WDJL (1000 kHz, "Gospel Explosions") is an AM daytimer radio station licensed to Huntsville, Alabama, that serves the Huntsville - Athens - Decatur radio market. The station is owned by Dorothy Sandifer, doing business as WDJL Gospel Explosions. It broadcasts an urban gospel radio format with Christian talk and teaching shows.[3]
| Broadcast area | Huntsville - Athens - Decatur |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1000 kHz |
| Branding | WDJL Gospel Explosions 1000 AM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Urban Gospel - Christian talk and teaching |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 1, 1968 |
Former call signs | WVOV (1968–1981) WTAK (1981–1994)[1] |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 23088 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 1,100 watts days only |
Transmitter coordinates | 34°46′47″N 86°39′16″W / 34.77972°N 86.65444°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wdjl1000am.net |
By day, WDJL is powered at 1,100 watts, using a non-directional antenna. But because 1000 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A WMVP Chicago, WDJL must go off the air at night to avoid interference. The transmitter and studios are on Stringfield Road NW near Blake Bottom Road in Huntsville.[4]
History
editThe station signed on the air on October 1, 1968. It was powered at 10,000 watts but was always a daytime only operation. It had a Top 40 format as WVOV. The call sign stood for the "Voice of the Valley."[5] In 1979, the station flipped to a country music format before falling temporarily silent.[6]
In May 1981 the station returned as WTAK.[1] It was branded as "The New WTAK 10 AM", with an Adult Contemporary music format and a morning team of Mike Sweeney and Gary Drake. Limited by the daytime-only restrictions, the station went through several owners. Formats included Oldies, Jazz Fusion and a mix of album rock and classic rock.
In 1987, the station changed to a fulltime AOR format which it later shared with then-sister station 106.1 WTAK-FM.[6] After a transition period to establish the FM home of the format, and an April 1994 call sign change to WDJL, the AM station was sold off in 1995.[1]
In October 1996, local insurance and real estate broker Keith Sharp acquired the station as part of a land deal.[7] The station flipped to an oldies music format under the moniker "Gold 1000".[7]
The station ran 10,000 watts of power in a directional pattern until 2006 when its towers and the land on which they were located were sold off. The station relocated to a single tower and a smaller lot size.
The station was purchased by Dorothy Sandifer in 2008. The branding of the station was changed to "WDJL, Gospel Explosions, 1000 AM."
References
edit- ^ a b c "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WDJL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WDJL
- ^ Nelson, Bob (2008-02-02). "Call Letter Origins". The Broadcast Archive.
- ^ a b "AM History Profile: WDJL". Alabama Broadcast Media Page. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ a b Smallwood, Dean (February 23, 1997). "AM radio's 'Gold 1000' plays hits from yesterday". The Huntsville Times. p. G2.
External links
edit- WDJL official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 23088 (WDJL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WDJL in Nielsen Audio's AM station database