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| Broadcast area | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Frequency | 102.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Rock 102 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Subchannels | HD2:Simulcast ofWLZX-FM (active rock) |
| Affiliations | New England Patriots Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | December 17, 1966 (58 years ago) (1966-12-17) |
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 ID | 58551 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 17,000 watts |
| HAAT | 238 meters (781 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°04′59″N72°42′14″W / 42.083°N 72.704°W /42.083; -72.704 |
| Translator | HD2: 98.5 W253CD (East Longmeadow) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WAQY (102.1FM) is an American radio station inSpringfield, Massachusetts, broadcasting aclassic rock format. Since the late 1980s, the station has been known as "Rock 102".
The station signed on December 17, 1966, as WCRX.[3] The call letters stood for "Charles River Broadcasting extension", the station being a sister and extension of 102.5 FMWCRB-FM inBoston, Massachusetts. Both the Springfield and Boston stations programmed aclassical music format overseen by Charles River Broadcasting owner Theodore Jones.
In the mid-1970s, owners Don Wilks and Mike Schwartz decided to put the first automatedrock 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 asalbum-oriented rock (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 1960s (The Beatles,Jimi Hendrix etc.) and 1970s (Black Sabbath,Led Zeppelin, etc.) Artists played included then current and popularArena rock favoritesBlue Öyster Cult,Journey,Foreigner andFleetwood Mac as well as singer and songwriter artists fromTom Petty toBilly Joel.Hard rock andheavy metal acts likeAC/DC,Van Halen andRush 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 theNew England Patriots radio network.
WAQY transmits 17,000 watts from the top of Provin Mountain inFeeding Hills on theWWLP 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 asLong Island, New York. WAQY is running a high-levelIBOC (HD Digital signal) at -14db versus the normal -20db.[6]
WAQY simulcasts sister stationWLZX-FM on its HD2 subchannel. The subchannel, in turn, is simulcast onFM translator W253CD (98.5) inEast Longmeadow; until 2025, the translator had received WLZX-FM's programming viaWLZX (1600 AM).[7]