KGMS

Last updated

KGMS
Broadcast area Tucson metropolitan area
Frequency 940 kHz
Branding940 AM KGMS
Programming
Format Christian radio
AffiliationsWilkins Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
  • Robert and Luann Wilkins
  • (Tucson Christian Radio, Inc.)
History
First air date
August 10, 1963 (1963-08-10)
Former call signs
  • KMBO (1960–1961)
  • KOBY(1961–1963)
  • KHOS (1963–1977)
  • KMGX (1977–1981)
  • KNST (1981–1993)
  • KWFM (1993–1994)
  • KCEE (1994–2001)
Call sign meaning
Good Message
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 53592
Class B
Power
  • 1,000 watts (day)
  • 250 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
 32°12′4.00″N111°1′2.00″W / 32.2011111°N 111.0172222°W / 32.2011111; -111.0172222
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wilkinsradio.com/our-stations/kgms-940am-tucson-az/

KGMS (940 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Tucson, Arizona, United States, and serving the Tucson metropolitan area. Owned by Robert and Luann Wilkins, through licensee Tucson Christian Radio, Inc., it carries a Christian format as part of the Wilkins Radio Network. KGMS is also simulcast on KNXN in Sierra Vista, Arizona, to provide coverage southeast of Tucson.

Contents

History

Early years

KGMS began as a request for a construction permit, filed in 1958 for a new station on 940 kHz in Tucson. Prior to beginning operations, it was assigned the call letters KMBO in 1960 and KOBY in 1961. The station signed on the air in August 10, 1963, as KHOS and it aired a full service, country music format. KHOS was an affiliate of the ABC Information Radio Network.

On September 1, 1977, it switched to Adult Contemporary music and changed its call letters to KMGX. In July 1981, it flipped to a talk radio format as KNST. The KNST call letters and format were moved to 790 AM in April 1993. [2] Meanwhile, 940 AM changed its call letters to KWFM. The next year the call sign was changed to KCEE, and the station became KGMS in 2001. [3]

Expanded Band assignment

On March 17, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that 88 stations had been given permission to move to newly available "Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz. KCEE was authorized to move from 940 kHz to 1630 kHz. [4]

However, KCEE never procured the construction permit needed to implement the authorization, so the expanded band station was never built, and KCEE remained on 940 kHz.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KGMS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "Good News: A Tucson AM Finds A New Owner" by Adam Jacobson, July 20, 2018.
  3. ↑ Call Sign History (FCC.gov)
  4. ↑ "FCC Public Notice: Mass Media Bureau Announces Revised AM Expanded Band Allotment Plan and Filing Window for Eligible Stations" (FCC DA 97-537), March 17, 1997. This notice lists KCEE under its earlier call sign of KWFM.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.