Original Call Letters: WRKT 

Originally Licensed:  May 8, 1962  

Original City of License: Cocoa Beach  

Original Frequency: 104.1

Origin of Call Letters: Sound like; RocKeT tie in with Cape Canaveral

Original Power: 100,000 watts

Original Location: 

Original Format: Bonneville Automated

Network Affiliation(s):

WRKT History

Dave Rollins corrects the history of 104.1.
The original call letters of 104.1 were WRKT. The station was automated with the Bonneville format. Both WRKT-AM 1300 and WRKT-FM 104.1 were located at the end of the 520 causeway on Cocoa Beach at the site of the old Caravelle Lounge.  It was owned and operated by C. Sweet Smith, who also owned Smith and Wooten Ford in Cocoa as well as the Blue Matador Lounge (aka Snuffy's and others). The station was moved to Pluckebaum Road with a 3 tower AM array in late 60's. Dave started there in 1967, while he was attending Cocoa Beach High School which was then in Rockledge. Bill Baker did mornings. Bob Young handled middays and Rick Morton was on from 7 pm to 12 midnight. Other folks there were, Al Radelin and Bill Marlin (Dowlings) and Clark Ray (from WKKO). The sales manager was A. R. MacHeliney, known as "Mack". He later moved to WCKS "Beautiful Music" in Cape Canaveral. 

From Marc Tyll;
After WKPE dropped its AOR format, the calls went back to WRKT-FM and the format became Top 40 as "Rocket 104".
WRKT-AM 1300 became Beautiful Music during this same time period. In 1980 WRKT-AM and WRKT-FM began a simulcast operation, switching both stations to Adult Contemporary, but remaining "Rocket 104". A year later, 1981, WRKT-FM became WSSP when Guy Gannett purchased the station with plans to upgrade the 30,000 watt Space Coast FM to a 100,000 watt station with a new 1,600 foot tower at Bithlo. The plan from the start was to move the new WSSP to Orlando as a Beautiful Music station to become "WSSPer 104".  In the meantime, while awaiting the completion of the new Bithlo tower, WSSP became a country  station serving the Space and Treasure Coast with its blend of modern and classic country favorites, known as "Brevard's Stereo Country 104".  WRKT-AM 1300 became a classics hits station, playing  top 40 hits from the 60s and 70s. WSSP was short lived, only  lasting a few years. 

WRKT Personalities

Dave Rollins

Bill Baker-mornings

Bob Young-middays

Rick Morton-1968-7PM-Midnight- Lesa Mock tells us more about Rick. "...He also wrote a weekly column in the Cocoa Evening Tribune called "It's What's  Happening".  He used to broadcast the show live from the old Tiger Den on Peachtree Street in Cocoa on Friday nights. 

Al Radelin

Bill Marlin (Dowlings)

Clark Ray

Tom Robinson-1982-1984

Mike Shepard aka Alan Jackson-Program Director

Bob Thompson

Dave Edwards-1975-1977  Biography

Ben Hill-Program Director

Jim Sumpter-Music Director

Jim “Double Bubble” Pierce 

“Brother Dave” Vasser

“Crazy Mike” Kessler 

Other Names in WRKT History

A. R. "Mack" MacHeliney-sales manager

Bob Clarke-1981-WRKT-AM and FM-Vice President/General Manager

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