KSAQ - 102.3 - Charlotte, TX

[Anonymouse]

It's apparently a brand new classic country station south of SA named "Atascosa Country Radio". According to Radio Locator, it got it's license on June 13th, 2012.

Radio Locator: http://radio-locator.com/info/KSAQ-FM

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ksaqfm

No website or Internet stream yet.

Audio quality is decent as far as I can tell.

I actually just barely picked it up in north San Antonio for a minute or two. From what I heard it sounds good.

Anyone else heard this station?

 

[fredcantu]

Good luck to them. Gotta love local, small market radio.

 

[Kent]

That was one of the stations Randy Michaels got in an auction a few years ago. He's since been selling those CP's, and that was one of the first to go (along with KSAG in Pearsall). Looks like they're trying to serve the population that signal's best suited for as it'll never make a good San Antonio rimshot. Good for them! Good for Atascosa County, too, as KBOP stopped trying to serve them decades ago and has since gone away entirely.

 

[gabigley1]

The KSAQ call letters first appeared in San Antonio back in 1975 when then KBER-FM, 100.3 was sold.
Apparently, this may be why the new owners picked these call letters. They were also on 96.1
from the mid 80s to early 90s if memory serves me correct.

 

[Anonymouse]

It's also good how this station pays attention to their Facebook! I asked a question about live Internet streaming, and got a reply in only a few minutes. They say it's been asked about a lot, and it's apparently in the works.

 

[willdav713]

The KSAQ call letters first appeared in San Antonio back in 1975 when then KBER-FM, 100.3 was sold.
Apparently, this may be why the new owners picked these call letters. They were also on 96.1
from the mid 80s to early 90s if memory serves me correct.

They should have used the KBER calls. As KBER was Country. KSAQ was Q-100 a top-40/CHR before it morphed into KZZY which was a Rock/Top 40. Then came KCCW 100.3's second attempt at Country, followed by KLLS Drake AC format, then KCYY as it is today. In 1992, KCYY was #1, followed by KTFM at #2, then KONO #3, rival KSMG was #8.

Don't know why they used the KSAQ branding, unless they will call it Q-Country.
What kind of Country is it, Progressive like KOKE? or Classic Country like KKYX? I probably couldn't pick it up, as I am by the Airport, Radio Formula is on 102.3 well since I last scanned the dial down there.

That station KSAQ 102.3 was up for sale since 2006, along with KSAG 103.3

KSAQ calls were absent from 1993-2006.
Last station to use them was when they were moving KSJL-AM's operation from March to April of 1993 as 76-KSJL AM and 96.1 KSAQ FM The Touch.

 

[mrh1960]

The KSAQ call letters first appeared in San Antonio back in 1975 when then KBER-FM, 100.3 was sold.
Apparently, this may be why the new owners picked these call letters. They were also on 96.1
from the mid 80s to early 90s if memory serves me correct.

I recall them on 96.1 back in the late 70's as a really good Top 40 station...wasn't the station referred to as Q-96? I remember listening to it on our summer trips to New Braunfels...

 

[Anonymouse]

What kind of Country is it, Progressive like KOKE? or Classic Country like KKYX? I probably couldn't pick it up, as I am by the Airport, Radio Formula is on 102.3 well since I last scanned the dial down there.

Sounds like sort of a classic country mix like KKYX, but with a few newer songs mixed in.

 

[gabigley1]

According to the FCC database, KSAQ was used on 96.1 from 01/14/1987 until 05/12/1993. You may be confusing the 70s with the 80s as Q-96
was their slogan in late 80s.

Current Call Sign:KXXM
Facility ID Number:28668
Call Sign Begin Date

KSJL-FM 05/12/1993
KSAQ 01/14/1987

 

[Kent]

I recall them on 96.1 back in the late 70's as a really good Top 40 station...wasn't the station referred to as Q-96? I remember listening to it on our summer trips to New Braunfels...

