WAQY

WAQY
City of license Springfield, Massachusetts
Broadcast area Springfield, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut
Branding Rock 102
Slogan Springfield's Classic Rock
Frequency 102.1 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date 1953 (as WCRX)
Format Classic rock
ERP 17,000 watts, Stereo
HAAT 238 meters
Class B
Facility ID 58551
Callsign meaning WACKY for former branding "Wacky 102"
Former callsigns WCRX (1953–1972)
Owner Saga Communications
(Saga Communications of New England, LLC)
Webcast Listen Live
Website rock102.com

WAQY (102.1 FM) is a Springfield, Massachusetts area classic rock radio station. Since the late 1980s, the station has been known as "Rock 102".

History

102.1 FM in Springfield signed on as WCRX in 1953. The call letters stood for "Charles River Broadcasting extension," the station being a sister and extension of 102.5 FM WCRB in Boston, Massachusetts. Both the Springfield and Boston stations programmed a classical music radio format overseen by Charles River Broadcasting owner Theodore Jones.

In 1972 the station adopted the call letters "WAQY" and switched to an automated Top 40 hit music format. Known as "Wacky 102" the station played a mix of Rock, Pop, Soul and later Disco music that was popular in the 1970s. The station automation system was programmed by Jim Boldebook who had previously worked for Mike Schwartz and Don Wilks at their WTYM station hosting a morning radio program with well-known personality Dave Lane. When Wilks and Schwartz decided to automate the station, Boldebook helped choose the system (Schafer automation) and devised the format and rotation. Boldebook, also known as "Bob Brooks" did most of the voicing and commercials on the station. He subsequently went to work for Wilks and Schwartz at a Maine radio station and then started one of the top automotive advertising agencies in America, CBC Advertising, with a home office in Biddeford, Maine. He is still heard today voicing car commercials around the country.

Around 1976, the station owners (Don Wilkes/Mike Schwartz a/k/a Springfield FM {Wilkes-Schwartz Broadcasting}) decided to go live with their Top 40 format. James Marshall a.k.a. "Jim Rising" was the stations first Program Director. He had been the morning jock on WHYN. The "Wacky 102" lineup of on-air hosts was well known among Connecticut River Valley youth. Some favorite "Wacky" era personalities were Ken Gilbert, Glenn "FM" Stevens, Chuck Morgan, Jim Rising, Johnny Michaels and Rick Kelly. 7 pm-midnight evening personality Jim Kaye "The Big Tuna" was especially popular with the area's junior high and high school-aged population. Jim Kaye and Rick Kelly (see Rick Kelly's Northeast Airchecks) still live in the greater Springfield area.

In August 1981, WAQY switched to a Rock music format known as AOR.

Now known simply by the stations call letters WAQY, they played a mix of new rock music from the 1980s mixed with older rock artists of the '60s (The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix etc.) and 1970s (Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc.) Artists played included then current and popular Arena rock favorites Blue Öyster Cult, Journey, Foreigner and Fleetwood Mac as well as singer and songwriter artist from Tom Petty to Billy Joel. Hard rock and heavy metal acts like AC/DC, Van Halen and Rush were also core artists.

In the mid 1980s WAQY adopted its current moniker "Rock 102" playing up to five current rock songs an hour. By 1992, WAQY stopped playing current music and completed its evolution from an AOR to a classic rock format.

The station is an affiliate of the "Floydian Slip" syndicated Pink Floyd show.

On-air staff

Former on-air staff

Technical

WAQY transmits 17,000 watts from the top of Provin Mountain in Feeding Hills on the WWLP tower.[1] WAQY transmits using a 4 bay Continental (ERI) center fed antenna and a Nautel NV20 HD [2] transmitter. WAQY's signal covers all of the Springfield market, and can be heard as far south as New Haven, Connecticut and as far east as Boston. WAQY is running a high level IBOC (HD Digital signal) at -14db versus the normal -20db.[3]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.fccinfo.com/CMDProEngine.php?sCurrentService=FM&tabSearchType=Appl&sAppIDNumber=186321
  2. ↑ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1464708
  3. ↑ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1464708&Form_id=335&Facility_id=58551

External links

Coordinates: 42°04′59″N 72°42′14″W / 42.083°N 72.704°W