Broadcast area | Chicago Metropolitan Area |
---|---|
Frequency | 94.3 MHz |
Branding | Air1 |
Programming | |
Format | Christian worship |
Affiliations | Air1 |
Ownership | |
Owner | Educational Media Foundation |
WCKL, WLWX, WOKL, WSRI, WZKL | |
History | |
First air date | September 1960 [1] |
Former call signs | WRMN-FM (1960-1972) WJKL (1972-2019) [2] |
Technical information [3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 19221 |
Class | A |
ERP | 3,500 watts |
HAAT | 134 meters (440 ft) |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen Online |
Website | http://www.air1.com/ |
WAWE (94.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Christian worship music format, licensed to Glendale Heights, Illinois, United States. The station serves the Chicago Metropolitan Area and is owned by the Educational Media Foundation, [4] broadcasting its Air1 format.
The station began broadcasting in September 1960 and held the call sign WRMN-FM, simulcasting AM 1410 WRMN. [1] [2] The station was located in Elgin, Illinois and had an ERP of 1,000 watts at a HAAT of 130 feet. [1] By 1965, the station had begun airing programming independent of AM 1410. [5] In 1965, the station's ERP was increased to 3,000 watts and its HAAT was decreased to 115 feet. [2] In 1972, the station's HAAT was increased to 210 feet and its ERP was reduced to 2,500 watts. [2]
In 1972, the station adopted the call letters WJKL, which was based on the name of the station manager at the time, Richard Jakle. [2] [6] In the 1974, WJKL adopted a progressive rock format, and was branded "The Fox". [7] [8] [9] In 1975, the station's ERP was increased to 3,000 watts. [2] In July 1980, the station dropped all local talent becoming fully automated, airing an album-oriented rock format. [7] Live personalities were brought back in April 1981. [7]
In September 1982, the station adopted a big band/ adult standards format, with the branding "JKL 94" "Great Music". [7] [10] [11] [12] The station featured music from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. [13] When Radio Was, hosted by Carl Amari, aired nightly on the station. [11] [14] In 1984, the station's HAAT was increased to 328 feet. [15] [16]
In May 1990, WJKL adopted an adult contemporary format and revived "The Fox" branding. [17] [18] [19] The station carried programming from the Satellite Music Network, along with local programs such as the Radio Shopping Show. [6] [20] In 1990, the station's ERP was increased to 6,000 watts. [21] [22] In 1998, the station added brokered programming at night. [23]
On March 1, 1999, became a brokered affiliate of One on One Sports (later called Sporting News Radio), airing One on One Sports programming from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. [24] [25] One on One Sports moved to the station from AM 950 WIDB. [24] [25]
On March 1, 2001, Sporting News Radio moved to AM 820 WYPA, and the station began to sell its airtime to Educational Media Foundation which broadcast its K-LOVE Christian adult contemporary format. [26] [27] In 2007, Elgin Broadcasting Company sold WJKL to Educational Media Foundation for $17 million. [28] [29]
After purchasing the station in 2007, Educational Media Foundation changed WJKL's city of license from Elgin to Glendale Heights. [30] In 2010, the station's transmitter was moved from Elgin to the Oakbrook Terrace Tower in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, moving to a higher location closer to Chicago, while reducing its power to 3,500 watts ERP. [31] [32]
On March 10, 2018, K-LOVE moved to 97.9 WLUP-FM (now WCKL). [33] In summer of 2018, WJKL became an affiliate of Educational Media Foundation's Christian CHR network Air1. [34] The station changed its call sign to WAWE on July 11, 2019. [35] The WJKL callsign was moved to K-LOVE's station serving San Juan, Puerto Rico.