In early 1972, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated the frequency to Willimantic, making 98.3 the only FM in Windham County.

The station was assigned the call letters WXLS, and went on the air featuring a beautiful music format in June 1975 with studios at 1491 West Main Street, Willimantic (across from Capitol Chrysler Dodge Jeep, currently a drug treatment facility) and with transmitting facilities on Hosmer Mountain, off Route 289 in Willimantic.

General manager Peter Aucion met with the town's Common Council four weeks after the station took to the air and agreed to provide $5,000.00 in rebates to residents to purchase antenna filters to block out 98.3.

In 1975 WXLS applied to build a tower on Gates Hill in Lebanon, however were denied a permit by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

By 1979 a $10,000 attachment had been filed against WXLS for unpaid bills for syndicated programming provided by Peters Productions of San Diego, California.

Studios were relocated to 75 Bridge Street at the foot of Hosmer Mountain, and call letters were changed to WNOU on June 10, 1980.

On July 31, 1985, the FCC approved the sale of silent WNOU to Nutmeg Broadcasting Co. for $645,000, including the payment of federal back taxes owed by Delta.

[2] Hall acquired the stations from the Rice family for $1.8 million; it continues to operate Nutmeg Broadcasting as a subsidiary, and has maintained all local services and facilities at 720 Main Street in Willimantic.