Original Call Letters: WLCO

Originally Licensed: Jun 1955

Original City of License: Eustis

Original Frequency: 1240

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 250 watts

Original Location: 1057 N. Palm Circle

Original Format: Variety

John Fuller supplies some the history of WLCO, "Radio Wilco".  "The original owner, who put the station on the air some years before I got there, was a local man named Bill Hess. He had sold out to old Mr. Barringer only months before I was hired. Bill was still around--I guess he had retired, because he seemed of that age to this 23 year-old--and on at least one occasion, he did play-by-play announcing for us during a high school football game." "...While I was there Mr. Barringer hired Harold McWhorter, a former radio station owner and program syndicator from W(est) V(irginia) who lived nearby in retirement (I think). Harold had had a 15-minute motivational series called "So You're Here Today."  "...I do not know when the Barringers sold out, but it may have been related to Mr. Barringer's death; he was quite old when I worked there, having retired from the fuel oil business in North Carolina at the time he bought the station in 1965. When I worked at WLCO-pronounced "Radio Wilco!"-we ran 1,000 watts daytime and 250 watts night but signed off at midnight. We had no network affiliation. The tower was down in a deep depression amidst thick trees behind the station; at night we could barely be heard beyond the city limits. The station was housed then in a prefab structure called a "Jim Walter Home." "...Our signal didn't go far, we didn't make much money (if any), and the station would have gone off the air from all of Dave Barringer's wires with alligator clips coming undone if you stomped your foot, but it was as good a ride as being in the "WKRP in Cincinnati" TV program."

Buddy (Mel) Turner-1957- Worked with Bill Hess and Wayne Moody, both retired from Mutual. Wayne put together the half-hour newscast we did every day at 6, and Bill would arrive at 5:59:30, in his Golf Shoes to co-anchor the News. At 16 years old, I was in awe of the two of them, as I "engineered" the cast. That was with NO Cart machines, just a couple of old tape transports, and at least a vinyl disc or two for spots during the cast. Bill could read at least a paragraph ahead, as he delivered the news. I was full time, that is, I worked from 4PM till Midnight, 6 days a week. I did the 4-6 show for the kids . . can you say Connie Francis, Bobby Vinton, Johnny Mathis, Fats Domino, the Crickets . . and that new guy, Elvis Presley? News at 6 . . Dinner music at 6:30. "Evening Music" at 8, and of course, the late night stuff at 10.  I signed the station off at Midnight, and did the janitor thing, before going home. I was surprised to find that Bill paid for what I did !! I think my checks were for about $60 a week. During Hurricane Donna in '60, Earl Hagar and I stayed at the station for the duration. Most of Central Florida lost power, but 1240 stayed on, with about 1200 watts. The old Gates was cranked, and humming. You may remember, the eye of the storm came right over Eustis, and I ran a mic cord out the front door, and broadcast from the eye. According to the weather people in Orlando, the peak winds just before the eye and right after it, were in the 94mph range. That old "house" was literally bouncing just before the eye arrived. There were people listening all over Central Florida, since most, if not all stations were off the air. As you might imagine, the City or County gave Bill Hess some kind of award for what Earl and I had done...

John Fuller supplies some photos of WLCO/WKIQ studios. John writes; "...(I) drove up to Eustis (Oct 2, 2004) . . ."and tracked down WKIQ (ex-WLCO) at 1057 N. Palm Circle, in a residential neighborhood, still in the same little building I remembered from 1966. Alas, it was off the air. Peeking through the windows it appeared most of the equipment had been removed, and the place abandoned. Weeds had taken over the property, even the parking spaces. The new owners apparently have put the station's revival on hold.

Click images to enlarge

 

     
Exterior Photos courtesy of John Fuller 

   
Thanks to Dennis Snyder for these photos from WLCO in 1973  
           
Bill Waller at the WLCO mic                  Collins board at WLCO


         
WLCO Production room            Collins 1000 watt transmitter