WNFI-FM 99.9 Daytona Beach FL 1991

Up until 1982, if you punched up 99.9 FM in North Florida, you’d hear a small Country station from the town of Palatka.  But then, a really tall tower was built near Bunnell.  The station was moved into Daytona Beach, the format was flipped to CHR, and the “Hot Rockin’, Flamethrowin’ I-100” was born!

Actually, it was “Y100” in the very beginning.  The people who owned Y100 in Fort Lauderdale threatened legal action, due to trademark infringement.  Because of this, the new station became “I-100.”  Their signal was incredible!  WNFI could be heard from Jacksonville to Orlando and everywhere in between.  At one point, their Legal ID consisted of “WNFI Palatka, Daytona Beach, Gainesville, Ocala, Jacksonville, Orlando!”

This station went on to become “The New 99.9FM”, then “99.9 KISS FM” WFKS.  When WGNE “98 Frog” flipped to Spanish and moved to Orlando, their calls and Country format migrated up the dial, rebranding as “Froggy 99.9.”  In 2005, “Froggy” moved to Jacksonville. Today, this station is known as “99.9 Gator Country.” 

Sadly, the full Class C facility had to be downgraded to C1 status in order to facilitate the move. This was due to another station in South Georgia located just one channel adjacent.  Several new stations on 99.5, 99.7, 99.9, and 100.1 have sprung up since then.  99.9 could never return to their former site and signal contours, even if they wanted to. 

This aircheck was recorded from my residence, 6 miles south of Ocala.  I used a Realistic AM/FM/CD/cassette portable stereo with Sony LN90 tape.  No outdoor antenna was needed.  The built-in telescoping whip was enough to bring in this coverage monster!

WNFI_FM_December_1991