WPTF (680 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a news/talk radio format. Licensed to Raleigh, the station serves the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. It is owned by the Curtis Media Group, with studios located on Highwoods Boulevard in Raleigh. WPTF's transmitter site is a two-tower facility off East Chatham Street, near Maynard Road NE, in Cary, North Carolina. Transmitter WPTF is one of two AM radio stations in North Carolina, along with WBT in Charlotte, which operate fulltime with 50,000 watts, the maximum power for AM stations in the U.S. (As a Class A clear-channel station, WBT has more protection from other stations than WPTF, which is classified as Class B.) WPTF has a non-directional daytime signal from a single tower. It switches to a directional signal at night from two towers to avoid interference to other stations on 680 kHz. Its nighttime signal is primarily required to protect the dominant Class A station on 680 kHz, KNBR in San Francisco, and also must avoid interfering with several stations to the north on 680 kHz, including WCBM in Baltimore, WRKO in Boston and CFTR in Toronto. Even with this restriction, at night WPTF can be heard across much of the Southeastern United States with a good radio. To improve its nighttime coverage, WPTF programming is carried on four FM translator stations: 98.5 MHz in Cary, 98.7 MHz in Rolesville, 103.3 MHz Durham and 107.5 MHz in Smithfield. Programming Weekday programs on WPTF include local news blocks in morning drive time, noon and afternoons. Three nationally syndicated talk shows are on the weekday line up: Brian Kilmeade, Rich Valdes and Red Eye Radio. WPTF's local coverage is supplemented by the CBS Radio Network, AP Radio, and the co-owned North Carolina News Network. Weekends feature shows on health, money, gardening and home improvement, some of which are paid brokered programming. Long-time staple "The Weekend Gardener," hosted by Mike Raley and Ann Clapp, is heard for three hours on Saturday mornings. Saturday and Sunday evenings feature "The All-Star Country Show" playing classic country music. WPTF is the Raleigh/Durham affiliate of the University of North Carolina Tar Heel Sports Network, sharing flagship status with WCHL in Chapel Hill. WPTF carries Tar Heels football and men's basketball games, along with the coaches' shows for both sports and the weekly "Primetime In The ACC" show. History Founding WPTF was first licensed on October