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History of WAQV
Thanks to Marc
Tyll for this history of WAQV.
Non commercial FM station WAQV began
operations in 1997 after Brad Dinkins, President of Marion Community
Radio, Inc., was searching for a way to extend coverage of Ocala’s WHIJ-FM
88.1 into West Central Florida. Dinkins applied for the 90.9 frequency,
and upon receiving a construction permit, WAQV, or
“The Wave” as it was known, began providing a wide variety of contemporary
Christian music along with Bible teaching and ministry programming to
Florida’s Nature Coast, comprising Crystal River, Inglis, Yankeetown,
Inverness, Spring Hill, Dunnellon and Citrus Springs. Although the 3,700 watt
class A signal is licensed to Crystal River, the 90.9 antenna is located 15
miles away, about two miles South of Dunnellon, broadcasting from the former WTRS-FM
102.3 tower. From this location, WAQV can also
be heard in parts of Southwest Ocala and Marion County. And although licensed as
a full power non commercial FM radio station, WAQV
has never had a separate studio, nor does it originate any programming.
All programming content is simulcast from WHIJ-FM 88.1 Ocala, originally
known as “The Light FM 88.1”. After a year on the air, Dinkins sold WAQV-FM
along with WHIJ-FM to the Ocala Word of Faith Church (now Meadowbrook
Church) located in West Ocala. The WHIJ studio was moved from it’s
original Ocala location on East Silver Springs Boulevard to the church while WAQV
continued to simulcast WHIJ programming and essentially went through very
little change. The format remained contemporary Christian music with Bible
teaching and ministry programs throughout the three years the Ocala Word of
Faith Church owned and operated the two stations. In 2001, however, the
church decided to sell both stations to New Port Richey based Radio Training
Network, Inc. headed by former WCIE-FM 91.1 Lakeland programmer James Campbell. Under
Radio Training Network both stations became
a part of several other Florida stations owned by the network. All
programming remained the same, but was no longer local. Under a
consolidation effort, all programming began originating from WLPJ-FM 91.5
New Port Richey where it is then relayed to WHIJ-FM 88.1 Ocala, WAQV-FM
90.9 Crystal River and WJLF-FM 91.7 Gainesville. Collectively the
four stations play a variety of Contemporary Christian Hit Music, along with
Bible teaching, ministry programming, news, sports, public affairs and emergency
information known as “The JOY FM”.
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