WAQY

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

WAQY
Broadcast areaSpringfield, Massachusetts
Frequency102.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingRock 102
Programming
FormatClassic rock
SubchannelsHD2: WLZX-FM simulcast (Active rock)
AffiliationsNew England Patriots Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Saga Communications of New England, LLC)
WHAI, WHMP, WHMQ, WIZZ, WLZX, WLZX-FM, WPVQ-FM, WRSI
History
First air date
December 17, 1966 (1966-12-17) as WCRX
Former call signs
WCRX (1966–1972)
WAQY (1972–1991)
WAQY-FM (1991–1999)[1]
Call sign meaning
"Wacky Radio" (former branding)
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID58551
ClassB
ERP17,000 watts
HAAT238 meters (781 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42.083°N 72.704°W / 42.083; -72.704
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websiterock102.com

History

102.1 FM in Springfield signed on December 17, 1966,[3] as WCRX. The call letters stood for "Charles River Broadcasting extension," the station being a sister and extension of 102.5 FM WCRB-FM in Boston, Massachusetts. Both the Springfield and Boston stations programmed a classical music radio format overseen by Charles River Broadcasting owner Theodore Jones.

In the mid-1970s, owners Don Wilks and Mike Schwartz decided to put the first automated rock and roll station on the air. Their program direction, Jim Boldebook, was given the task of programming a Shafer automation system. WAQY broadcast top 40 music with song titles every third song and no on-the-air DJ. DJs went live starting in 1976.

In August 1981, WAQY switched to a rock music format known as AOR. Now known simply by the station’s call letters, WAQY 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 artists 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 serves as the Pioneer Valley's affiliate for the New England Patriots radio network.

Technical

WAQY transmits 17,000 watts from the top of Provin Mountain in Feeding Hills on the WWLP tower.[4] WAQY transmits using a 4-bay Continental (ERI) center-fed antenna and a Nautel NV20 HD [5] transmitter. WAQY's signal covers all of the Springfield, Massachusetts, market, and can be heard as far south as Long Island, New York. WAQY is running a high-level IBOC (HD Digital signal) at -14db versus the normal -20db.[6] WAQY simulcasts sister station WLZX-FM on its HD2 subchannel.

References
  1. Callsign history of WAQY; retrieved July 20, 2019
  2. "Facility Technical Data for WAQY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 (PDF). 2010. p. D-276. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  4. "FCCInfo Results".
  5. "Application Search Details".
  6. "Application View ... Redirecting".
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