WHFS Call Letters Return To Washington

The legendary WHFS call letters are coming back to the Washington market. The Gamut’s 1050 AM signal will change its calls from WBQH to WHFS, reviving one of the most iconic call letters in DC radio history.

For longtime listeners, the return of the WHFS call letters carries serious weight. The station was a pioneering force in alternative and progressive rock, first as a free-form station in Bethesda in the late 1960s, and later as a dominant modern rock outlet through the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. It helped break artists, built a fiercely loyal audience, and became synonymous with the region’s music scene, including the HFStival, one of the biggest radio festivals in the country.

The calls disappeared from the DC dial after a 2005 format flip, but they’ve remained a powerful piece of local radio lore ever since. Now, with the move to 1050 AM, the WHFS call letters return home.