Palm Springs KKGX

[davideduardo]

I still think I could run a combination of KWXY and K270AI on a shoestring, if they could be acquired at a reasonable price. You'd be surprised how low the overhead is at KRKE/K229CL.

The biggest issue here is that the two TV operators sell "stuff" that local advertisers love at rates that are not much higher than radio rates. Those advertisers love to have their pictures in TV ads along with shots of their dealership or restaurant building and interiors or air conditioning service trucks or the like. Some use their kids jumping on mattresses or talking about patio remodels.

I talked a lot with Gary Wing when he owned the two stations and translators here, and he said, essentially, that you could be sold out at the low ad rates and still not make money.

 

[K.M. Richards]

From what I can tell, EMF still owns it. They were willing to sell at one time, so maybe.....

Come to think of it, Don has done some engineering work for EMF in the past. Maybe they'd make him a deal.

IVOX paid $50,000 for KWXY, and the building was a separate real estate deal. With the devaluation over time, hmmm ...maybe half that or less, nowadays.

I imagine that building has not been well maintained in recent years. As long as the real estate at the transmitter site is included (no tower lease) ...

... come to think of it, why can't the automation computer be at the transmitter site?

I stand corrected. This is what the building looked like the last time Google drove past it in August 2023:

 

[K.M. Richards]

I talked a lot with Gary Wing when he owned the two stations and translators here, and he said, essentially, that you could be sold out at the low ad rates and still not make money.

If the overhead was low enough, I'd be happy running two minutes of direct response spots per break and an occasional one for my CD website. Hell, I might get an audience just from having a low commercial load!

 

[KilowattKat]

Come to think of it, Don has done some engineering work for EMF in the past. Maybe they'd make him a deal.



I imagine that building has not been well maintained in recent years. As long as the real estate at the transmitter site is included (no tower lease) ...

... come to think of it, why can't the automation computer be at the transmitter site?

I stand corrected. This is what the building looked like the last time Google drove past it in August 2023:
View attachment 11034

That tower is LOADED! Without the real estate, yeah, a tower lease would be needed. Empty parking lot I see...

I read somewhere that MTV's 'Catfish' used the studio to film an episode once.

 

[K.M. Richards]

That tower is LOADED! Without the real estate, yeah, a tower lease would be needed. Empty parking lot I see...

I looked it up and apparently that is the KWXY AM tower. Zooming in on the map at FCCdata.org, it matches the cross streets from Google Maps.

So now I wonder why Louie isn't managing to pay the bills with all those tenants on his tower ...

 

[SignalsradioLLC]

Now there is a neat radio station building, that really impressed me when we (Signals Radio LLC) were there a couple years ago to remove the old Standard FM transmitter (ex Western Electric) and the Raytheon 250 Watt AM transmitter.

We were told not to alter any interior or exterior parts of the building, as it was on some sort of Historic Register there in Cathedral City. That being said, we had to disassemble both of them to get 'em down the hallway & out the door.

The Neon sign came on that night, while we spent many extra hours doing that job.

Also told was that the local gov'mt had banned the erection of any more towers in the area, hence all the Part 90, Cellular, and the original AM & FM stations on that poor overloaded moneymill stick. One could almost see the orange & white paint on it...

DG

 

[K.M. Richards]

We were told not to alter any interior or exterior parts of the building, as it was on some sort of Historic Register there in Cathedral City.

Now you have me in "wondering" mode again ... how, then, was Louie able to replace the original KWXY neon letters with the KGX ones?

 

[SignalsradioLLC]

No clue there, prolly some gaming the local system...

DG

 

[SignalsradioLLC]

Depending on the number of cellular users are on it, the usual rate is $2K-$2.5 per month. Considering the ban on other towers around there, it could be more...

Not to mention whatever the Part 90 and WISPS are paying him.

DG

 

[KilowattKat]

Now you have me in "wondering" mode again ... how, then, was Louie able to replace the original KWXY neon letters with the KGX ones?

.For some reason it was Garry Wing (when he owned KWXY/KKGX) that changed the sign. Wing changed the calls to KKGX (a nod to KGO and KNX). Maybe he thought KKGX would be the leading station. I remember when he revived KWXY, he said it was supposed to be wall-to-wall Easy Listening music with no commercials, and KKGX the money maker.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

.For some reason it was Garry Wing (when he owned KWXY/KKGX) that changed the sign. Wing changed the calls to KKGX (a nod to KGO and KNX). Maybe he thought KKGX would be the leading station. I remember when he revived KWXY, he said it was supposed to be wall-to-wall Easy Listening music with no commercials, and KKGX the money maker.

I used to listen to him on KWXY before he sold it and used to talk about the 6 listeners he had online. I was one of them, hehe.

 

[CaptainAmplitude]

Both Translators 99.1 (K256CU) and 92.3 (K222DA) have been off-air for well over a year, since losing their tower site. I see no Silent Station STA for either, much less Commission approval for exceeding 30-days off air. KKGX-AM (920kHz) has clearly been operating at reduced power for much of that time; perhaps 800-watts or less.

It also looks like IVOX has never uploaded a single Quarterly Issues & Program List in their Public File since owning the stations. Can only guess about EAS compliance.

Does the FCC not flag such things when reviewing applications for license transfers or Minor Modifications, or are they merely rubber-stamping everything these days?

 

[radiofan2023]

If you or others don’t report stations to the FCC with recorded proof they're off air, the FCC isn’t going to know about them. The FCC doesn’t have the time or field agents to listen to or investigate every station in the US.

 

[KilowattKat]

Both Translators 99.1 (K256CU) and 92.3 (K222DA) have been off-air for well over a year, since losing their tower site. I see no Silent Station STA for either, much less Commission approval for exceeding 30-days off air. KKGX-AM (920kHz) has clearly been operating at reduced power for much of that time; perhaps 800-watts or less.

It also looks like IVOX has never uploaded a single Quarterly Issues & Program List in their Public File since owning the stations. Can only guess about EAS compliance.

Does the FCC not flag such things when reviewing applications for license transfers or Minor Modifications, or are they merely rubber-stamping everything these days?

Yep, for all intents and purposes KWXY is history. I don't see this one ever coming back. A formal cancellation from the FCC is next. IVOX has never once filed any STA's for KWXY under their ownership. The last applications they filed were for KKGX, because they had to for the new ownership, and the CP for 99.1.

I also do not believe they are still at the I-10 and Gene Autry Rd. site, and still need to file any changes for KKGX.

 

[KilowattKat]

The 4 tower array on Gene Autry Trail is still there, as seen up close in this KESQ-TV video. From what I can find, IVOX still owns the land under those towers. I don't know if that property is up for sale.

Gene Autry open at wash, Indian Canyon still closed

Update (01/04/26) The Palm Springs Police Department alerted drivers Sunday morning that Gene Autry Trail is now open at the wash. Original Report: PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs city work crews were out in the flooded washes Friday, clearing water, mud and debris from the closed...

kesq.com

 

[CaptainAmplitude]

920-AM (KKGX) has been off the air for at least the last two weeks. Not sure if they lost that transmitter site too; like they did with the two translators...