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| Broadcast area | Albuquerque area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 840 kHz |
| Branding | Genuine Country |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Country |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KDSK (AM), KDSK-FM, KMIN | |
| History | |
First air date | 1961 (as KARS at 860) |
Former call signs | KARS (1961–2017) KJFA (2017–2023) |
Former frequencies | 860 kHz (1961–2013) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 25528 |
| Class | D |
| Power | AM: 1,800 watts (day) 30 watts (night) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°00′31″N106°42′52″W / 35.00861°N 106.71444°W |
KDNF (840 AM) is a radio station licensed to Belen, New Mexico, United States, which also serves the Albuquerque area. The station is owned by Sheila and Derek Underhill, through licensee KD Radio Inc. [1] KDNF airs a classic country format branded as "Genuine Country 840".
The transmitter tower for KDNF is located in South Valley, New Mexico.
This station (originally KARS) used to broadcast at 860 kHz at 1,300 watts during the day and 185 watts at night. The signal in Albuquerque had been a bit weak there during daytime hours and was even harder (but not impossible) to hear at night due to its transmitter being located near Belen (about 40 miles south of Albuquerque) and using low levels of power.[ according to whom? ] However, the station mostly served the Valencia County area and did not really target Albuquerque.
KARS featured a variety of programming over the years, from Classic Country and Spanish-language programming, as well as community information for Belen and other parts of Valencia County. In 2010, it began airing an Adult Standards format, and later featured some religious programs before changing to the all-news format in April 2012. The station used to brand itself as "The Heart of New Mexico".
From April 2012 until March 2013, KARS broadcast an all news format with most of its content coming from Talk Radio Network's "America's Radio News". Local news, weather and traffic reports were featured in the mornings and afternoons.
KARS had filed an application with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to move to 840 kHz at a new transmitter site, increase day power to 1,800 watts and decrease night power to 30 watts. A construction permit to make these changes was granted by the FCC on January 17, 2013. This upgrade also allowed for it to re-broadcast on translator K275AO (102.9 FM) at 990 watts from atop Sandia Crest. [2]
On March 28, 2013, KARS went off the air while the station upgraded its signal. It returned to the air on July 11, 2013 at 840 kHz, covering the Albuquerque area well during the day and improving night time coverage. The FM translator at 102.9 was also upgraded from 10 watts to 99 watts. 102.9 had previously re-broadcast the classical music format from KHFM since signing on in late 2005. The translator was intended to improve coverage in the northeast heights. After a week of informing listeners that KHFM was no longer on the translator, the station had been playing a loop of the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind repeatedly for nearly five days. KARS launched a modern rock format branded as "Area 102.9" at noon on July 24, 2013. [3] "Area" launched with "10,000 songs in a row"; however, it was nearly four months before the station started to run commercials regularly, as is sometimes common with new stations. The modern rock format originally featured alternative music from the 1980s to current hits.
On August 3, 2015, American General Media took over operations of KSFE in Santa Fe, which could possibly allow for more flexibility to upgrade the translator, which at the current 99 watts, is tightly placed between KIOT and KDRF, both of which broadcast at the full 22 kW from atop Sandia Crest, making the signal hard to pick up and possibly contributing to the station's very low ratings. [4] Currently, only K229CL (93.7 FM) uses the translator maximum power of 250 watts between two full powered Crest stations.
On August 31, 2015, KARS shifted its format from modern rock to active rock, still branded as "Area 102.9", with the new slogan "Shut Up and Rock". [5] The ratings had improved with this format, but still remained low.
On September 18, 2017, KARS picked up the Regional Mexican format that had aired on KJFA-FM, which had been spun off to Vanguard Media after American General Media acquired stations owned by Univision Radio. [6] On October 25, 2017, the call sign was changed to KJFA. [7]
"La Jefa" has been in the market since November 2002, first launching on 101.3 and then moving to 105.1 at the end of 2006. The addition of the Piolin morning program was effective in the stations success for a number of years until it was canceled by Univision Radio in July 2013. By September 28, 2015, the format moved back to 101.3, which lasted until moving to its current home two years later.
On February 27, 2018, KJFA changed its format from regional Mexican to Spanish AC, branded as "Exitos 102.9". [8]
On August 30, 2019, at noon, KJFA and KJFA-FM flipped to Spanish language rhythmic branded as "Fuego 102.9". [9]
On March 2, 2023, American General Media sold KJFA to KD Radio, owners of KDSK for $50,000. [10] Translator K275AO was not part of the sale and in April 2023, the "Fuego" format was added as an HD Radio subchannel of KABG as KABG-HD2, which became the new program source for K275AO. On June 1, 2023, the station changed to KDNF and launched a new format playing Classic Country music.
KKOB is a commercial AM radio station, licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico and owned by Cumulus Media. Its news/talk format is branded as "96.3 Newsradio KKOB", reflecting a simulcast with co-owned KKOB-FM 96.3 MHz. Studios and offices are located in Downtown Albuquerque. KKOB is the oldest station in New Mexico and is the state's primary entry point for the Emergency Alert System.
