WYCA (102.3 FM "Rejoice 102.3") is a commercial radio station licensed to Crete, Illinois, and serving the southern suburbs of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is owned by Dontron, Inc., a subsidiary of the Crawford Broadcasting Company with studios in Hammond, Indiana. WYCA has an urban gospel radio format. Weekdays begin with a syndicated morning show hosted by Erica Campbell. Some local ministers host Christian talk and teaching shows. Services from several churches are broadcast on Sundays.

WYCA has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,050 watts. The transmitter is on South Dixie Highway (Illinois Route 1) near 311th Street in Beecher, Illinois.Radio-Locator.com/WYCA WYCA broadcasts using HD Radio technology.

History Middle of the road music The station signed on the air on October 1, 1964,Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. p. 272-277. as WTAS. It was owned by Anthony Santuccis's South Cook Broadcasting Inc."New FM Stations", Broadcasting. November 25, 1963. p. 104. Retrieved December 22, 2018. WTAS had long aired a full service format, airing a variety of local programming and playing middle of the road (MOR) music, which included pop standards and soft AC."Stations By Format", Billboard. October 16, 1965. p. 62-63. Retrieved December 29, 2018."Stations, everywhere: a listeners' guide to the AM and FM bands", Chicago Tribune Magazine. March 4, 1979. p. 37. Retrieved December 29, 2018.Chicago Radio Guide, Vol. 1, Issue 1. May 1985. Retrieved December 29, 2018.Unmacht, Robert (1989). The M Street Radio Directory. p. S-96. Retrieved December 29, 2018.

Much of the station's local news, talk and community programming was simulcast until 1992 with its sister station 1600 WCGO in Chicago Heights, Illinois, now off the air.Osinchak, Sue. "The Morning Mom and Pop Talk Show", Radio Chicago. p. 20-21. Winter 1990. Retrieved December 29, 2018."Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 9, No. 32. August 12, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved December 29, 2018. In 1985, the station began airing the Warren Freiberg - Libby Collins Show, which had been heard on 106.3 WLNR in Lansing, Illinois, since 1973.

Early gospel years In 1992, WTAS began airing an urban gospel format, simulcasting the programming of 1510 WWHN in Joliet, Illinois.Weaver, Maurice. "Radio From The 'Bank'", Chicago Tribune. September 15, 1992. Retrieved December 29, 2018."Station Formats", Chicago Airwaves. p. 13. August 1993. Retrieved December 29, 2018. In 1993, the station was purchased by Word of Faith Fellowship, Inc. for $800,000,Messmer, Jack. "DC Report", Radio & Records. September 17, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved December 29, 2018.Public Notice Comment, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2018. and on October 22, 1993, its call sign was changed to WEMG-FM, with the station continuing to air a black gospel format.Chicago Area Station Formats", Chicago Airwaves. p. 13. November/December 1993. Retrieved December 29, 2018.Unmacht, Robert; McCrummen, Pat; Heller, Jill; Apel, Steven (1995). The M Street Radio Directory. p. 192. Retrieved December 29, 2018. In 1997, the station was sold to Dontron, Inc. for $1.8 million."Transactions", Radio & Records. June 27, 1997. p. 6. Retrieved December 29, 2018. In summer 1997, the station was taken silent."Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 30. July 30, 1997. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2018. On October 31, 1997, the station's call sign was changed to WYAA. The station returned to the air January 5, 1998."Format Changes and Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 3. January 21, 1998. p. 1. Retrieved December 29, 2018. As WYAA, the station played gospel oldies, love songs, and Christian jazz, along with brokered religious programming.The Shepherd's Guide. Eighth Edition. 1998. p. 120-121.

Hot 102 & The Groove On June 1, 2000, the station's call sign was changed to WVJM, and the station adopted an urban contemporary format as "Hot 102". As an urban contemporary station, WVJM "Hot 102" carried the syndicated Doug Banks show. On March 26, 2001, the station's urban contemporary format was moved to longtime gospel station 92.3 WYCA in Hammond, Indiana, along with the call letters WVJM.Alan PD As WVJM/Chicago Signal Moves Radio & Records. March 21, 2001. (p. 5) Accessed January 8, 2014 The call letters WYCA briefly moved to 102.3, before being moved to 106.3 WYBA in Lansing, Illinois, on April 22, 2001, with 102.3 adopting WYBA as its call sign.Call Sign History fcc.gov. Accessed January 8, 2014 As WYBA, the station initially aired an R&B format as "The Groove".Station to station Knopper, Steve. Chicago Tribune. April 14, 2002. Accessed January 8, 2014Tuesday, 02.18.03 DJHeadlines.com. February 18, 2003. Accessed January 8, 2014

Rejoice 102 The station switched to its current gospel music format as "Rejoice 102" on February 17, 2003. On September 30, 2003, the station's call sign was changed to WYCA, as 106.3 in Lansing changed its call sign to WSRB and dropped its gospel format in favor of an urban AC format. With the end of the gospel format on 106.3, gospel announcer Darryll King moved her weekday program from 106.3 to 102.3, though she continues to host a show on WSRB on Sundays.Tuesday, 09.30.03 DJHeadlines.com. September 30, 2003. Accessed January 8, 2014 WYCA is now the lone religious outlet for Crawford in the Chicago area.

Gospel announcer Darryll King once hosted the morning show. King has won numerous awards for her work in black gospel radio.Darryll King rejoice102.com. Accessed January 30, 2014

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