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WFJA Dramatically Increases Its Coverage Area

(SANFORD HERALD) SANFORD, NC - Sanford has a true skyscraper. It’s in a field on a tract of land in the far southwestern corner of Lee County, just off South Plank Road. And though no business can be conducted inside it in the traditional sense, one local businessman hopes it will be a boon to his radio station’s bottom line for years to come.

WFJA 105.5 FM turned its new 500-foot radio tower online permanently in late January, extended its reach from around 25 miles to as much as 50 miles. It is the tallest broadcast tower in Central North Carolina, the same height as the tallest building in Raleigh. Now listeners can pick up the station’s programming as far away as Asheboro, Ellerbe, Fayetteville, and much of the Triangle area, including the outskirts of Raleigh proper. The station is the only licensed commercial FM radio station based in Sanford and Lee County.

Before the tower went up, WFJA operated on a 255-foot tower at its office just off U.S. 1 that allowed it to cover most of Lee County and parts of northeastern Moore, Western Harnett, and Southern Chatham counties. Now, after 10 months of work, those four counties are almost completely covered by the station’s signal as well as parts of three others, enjoying the station’s broadcasts of NASCAR races and UNC and ECU football and basketball games as well as classic rock and pop hits. We just felt like the time was right to do it,” he said. Feindel’s other station, WWGP 1050 AM, still operates on the smaller tower in Sanford, which the FM station will use for a back-up. The two stations have been owned and operated locally for 63 years.