KKXA

KKXA
City Snohomish, Washington
Broadcast area Seattle metropolitan area
Branding Classic Country 1520 KXA
Frequency

1520 kHz AM
(also on HD Radio)

101.1 mHz FM
First air date October 11, 2011
Format Classic country
Language(s) English
Power 50,000 watts (non-directional day)
50,000 watts (directional critical hours and night)
Class B
Facility ID 160891
Transmitter coordinates 47°52′32″N 122°04′40″W / 47.87556°N 122.07778°W / 47.87556; -122.07778
Owner CAAM Partnership, LLC
Sister stations KRKO (1380 AM)
Website 1520kxa.com

KKXA (1520 AM, (101.1 FM, "Classic Country KXA") is an American radio station licensed to Snohomish, Washington and serving the Seattle metropolitan area. The station's broadcast license is held by CAAM Partnership, LLC., an entity controlled by the Skotdal family. The KKXA studios are shared with sister station KRKO at the Key Tower building in downtown Everett, Washington..

KKXA is licensed to broadcast a digital hybrid HD signal.[1]

Programming

KKXA broadcasts a classic country music format branded as "Classic Country KXA". In addition to its music programming, KKXA is an affiliate of the Washington State University Cougar football and basketball network, and also carries Western Conference high school football and basketball. Occasional Everett AquaSox baseball (Seattle Mariners affiliate) and Everett Silvertips hockey games are also aired on KKXA.

History

In January 2004, the Skotdal family applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit for a new broadcast radio station. The FCC granted this permit on March 16, 2011, with a scheduled expiration date of March 16, 2014.[2] The Skotdal family won a comparative hearing before the Federal Communications Commission against mutually exclusive applicants hoping to place the signal in Hawaii, Whidbey Island, and on the Olympic Peninsula.[3] The station was assigned the call sign "KKXA" by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on March 28, 2011.[4]

Known on-air as "KXA" as a tribute to pioneering radio station KXA (770 AM),[5] the station began airing a loop of test audio in August 2011. KKXA broadcasts to the greater Seattle metropolitan area.[6] On October 11, 2011, KKXA began regular broadcasting at 4:00 pm with a classic country format branded as "Classic Country 1520 KXA". The first song was "Simple Man" by Charlie Daniels.[7][8] The station received its broadcast license on November 4, 2011.[9]

Digital (HD) Broadcasting

On October 4 and 5, 2014, KKXA was the only radio station in North America broadcasting a 100% digital signal during historic tests for NAB Labs, a division of the National Association of Broadcasters. KKXA suspended analog transmissions for four hours on Saturday and eight hours on Sunday for nighttime and daytime tests, respectively. KKXA was the third commercial AM station in North America to test all-digital daytime transmissions. KKXA currently broadcasts using HD Radio technology alongside its analog signal.[10]

Broadcast Signal

KKXA broadcasts with 50,000 watts of power during the day using an omnidirectional antenna and 50,000 watts during critical hours and overnight utilizing a directional antenna.[5] Because 1520 kHz is a clear channel frequency, KKXA must use a directional antenna at night to avoid interfering with KOKC in Oklahoma City and WWKB in Buffalo, New York, the Class A stations on the frequency.

References

  1. ↑ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=160891 FCC digital hybrid status
  2. ↑ "Application Search Details (BNP-20040129AQS)". FCC Media Bureau. March 16, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Application Search Details (BNP-20071010ABZ)". FCC Media Bureau. March 16, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Moss, Brett (May 18, 2011). "Big AM Project at KKXA Progresses". Radio World. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  7. ↑ Benbow, Mike (October 12, 2011). "Snohomish County's newest radio station is now on the air". The Herald. Everett, WA. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ Smith, Debra (October 12, 2011). "New Everett radio station on the air". The Herald. Everett, WA. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Application Search Details (BMML-20110824BCZ)". FCC Media Bureau. November 4, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  10. ↑ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=11 HD Radio Guide for Seattle-Tacoma
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