History
In 1964, the station signed on for the first time as WHLS-FM. Featuring a simulcast of the AM station and then later a beautiful music format, it was soon renamed WSAQ, and adopted a country music format in spring 1982. [3]
In 1999, original owner John Wismer died, and both WHLS and WSAQ were sold to Liggett Communications as part of Wismer's estate. Liggett also acquired then competitor Hanson Communications, owner of 1590 WHLX, 1380 WPHM, and 96.9 WBTI. Wismer's original studios at 808 Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron were expanded to accommodate all five stations. All of the Port Huron Liggett stations now operate under the brand name of Radio First.
In late 2009, WSAQ started broadcasting Radio Data System information (RDS)
On December 26, 2019 Sarnia radio station CHOK flipped back to country, giving WSAQ a local competitor. CHOK has a focus on Sarnia Lambton, while WSAQ has a focus on Port Huron.
Spring Anniversary Show
Every spring in April Q Country hosts the annual Spring Anniversary Show, where the tickets are given away and won by listeners. The event is hosted by Q Country at the McMorran Place Arena. The event has seen people like Blake Shelton, Craig Campbell, and Lee Brice.
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flows into the St. Clair River in the Southwestern Ontario region, which forms the Canada–United States border, directly across from Port Huron, Michigan.
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
Port Sanilac is a village in Sanilac Township, Sanilac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 567 at the 2020 census.
Lambton County is a county in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is bordered on the north by Lake Huron, which is drained by the St. Clair River, the county's western border and part of the Canada-United States border. To the south is Lake Saint Clair and Chatham-Kent. Lambton County's northeastern border follows the Ausable River and Parkhill Creek north until it reaches Lake Huron at the beach community of Grand Bend. The county seat is in the Town of Plympton-Wyoming.
CFCO is a news, sports, and country music radio station located in Chatham-Kent, Ontario. The station, owned by London, Ontario-based Blackburn Radio, features a heavy local news commitment. CFCO is one of the few dedicated country stations on the AM dial in North America, as well as one of the few to do so in C-QUAM AM Stereo.
WBTI is a Top 40 radio station licensed to Lexington, Michigan at 96.9 MHz on the FM dial, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. WBTI covers Sanilac County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Lapeer and St. Clair counties. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron.
CHOK is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9 MHz. The station is the radio home of the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the Sarnia Sting.
CHKS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 106.3 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts a classic hits format with the brand name Cool 106.3 and it also serves Port Huron, Michigan.
WWWW-FM, is a commercial radio station licensed to Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is owned by Cumulus Media and it broadcasts a country music format, known as W4 Country. The studios and offices are on Victors Way in Ann Arbor.
The Sombra – Marine City (Bluewater) Ferry was a ferry service that crossed the St. Clair River, connecting Sombra, Ontario in Canada on the eastern bank with Marine City, Michigan in the United States on the western bank.
WPHM is a commercial AM radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. The station broadcasts a News/Talk/Sports radio format. It is owned by Radio First with studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron.
WHLS is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. It is the oldest continuously operating radio station serving St. Clair County. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron. Its programming is also simulcasted on FM Translator W288BT, licensed to St. Clair, Michigan at 105.5 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 49 watts.
WHLX is an Americana radio station licensed to Marine City, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts day, 102 watts night. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron. Its programming is also simulcasted on FM Translator W224DT, licensed to Port Huron, Michigan at 92.7 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 125 watts. The station currently brands itself as Country, Rock, and Folk 92.7 WHLX The Hills.
WGRT is an adult contemporary radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. It is owned by Port Huron Family Radio and broadcasts with a power of 3,000 watts. WGRT signed on in October 1991. The station airs a satellite-delivered AC format from Citadel Media.
WMIC is a full service radio station licensed to Sandusky, Michigan with a power output of 1,000 watts. WMIC covers Sanilac County, Michigan and The Thumb area of Michigan. The station is owned by Sanilac/GB Broadcasting and broadcasts from studios on Elk Street in Downtown Sandusky, along with sister stations WTGV and WBGV. Its programming is also simulcasted on FM Translator W237EQ, also licensed to Sandusky at 95.3 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 250 watts.
WQKL, known on the air as ann arbor's 107one, is a commercial radio station in Ann Arbor, Michigan. WQKL is owned by Cumulus Media, airing an adult album alternative/alternative rock radio format. WQKL has its studios at the south area of Ann Arbor near Briarwood Mall, and broadcasts its signal from a 3,000 watt transmitter atop Tower Plaza in the city's downtown.
WBGV is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Marlette, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1999. It serves the central area of Michigan's Thumb, and parts of the Blue Water Area. It can be heard as far away as Port Huron, Lapeer, Romeo, and Bad Axe.
WLEW is a radio station licensed to Bad Axe, Michigan, United States. with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of Huron County, Michigan. The station is owned by Thumb Broadcasting and broadcasts from studios on South Van Dyke Road in Bad Axe. Its country music format simulcast on the FM band by WHST, licensed to Pigeon, Michigan, at 94.1 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 15,000 watts.
Radio First is a privately held radio broadcasting company in Michigan owned by Victoria L. Liggett and James A. Jensen. Liggett Communications is headquartered in Port Huron where it owns five radio stations licensed to St. Clair and Sanilac Counties. These five stations operate under the brand name of Radio First where they serve listeners in the Thumb area of Michigan and Southwestern Ontario.
On the afternoon of Thursday, May 21, 1953, a violent F4 tornado struck the cities of Port Huron, Michigan, United States and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The long-tracked, over mile-wide tornado destroyed large sections of the downtown areas of both cities, as well scores of neighborhoods in the surrounding areas. Seven people were killed, 117 others were injured, and damages were estimated $17.6 million (1953 USD). The tornado was the last of a two-day severe weather outbreak that also produced two intense tornadoes in Iowa the day before.
