 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Augusta; CentralMaine |
| Frequency | 104.3MHz |
| Branding | Big 104 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WQSK,WTOS-FM,WVQM | |
| History | |
First air date | April 1, 1974; 50 years ago (1974-04-01)[1] |
Former call signs |
|
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68297 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 113 meters (371 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 44°18′36″N69°49′48″W / 44.310°N 69.830°W /44.310; -69.830 |
| Repeater(s) | |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WABK-FM (104.3MHz) is acommercialFM radio stationlicensed toGardiner, Maine, and servingAugusta and CentralMaine. It airs aclassic hitsradio format. WABK-FM is part of a three-waysimulcast withWBAK (104.7 FM) inBelfast andWBKA (107.7 FM) inBar Harbor. They are owned by Blueberry Broadcasting with studios and offices on Target Industrial Circle inBangor.[3]
WABK-FM has aneffective radiated power of 50,000 watts. Itstransmitter is off Winthrop Street inHallowell.[4]
WABK firstsigned on as an AM station, in the fall of 1968.[5] It aired an adult leaningTop 40 format on 1280kHz (todayWHTP). WABK-FM signed on during the summer of 1974 with the call letters WKME and featuredDrake-Chenault'sautomated "Hit Parade" format. In February 1978, the original studios inFarmingdale were destroyed by fire.
As the stations rebuilt, WKME'scall sign was changed to WABK-FM. Both the AM and FM stations began simulcasting an up-tempofull serviceadult contemporary format with an emphasis on local personalities, news and community involvement. The simulcast ended in 1983 when WABK (AM) changed its format tocountry music. It later triedoldies, thenadult standards and finally in the late 1990s switched tosports radio with the call letters WFAU. In 1994, WABK-FM became "Oldies 104" but gradually shed the oldies image, playing more 1970s and 1980s music and billing itself as "Super Hits 104 WABK".
In January 2013, WABK-FM rebranded as "Big 104 FM", airing aclassic hits format. It also began simulcasting onWBAK (104.7 FM) inBelfast andWBKA (107.7 FM) inBar Harbor.[6] From August 30, 2013, to July 26, 2016, the call sign on 104.3 in Gardiner was modified to WABK, without the "-FM"suffix.[7]
In 2014, the former WABI/WAEI at 910 AM in Bangor was added to the simulcast. In 2016, the AM's station's call letters were switched to WABK, and 104.3 WABK once again added the "-FM" suffix to its call sign. In January 2019, 910 AM dropped WABK-FM's programming and becameWTOS, a simulcast ofWTOS-FM.[8]