WACE (AM)
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | thestationofthecross |
WACE(730kHz) is anAMradio stationbroadcasting aCatholic radioformat.LicensedtoChicopee, Massachusetts,the station serves theSpringfieldradio marketand 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 Crossnetwork.[2]EWTN Radioprogramming is also heard.
By day, WACE transmits 5,000watts,using anon-directional antenna.730 AMis aclear channel frequencyreserved forCanadaandMexico.To avoid interference with other stations, WACE must reduce power at night to 7 watts. Thetransmitteris off West Street in Springfield, near the North End Bridge and theConnecticut River.[3]
History
[edit]Early years
[edit]WACEsigned onthe 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 730is aclear channel frequency,reserved forCKACin Montreal andXEXin Mexico City, WACE was adaytimer,signing offat 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.
Oldies and All-News
[edit]During the 1970s, the station broadcast a popularoldiesformat. One of its personalities was Charlie (Ahl) Day, later ofWCBS-FMin New York andWOMCinDetroit.Anotherdisc jockeywas 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 radioformat, as anetwork affiliateofCBS Radio News.[6]The news format did not last very long. By 1980, WACE was airing abrokeredreligious format, where national preachers bought blocks of time on the station to discuss their faith and seek donations.[7]
Religious radio
[edit]On May 1, 2022, WACE wentoff the air.The station filed with theFCCforspecial temporary authority(STA) to stay silent for a while. The request was to relocate to a new transmitter site using thetowerthatWMAS-FM,WHLLand W251CT were using.[8]
In August 2022, Holy Family Communications, a Roman Catholic broadcaster behindThe Station of the CrossNetwork, agreed to purchase the station fromCarter Broadcasting.[9]Holy Family relaunched WACE as part of its Catholic radio network on January 23, 2023.[10]It mainly airs programming from theEWTNRadio Network.
References
[edit]- ^"Facility Technical Data for WACE".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^"WACE Facility Record".United StatesFederal Communications Commission,audio division.
- ^Radio-Locator /WACE
- ^"Chicopee"(PDF).Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook.1999. p. D-209.RetrievedJanuary 25,2012– via World Radio History.
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1948page 142
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1977page C-98
- ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1983page B-114
- ^"WACE".FCCdata.org.
- ^"Station Sales Week Of 8/19 - RadioInsight".
- ^Shook, Ashley (January 25, 2023)."Catholic programming launches new radio station in Springfield".WWLP.RetrievedFebruary 1,2023.
External links
[edit]- Facility details for Facility ID 9194 (WACE)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WACEinNielsen Audio's AM station database