KVCN is a radio station licensed to Los Alamos, New Mexico, and serving Northern New Mexico, including Santa Fe and Albuquerque. It broadcasts a Conservative Christian radio format featuring programming from its owner's network, VCY America.
WKBF was a radio station licensed to Rock Island, Illinois, which last carried a regional Mexican format. The station's frequency was 1270 kHz, and was broadcast at a power of 5 kW. It last broadcast in Autumn 2018, and its license was cancelled on June 1, 2020. Its transmitter was located on 22nd Avenue in Moline, alongside the Moline–East Moline border just off 53rd Street and Avenue of the Cities.
KKOB-FM is a commercial radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by Cumulus Media and it simulcasts a news/talk radio format with co-owned KKOB 770 AM. The studios and offices are on 4th Street NW in downtown Albuquerque. KKOB-AM-FM use the FM station's dial position for the moniker "96.3 News Radio KKOB".
KHFM is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and serving the Albuquerque metropolitan area. It airs a classical music radio format with some selections drawn from musical theatre. The studios and offices are located on Marble Avenue NE in Northeast Albuquerque. It is owned by KHFM Community Partners, a foundation set up by American General Media when the station switched from commercial to non-commercial. KHFM holds periodic fundraisers on the air during the year to support the station from listener donations.
KTBL is a commercial radio station licensed to the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico, and serves the Albuquerque metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and its studios are located in Downtown Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located in South Valley, New Mexico. KTBL operates with 1,000 watts. The station airs an active rock format branded as "94.5 The Pit" with the use of FM translator K233CG broadcasting at 250 watts off Sandia Crest.
KJFA-FM is a radio station licensed to Pecos, New Mexico, branded as Fuego 102-9, and serving the Santa Fe area. It broadcasts a bilingual Hispanic rhythmic format.
KKRG-FM is a radio station licensed to Santa Fe, New Mexico, covering the Albuquerque area and northern New Mexico. It is currently owned by American General Media. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located west of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Syndicated programming includes Brooke & Jeffrey in the morning and Liveline with Mason at night.
KYLZ is a commercial FM radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by Vanguard Media and airs an urban contemporary radio format mixed with some recent hits, branded as "The Hustle 101.3". The radio studios are in Northeast Albuquerque.
WGBJ is a commercial radio station licensed to Auburn, Indiana, and serving the Fort Wayne metropolitan area. It is owned by Sarkes Tarzian and it broadcasts an alternative rock radio format, known as "Alt 102.3." The studios and offices are on West Berry Street in Fort Wayne.
KIOT is an American radio station licensed to Los Lunas, New Mexico, and serving the Albuquerque and Santa Fe radio markets broadcasting a classic rock format with music from the late 1960s through the early 2000s. The station is owned by American General Media. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located atop Sandia Crest east of the city.
KQNM is a radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico. KQNM is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc. and airs a Catholic radio ministry featuring network talk programs and broadcasts of the mass.
KQLV is an American radio station serving the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas. It is a non-commercial station owned by Educational Media Foundation, broadcasting its K-Love satellite Christian Contemporary music format.
KLVO (97.7 MHz) is an FM radio station serving Central New Mexico. It is licensed to Belen, New Mexico, and is owned by American General Media. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque, and its transmitter is located west of Los Lunas, New Mexico. KLVO broadcasts a New Mexico music and regional Mexican format branded as "Radio Lobo".
KIVA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by the Rock of Talk LLC and airs a talk radio format. Studios and offices are located at 2309 Renard Place Southeast, near the Albuquerque International Sunport.
KQRI is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Bosque Farms, New Mexico. It covers the Albuquerque metropolitan area and Valencia County. It is owned by the Educational Media Foundation broadcasting its "Air1" Christian worship music service, a national radio format.
WAUN is an AM radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. Known as WPDR for nearly 70 years, the station previously held a news/talk format. Before that, WPDR played oldies and also played country music for many years. Licensed to Portage, Wisconsin, United States, the station is currently owned by Magnum Broadcasting. Co-owned WDDC, formerly WPDR-FM, is located at 100.1 MHz. WAUN is simulcast on FM via two translator stations, 102.1 in Baraboo which covers the majority of the Dells/Baraboo and Portage areas from a transmitter on the Baraboo Range as well as 96.9 in DeForest which covers the northern Madison area.
K265CA is a commercial FM translator radio station located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, broadcasting to the Albuquerque metropolitan area, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located atop Sandia Crest.
K251AU is an FM translator radio station that serves the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. It broadcasts at 98.1 MHz with a 165 watt signal from atop Sandia Crest, sending a somewhat strong signal into much of the city. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque.
K275AO is an FM translator station in Albuquerque, New Mexico airing a Hispanic Rhythmic format branded a "Fuego 102.9". The translator is fed from an HD Radio subchannel of KABG-HD2. It is owned by American General Media. The format is also simulcast on KJFA-FM 102.9 in Pecos, New Mexico.