Technical Profile: DWPIL

FM Technical Profile: DWPIL

Station Name:: Radio With A Difference
Frequency:: 91.7
Format:: Classic Country, Gospel, Bluegrass
Transmitter Location:: [map] [street view] About a mile south of I-20, just north of CR-84, north of Lake Cleburne. About 2½ miles southeast of the city of Heflin.
Power (ERP):: 1 kW
Antenna:: Directional
Antenna HAAT:: 85 feet
Other Information:: 60 dBu protected contour map, from the FCC.
More Information:: [FCC]; [FCCdata.org]; [Radio-Locator]; [Wikipedia]
[Facebook]
[YouTube] A promotional video about the radio station.
Owner:: Down The Hill Communications
History:: This station dates back to an original construction permit issued to Community Public Radio in July 2000 for a new noncommercial station licensed to Heflin. The original site was about one mile west of I-20 exit 205 on Alabama 46, near Cane Creek, east of Heflin, and it was authorized 400 watts on 91.7 MHz. In 2001 the construction permit was transferred to Covenant Communications, who in turn passed it to Alabama Christian Radio Inc. (Jimmy Jarrell) in 2002. They were granted a modification in May 2003 to relocate the transmit site across the street to the intersection of Alabama 46 and Cleburne County Road 27, with 370 watts. A license to cover for this facility was granted in September 2003 and the station was reported on with a County Variety format, including Bluegrass and Gospel music.

The station was granted a modification in January 2004 to relocate to a site near the Tallapoosa River off County Road 84, southeast of Heflin (and near the "oldest tree in Alabama", according to Google Maps!) with 425 watts at -26 feet Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT). That was followed by another modification in December 2004 for 1 kW from that same site at a HAAT of just 3 feet. A license to cover for that change was granted in August 2006.

The station was forced off the air in August 2007 when lightning struck the tower, causing it to collapse. They resumed operations from a temporary site soon thereafter. Before returning to full power, the station was granted a permit to increase antenna HAAT to 75 feet. A license to cover for that change was granted in May 2008. It was noted that the station had a studio in Heflin around this time. In September 2009, the station was granted another modification, this time for 1.3 kW from 85 feet HAAT from the existing licensed site. It would expire, unbuilt.

The station was sold to Down Home Communications in June 2015 for $1. The organization, based out of Opelika, was listed a "non-prophet" organization in paperwork, which is a curious error for a religious organization. The sale to Down Home was finally consummated in October 2015.

In July 2024, a complaint was filed with the FCC alleging that the station had been off the air for an extended period of time, operating only as an online outlet. Field agents determined that the station was off the air, and after contacting ownership, learned that they had lost the right to use the tower. As such the FCC initiated the proceeding to delete the license, which was completed in early December 2025.