WTAR
| |
| Broadcast area | Hampton Roads |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 850 kHz |
| Branding | TalkRadio 96.5 & 850 WTAR |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Talk radio |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | November 30, 1947 |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies | 860 kHz (1947–1950) |
Call sign meaning | derived from older WTAR; sequentially assigned |
| Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60472 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 37°3′36.5″N 76°41′24.8″W / 37.060139°N 76.690222°W |
| Translator | See § Translators |
| Repeater | 106.1 WUSH-HD2 (Poquoson) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | wtar |
WTAR (850 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads (Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News) radio market. It is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc., with studios and offices on Waterside Drive in Norfolk. WTAR broadcasts a talk radio format as "TalkRadio 96.5 & 850 WTAR".
The station's transmitter site is off Track Lane in Smithfield, Virginia. WTAR uses a directional antenna at all times. It runs at 50,000 watts by day, the highest power permitted by the Federal Communications Commission for AM stations. At night, to reduce interference to other stations on 850 AM, mainly Class A KOA in Denver, WTAR reduces power to 25,000 watts, concentrating the signal in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton and Newport News.
WTAR programming is also heard on HD Radio over 106.1 WUSH-HD2 and on FM translator stations W243DJ at 96.5 MHz in Norfolk and W243EK at 96.5 MHz in Hampton.