WAQE (AM)
| |
| Broadcast area | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1090 kHz |
| Branding | Sports Talk 1090 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports |
| Affiliations | Fox Sports Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | TKC, Inc. |
| WJMC (AM), WJMC-FM, WAQE-FM, WKFX | |
| History | |
First air date | August 6, 1979 |
Former call signs | WAQE (1979–1986) WMYD (1986–1992) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 55338 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 5,000 watts day |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°32′16.00″N 91°45′50.00″W / 45.5377778°N 91.7638889°W |
| Translators | 91.9 K220EP (La Crescent) 107.7 W299CQ (Rice Lake) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | waqe.com |
WAQE (1090 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. The station is licensed to Rice Lake, Wisconsin and is owned by TKC, Inc.[2] WAQE formerly transmitted in C-QUAM AM stereo.
History
WAQE first began broadcasting on August 6, 1979.[3] The station was established to provide a new broadcast voice for Barron County, operating on the 1090 kHz frequency. In its early years, the station utilized the C-QUAM AM stereo system to deliver a stereo signal, a technology that was a point of distinction for AM broadcasters in the 1980s. The station originally used the WAQE call sign until 1986, when it briefly became WMYD before reverting to its original identity in February 1992.[4] For several decades, the station operated with a classic country format. However, on August 29, 2009, the station underwent a significant branding shift, adopting an all-sports format as "Sports Talk 1090".[5] Under this format, the station became a regional affiliate for national sports syndication, carrying the full Fox Sports Radio lineup, including programs like The Dan Patrick Show and The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
The station was owned for over 30 years by Tom Koser through his company, TKC, Inc., as part of a family-run cluster that included WJMC. In October 2023, the Koser family officially transferred the station to Armada Media (via AMC Partners Rice Lake LLC) as part of a multi-station acquisition valued at approximately $4.95 million.[6] The transition brought the station under the management of an ownership group that includes former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson.
To ensure 24-hour availability of its sports programming, WAQE is simulcast on FM translator W299CQ at 107.7 MHz in Rice Lake.[7] In 2025, the station applied to move its translator antenna to a lower position on its existing tower behind the studio facility to maintain structural compliance while continuing to relay the 1090 AM signal.[8]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WAQE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WAQE Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "Armada Takes Ownership of WJMC, WAQE, WKFX". WAQE Radio. September 13, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "Inside this issue: National Radio Club DX News" (PDF). National Radio Club. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "WAQE: Your Sports Source". WAQE Radio. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "Armada Buys Radio Group in Northwestern Wisconsin". NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. June 26, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "WAQE Facility Data". REC Networks. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
- ^ "FCC Monitor: Developments in Battle for Wis. FM Frequency". Upper Midwest Broadcasting. February 3, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 55338 (WAQE) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WAQE in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 200349 (W299CQ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W299CQ at FCCdata.org