 Former studios and transmitter | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Springfield metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 730kHz |
| Branding | The Station of the Cross |
| Programming | |
| Format | Catholic radio |
| Network | The Station of the Cross |
| Affiliations | EWTN Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Holy Family Communications |
| History | |
First air date | December 1, 1946; 78 years ago (1946-12-01) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 9194 |
| Class | D |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 42°6′33.34″N72°36′38.32″W / 42.1092611°N 72.6106444°W /42.1092611; -72.6106444 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | thestationofthecross |
WACE (730kHz) is anAM radio station broadcasting aCatholic radioformat.Licensed toChicopee, Massachusetts, the station serves theSpringfieldradio market and has been permitted to identify itself as "Chicopee-Springfield" since 1969. The station is owned by Holy Family Communications, and operates as part of itsThe Station of the Cross network.[2]EWTN Radio programming is also heard.
By day, WACE transmits 5,000 watts, using anon-directional antenna.AM 730 is aclear channel frequency reserved for Canada and Mexico. To avoid interference with other stations, WACE must reduce power at night to 7 watts. Thetransmitter is off West Street in Springfield, near the North End Bridge and theConnecticut River.[3]
WACEsigned on the air on December 1, 1946.[4] It was owned by the Regional Broadcasting Company with studios on Chicopee Street in Chicopee.[5] The station broadcast at 1,000 watts by day.
BecauseAM 730 is aclear channel frequency, reserved forCKAC in Montreal andXEX in Mexico City, WACE was adaytimer,signing off at sunset to prevent interference. In the 1960s, the daytime power was increased to 5,000 watts. While it remained a daytime-only station, its pre-sunrise power of 8 watts enabled the station to be heard as far away asHartford, due to the transmitter's location on the banks of the Connecticut River and the low frequency on the AM band. (In 1986 the station was allowed to operate at 7 watts at night as well.) At full power the signal could be heard as distantly asRhode Island.
During the 1970s, the station broadcast a popularoldies format. One of its personalities was Charlie (Ahl) Day, later ofWCBS-FM in New York andWOMC in Detroit. Another disc jockey was Mike Adams, for many years a popular sports-talk radio and TV host inBoston. The station also featured a three-hour morning news block anchored by Day and Don Yankee. In 1977, Ace Broadcasting bought the station.
As music listening shifted to FM radio, the new owners ended the oldies sound. The station tried anall-news radio format, as anetwork affiliate ofCBS Radio News.[6]
The news format did not last very long. By 1980, WACE was airing abrokered religious format, where national preachers bought blocks of time on the station to discuss their faith and seek donations.[7]
On May 1, 2022, WACE wentoff the air. The station filed with theFCC forspecial temporary authority (STA) to stay silent for a while. The request was to relocate to a new transmitter site using thetower thatWMAS-FM,WHLL and W251CT were using.[8] In August 2022, Holy Family Communications, a Roman Catholic broadcaster behindThe Station of the Cross Network, agreed to purchase the station fromCarter Broadcasting.[9] Holy Family relaunched WACE as part of its Catholic radio network on January 23, 2023.[10]
In May 2025, Holy Family agreed to sell WACE,WNEB inWorcester, andWESO inSouthbridge to Journey For Life Media for $150,000.[11] The sale was withdrawn that August.[12]