History Of WYFB
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WYFB.
WYFB-FM began operations in the Fall of 1985 as North Central Florida’s only Inspirational radio station. WYFB delivered a variety of Inspirational hymns and ministry teaching programs 24-hours a day. Gainesville resident William Serat had originally applied for the frequency of 90.5 with 50,000 watts. The original tower location was at the WCJB-TV 20 studios in North West Gainesville. When Serat applied for the FM frequency, the original plan was to program ministry programs from Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Unable to come up with the funds needed to build the station, Serat approached Bible Broadcasting Network President Lowell Davey and offered to sell the 90.5 construction permit to BBN. Davey purchased the CP and constructed 90.5 as WYFB and offered Serat the position of Station Manager. However, due to conflicting interest Serat had with a cable radio station in Gainesville, Davey advised Serat to cease the cable operations or he could not become WYFB’s station manager. Serat declined to cease the cable operations and remained with the Moody cable station. As a result, Richard E. Weer was hired as WYFB’s station manager. Soon, the tower lease with WCJB was about to expire and TV 20 advised BBN it would not renew the tower lease. A search began for a new tower site in North Alachua county. A suitable site was found in Bradford County, about 20 mile North of Gainesville. The site was chosen because it was determined WYFB would provide a signal to the city of Jacksonville from this location in addition to providing its required city grade signal over Gainesville. A new 700 foot tower was constructed and the power was raised to 100,000 watts. Studios and offices were moved to a modular building in Keystone Heights, 25 miles East of Gainesville.