNorth Wilkesboro Speedway returned to NASCAR Cup Series racing in 2023, WEND is also the default affiliate for that speedway.
In August 2017, Chuck "DZL" Thompson replaced Jack Daniel at WEND, becoming that station's second program director in 22 years. In October of 2021, Chris Crowley was hired as the program director.[20] Crowley departed in February 2025.[21]
WEND's transmitter is found further north than most of the other major Charlotte stations. This is because it is located as close as it can legally get to Charlotte while remaining close enough to itscity of license of Salisbury to provide a city-grade signal. Additionally, it is short-spaced toWTCB inColumbia at nearby 106.7.
Because of these limitations, WEND only provides a grade B signal toRock Hill and most of theSouth Carolina portion of the Charlotte market. At the same time, it provides at least secondary coverage to much of thePiedmont Triad. It has city-grade coverage as far north asWinston-Salem andHigh Point.