WEXP (101.5 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Brandon, Vermont. WEXP broadcasts an Americana music format featuring nearly all types of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues and jazz with an effective radiated power of 350 watts with a directional antenna located atop "Grandpa's Knob" near Castleton, Vermont. WEXP features live, daily dialog with community service. History The station's construction permit was originally owned by Tim Hoehn, Gary Savoie, and local resident Michael Carr who wound up selling a controlling interest to Jeff Shapiro. Although the transmitter is located a distance from Brandon, the tower site on Grandpa's Knob, in Castleton, Vermont, was the only place that would suffice to get a city grade signal over the majority of Brandon. An FCC waiver permitted this operation. A story in the Rutland Herald depicted a large type balloon being raised over a hilltop in Pittsford to describe how high a proposed tower could be. Several hunters shot the balloon down, since the people there did not want a tower erected in their town. WEXP went on the air in April 1999 under "Program Test Authority" from the FCC with no sales staff, no disc jockeys and only a Technics CD player airing the same repeating dance music CD with a legal ID imbedded, calling itself "Express 101". A contract engineer, Neil Langer, oversaw the operation and kept the station's public file at his residence. In October 2000, WEXP began to simulcast its signal over WVAY 100.7 (now WTHK) in Wilmington, Vermont and its translator W284AB in Jamaica, Vermont. On May 16, 2000, at noon, WEXP became Classic Rock 101, The Fox. The very first song played was "Long Live Rock" by The Who. The station's initial lineup included the syndicated Imus In The Morning show. Alicia Ty hosted the midday slot. Baker (from the Mason and Sheehan Show in Albany NY) was the first program director and afternoon host. John Roberts was hired a bit later, and handled the nighttime programming. "The Janitor" was around for the overnights, and was platooned with "Rachel Lee" in the overnight lineup. A $1.01 Gas promotion at a Citgo gas station in Fair Haven, Vermont that brought in hundreds of vehicles, over a three-hour time span was a catalyst in establishing the station as a player in the local marketplace. Several early DJs at the station have moved on to other stations such as Baker