In the late 70's, 96.1 was classical KMFM. It became religious KSLR in the early 80's after the owners acquired KMAC 630 and sold 96.1 for big bucks. It may have had a couple of formats between KSLR and KSAQ, but I would agree with you that Q-96 was a great sounding CHR. However, it eventually took over the rock format during KISS's short switch to oldies. It also got several of KISS's longtime personalities before Rusk hired them back.

 

[Kent]

The KSAQ call letters first appeared in San Antonio back in 1975 when then KBER-FM, 100.3 was sold.
Apparently, this may be why the new owners picked these call letters. They were also on 96.1
from the mid 80s to early 90s if memory serves me correct.

The current owners didn't pick the calls. Randy Michaels picked them up when the station was a CP, and the current owners have simply kept them. He may have picked them up for the reason you mention, however, as he was familiar with the San Antonio market since Jacor attempted to buy KSMG and KLOL from Rusk. I seem to remember Jacor suing after the deal fell through.

 

[fredcantu]

They should have used the KBER calls. As KBER was Country.

KBER in use by KBER-FM, "K-Bear," Ogden, UT.

 

[willdav713]

They should have used the KBER calls. As KBER was Country.

KBER in use by KBER-FM, "K-Bear," Ogden, UT.

What about KCCW-FM?

 

[willdav713]

The KSAQ call letters first appeared in San Antonio back in 1975 when then KBER-FM, 100.3 was sold.
Apparently, this may be why the new owners picked these call letters. They were also on 96.1
from the mid 80s to early 90s if memory serves me correct.

I recall them on 96.1 back in the late 70's as a really good Top 40 station...wasn't the station referred to as Q-96? I remember listening to it on our summer trips to New Braunfels...

Since you were referring to the late 70's you were probably listening to KITY 92.9. Q-100 became the Buzzard in late 1977. I think during that brief period KTFM was either Disco or Rock.

Unless you were referring to the late 80's. I remember it was KSAQ 96.1 FM Georgetown, San Antonio Q96fm killer new music were their calls at the top of the hour. The only CHR station to play extended 12" versions in it's entirety in San Antonio.

 

[grantchester]

Radio database is obviously wrong. KSLR-FM became KSAQ in January of 1984.

The original 96.1 was KMFM-FM, owned by oilman Harry Pennington Jr. His wife recorded all of the intros for all of the classical music. They broadcast from studios on the second floor of North Star Mall, with the transmitter next to the studio and the antenna on the roof. They quit classical when the 88.3 frequency signed on. B.J McLaine was the P.D. at the end. She passed away a few years back.

KSLR bought the station, but couldn't make a go of it. They sold to C&W Wireless for 4.5 million $$ and bought KMAC AM 630 from Capitol (or maybe Adams?). C&W had cash flow problems, and sold out to Inner City in the fall of '86.

The rock era, with Joe Anthony, programmed by Bill Thorman came much later.

Wil, I think you're getting confused with the old KGTN-FM in Georgetown, which became Q-Fox (KQFX) in 1988 or 89, and was a classic oldies format.

 

[fredcantu]

Wil, I think you're getting confused with the old KGTN-FM in Georgetown, which became Q-Fox (KQFX) in 1988 or 89, and was a classic oldies format.

KGTN-FM was a little class A on 96.7 in Georgetown. It upgraded and shifted to 96.5 as Oldies KQFX and moved into the Austin market. Then it upgraded some more and moved back to 96.7 as what is now KHFI.

 

[willdav713]

Radio database is obviously wrong. KSLR-FM became KSAQ in January of 1984.

The original 96.1 was KMFM-FM, owned by oilman Harry Pennington Jr. His wife recorded all of the intros for all of the classical music. They broadcast from studios on the second floor of North Star Mall, with the transmitter next to the studio and the antenna on the roof. They quit classical when the 88.3 frequency signed on. B.J McLaine was the P.D. at the end. She passed away a few years back.

KSLR bought the station, but couldn't make a go of it. They sold to C&W Wireless for 4.5 million $$ and bought KMAC AM 630 from Capitol (or maybe Adams?). C&W had cash flow problems, and sold out to Inner City in the fall of '86.

