Founded by a group of NC State University graduates, WCPE began life just before 4 p.m. on July 18^th, 1978, with abbreviated broadcast days consisting of of easy listening, classical, old radio shows and even foreign language programming--all from studios in an old frame house off Raleigh's Wake Forest Road. The new station's 12,500-watt signal emanated from an antenna atop an apartment building on Six Forks Road in North Raleigh. In 1982, the station became a full-time classical outlet. Over the years, WCPE's classical format has grown in stature and reach. In 1992, the station began broadcasting at 100,000 watts from a 1,200-foot tower donated by Durham Life Insurance Company. The tower, which once supported WPTF-TV and WQDR (when both were owned by the insurance company), was dismantled from a site in Apex and moved to Wake Forest for reassembly. Over the last few years, WCPE has employed satellite broadcasting and Internet streaming to take their signal worldwide. In November 2001, WCPE extended its reach to the Sandhills area of the state with a translator in Aberdeen. In November 2003, WCPE brought classical music to the Outer Banks of North Carolina through an agreement with Chapel Hill-based NPR affiliate WUNC-FM to be rebroadcast over the station's WURI in Manteo and WBUX in Buxton. On August 27^th, 2004, WCPE signed on WZPE, 90.1 FM, a full-powered station rebroadcasting WCPE's programming to the coastal town of Bath, NC. A translator in Fayetteville, W237CM, 95.3 FM, signed on October 16^th, 2005. A year later, one signed on in Greenville, NC, W247BG at 97.3 FM. WCPE is 100% listener supported; no tax dollars here.

WCPE-FM Translators