WBBL (Virginia)

WBBL
Richmond, Virginia; United States;
Frequency	1480 kHz
Programming
Format	Christian radio
Ownership
Owner	Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church
History
First air date	January 27, 1924; 100 years ago
Last air date	January 8, 1989; 35 years ago
Former frequencies	1060 kHz (1924); 1310 kHz (1924–1927); 1210 kHz (1927); 1280 kHz (1927–1928); 1370 kHz (1928–1930); 1210 kHz (1930–1941); 1240 kHz (1941–1945); 1450 kHz (1945–1950);
Technical information
Facility ID	24717
Power	5,000 watts (day); 250 watts (night);
Transmitter coordinates	37°35′50″N 77°30′37″W / 37.59720°N 77.51034°W

WBBL was a radio station in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which broadcast from 1924 until 1989, although the silenced station was not formally deleted until 1994. For its entire existence, it was owned by the Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. WBBL was Richmond's oldest radio station and the second-oldest station in Virginia. The station operated part-time throughout its existence, broadcasting the church's Sunday daytime services plus Sunday night programming.

Beginning in 1945, WBBL shared time with, and used the transmitter of, WLEE, which began operating on 1450 kHz that year and moved to 1480 kHz in 1950. From 1945 to 1989, WBBL's schedule totaled two hours and 15 minutes per week. WLEE was shut down for economic reasons at the end of 1988, taking WBBL off the air with it following two final church service broadcasts made in January 1989. After WBBL's silencing, Grace Covenant arranged to have its services carried by other local stations.