The rock era, with Joe Anthony, programmed by Bill Thorman came much later.

Wil, I think you're getting confused with the old KGTN-FM in Georgetown, which became Q-Fox (KQFX) in 1988 or 89, and was a classic oldies format.

It was Capitol, Adams bought the Capitol stations in 1987. KISS 99.5 owned KMAC 630, which sold in 1984 to Salem. They later acquired 930 AM COL Terrell Hills from the folks that owned 100.3 FM at the time (KLLS-AM 930), which became KISS-AM later KRIA (Spanish language), then KRNN. (Radio News Network) but I am sure the COL did include Georgetown for 96.1 during a brief period, unless they meant Jourdanton.

Rusk Corporation acquired KISS AM/FM from Adams in October 1991.

Until 2003, a billboard on Jones Maltsberger by the airport, still displayed KSLR "Son Light Radio" FM 96 even though it changed formats 4 times since then.

Under C&W Q-96 was a AC/Top 40 hybrid, until Inner City bought the station which "All Hit 76 KSJL flipped to "Super Q96/76" KSAQ-FM and KSJL-FM San Antonio. They disbanded in fall of 1988 and Z-rock was placed on 760 AM and "Q96fm" was born as the station that didn't have bogus contests. Then they called it "Killer New Music" after Power 93 flipped to Star 93.

 

[grantchester]

Willdav says:

I am sure the COL did include Georgetown for 96.1 during a brief period, unless they meant Jourdanton.

I'm pretty sure that was not the case. When 96.1 upgraded from the 20k facility at North Star Mall, the tower was built northwest of San Antonio. Isn't that the other way from Jourdanton?
It's certainly a fur-peice from Georgetown. I'm all but certain the COL was always SA-TX.

And KRNN was KDSR Inc. (Dale, Safir, Rosenberg) in 1985, before KRIA. It didn't flip to spanish til '87. Salem didn't get it til after KLUP (music of your previous life) had been on for several years.

 

[willdav713]

Willdav says:

I am sure the COL did include Georgetown for 96.1 during a brief period, unless they meant Jourdanton.

I'm pretty sure that was not the case. When 96.1 upgraded from the 20k facility at North Star Mall, the tower was built northwest of San Antonio. Isn't that the other way from Jourdanton?
It's certainly a fur-peice from Georgetown. I'm all but certain the COL was always SA-TX.

And KRNN was KDSR Inc. (Dale, Safir, Rosenberg) in 1985, before KRIA. It didn't flip to spanish til '87. Salem didn't get it til after KLUP (music of your previous life) had been on for several years.

Salem purchased 630 not 930 in the 80's. As for AM 930, it was KLLS 930 AM first, then KISS 930 AM in '87 the year KLLS-FM flipped to KCYY, and KCYY-AM didn't ever exist since the AM station was sold to Adams to become KISS-AM, then 930 flipped to KRIA (1988), followed by KRNN (1989), and then back to KISS-AM (1990) which morphed into the Kool Gold Satelitte format.

Rusk acquired KISS-AM and FM and flipped KISS-AM to KLUP on 1-1-92.
Salem bought a second AM station (930) in 2004.

 

[grantchester]

Indeed, Salem got KLUP in '04, after owning KSLR for some time before that...Was it Salem in '84 when 630 went religious? I remember Capitol's hideously lame AC/Top 40 presentation on KMAC after Mr. Davis died. Maydell sold a majority share, then sold the rest when Adams bought KMAC/KISS. That may have been about the time KSLR moved to AM.

But KRNN was 1985. It was Stanley Rosenberg's real estate deal to develop the transmitter site at I-35/NE 410. They launched in July of '85, and began 'downsizing' that fall. (Gabe may know more about that). It all fell apart with the S&L crisis and the oil bust of the mid-80's. The land never did get developed. The towers are still there. They flipped spanish about a year later.