WUPY
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| |
| Frequency | 101.1 MHz |
|---|---|
| Branding | Y-101 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country |
| Affiliations | ABC News Radio Michigan Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Civic Media, Inc. |
| WIMI, WJMS, WKMJ-FM, WMPL | |
| History | |
First air date | March 31, 1983 |
Former call signs | WONT (1983–1989) |
Call sign meaning | Upper Peninsula Y |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 58318 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 212 meters (696 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | |
| Website | wupy101.com |
WUPY (101.1 FM / RF channel 266, "Y-101") is a radio station broadcasting a country music format in Ontonagon, Michigan, where it is licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The station is owned by Civic Media. The studio is located at 622 River Street in downtown Ontonagon.
Under the ownership of Ontonagon County Broadcasting, Inc. (d.b.a. S & S Broadcasting, Inc.), the station was granted a construction permit for the original tower by the Federal Communications Commission on December 12, 1982. A broadcast license was subsequently granted on September 29, 1987. The station signed on the air on October 1, 1987 under the callsign "WONT" at 98.3 MHz (RF channel 252) broadcasting at 30,000 watts effective radiated power (ERP).
As part of a major refit of station operations, the station changed its callsign to "WUPY" and its frequency to its present 101.1 MHz (RF channel 266) on May 24, 1989. The station began formally broadcasting under the "WUPY" callsign on August 18, 1989.[2][3]
On September 22, 1998, the station received authorization from the Federal Communications Commission to bring their second generation transmitter online which increased their broadcast effective radiated power to 100,000 watts.
In September of 2005, the station filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission to temporarily go silent as the station experienced severe financial instability that threatened continued operation of the station. The request was granted and the station indeed went off the air on September 26, 2005.
S & S Broadcasting, Inc. transferred station ownership to SNRN Broadcasting, Inc. via buyout process on December 15, 2005. The station returned to on-air service on January 26, 2006 after being off-air for 4 months.
In late 2006, the station got approval from the Federal Communications Commission to move transmitter operations from the original station tower (which the station directly privately owned) to leased space on a third-party owned tower (which they presently use). The two towers were approximately 800 meters (2,600 ft) apart from one another.
In January of 2023, the station was acquired by BTC USA Holdings Management, Inc. (d.b.a. Frontier Media) as part of a multi-station purchase agreement with SNRN Broadcasting Inc.[4]
In July 2025, it was announced that this station (along with its sister stations) would be acquired by Civic Media for $465,000.[5]
Technical details
WUPY broadcasts on 101.1 Mhz FM or FCC RF channel 226. The transmitter broadcasts at 100,000 watts effective radiated power (ERP) and has an effective coverage radius of 105 kilometres (65 mi) under typical atmospheric conditions. The station can typically be received as far south as Eagle River, Wisconsin, as far west as Ironwood, Michigan and as far east as Three Lakes, Michigan.
The station transmitter tower is located outside of Rockland, Michigan just east of U.S. Highway 45. The transmitting antenna is mounted at the top of a private tower which stands at 128 meters (420 ft) above ground level. The tower itself is located on a natural bluff which gives the transmitter an effective height above average terrain (HAAT) of 212 meters (696 ft).[3]
