KCMS-FM
Encyclopedia
KCMS 105.3 FM, known as "Spirit 105.3", is a Contemporary Christian music
FM
radio station
in the Seattle, Washington
, market. Spirit 105.3 is selective about what content it airs, thereby ensuring that it maintains an atmosphere friendly to its target audience of families. KCMS began its current format in 1984.
The station broadcasts at 105.3 MHz from Seattle, with translators broadcasting on 92.1 MHz (K221BG) in Aberdeen, Washington; 103.5 MHz (K278BH) in Astoria, Oregon; and 103.9 MHhz (K280FF) in Chehalis, Washington. It is owned and operated by Crista Ministries
. The station's main transmitting antenna is located on Cougar Mountain
and transmits at 54 kW.
The station is ranked 21st in the Seattle-Tacoma Arbitron PPM ratings data for September 2011 with 2.5 percent of the market share.
; the original calls were KGFM. KBIQ was used from about 1970 to 1984. That callsign now belongs to a Contemporary Christian music station in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Conversely, the prior usage of the KCMS callsign was for a non-religious station broadcasting at 103.1 MHz from Indio, California
. In that context, the "CMS" was promoted as meaning "Classical Music Station."
In the late 1960s into the early 1970s, KBIQ was one of the most powerful FM stations on the west coast of the United States. The station transmitted with an effective radiated power of 240,000 watts from the tower site of KGDN-AM at King's Garden (now Crista
) in north Seattle (19303 Fremont Ave West).
The station signal could be heard from Vancouver, BC to Vancouver, Washington
. The stereo on hour logo music was edited from Mission Impossible — Operation Charm and had a 747 going from left to right channels. John Pricer was the station voiceover. "From Vancouver to Vancouver, this is the all northwest sound of stereo 105, KBIQ in Edmonds" was their top-of-the-hour ID, along with slight variants.
KBIQ stood for "known by its quality," and played easy listening music and sprinkled with some Christian instrumental music and short local newscasts. The station was automated using IGM equipment and home recorded 14" reels, but had live news announcers during most important day-parts. The station also supplied music to K-Happy, a Christian formatted FM station in Albany, Oregon
.
Many KIRO
alumns either got their radio careers started there, or came back to KBIQ/KGDN (AM).
The station had a good following and decent ratings, until about 1973, when Bonneville's owned and operated KIRO-FM (later branded as KSEA, now KKWF
) went to the Bonneville beautiful music
format.
Other Seattle stations doing easy or modified versions of the format included KLSN-FM (now KJAQ
) (from the late 1960's to early 1970's), KIXI-FM, KBBX, then KEZX (now KLCK-FM) (mid 1960's to 1979), KUET (now KMPS
) (mid-1970's), and low powered station KBRD Tacoma. KBRD went full power in 1979 and added the Churchill format (now KMTT
).
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in the Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, market. Spirit 105.3 is selective about what content it airs, thereby ensuring that it maintains an atmosphere friendly to its target audience of families. KCMS began its current format in 1984.
The station broadcasts at 105.3 MHz from Seattle, with translators broadcasting on 92.1 MHz (K221BG) in Aberdeen, Washington; 103.5 MHz (K278BH) in Astoria, Oregon; and 103.9 MHhz (K280FF) in Chehalis, Washington. It is owned and operated by Crista Ministries
Crista Ministries
CRISTA Ministries is a collection of Christian ministries located in the Richmond Highlands neighborhood of Shoreline, Washington, just north of Seattle...
. The station's main transmitting antenna is located on Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is a regional park in King County, Washington, near the towns of Bellevue and Issaquah. The park was established in June 1983 to protect the central core of Cougar Mountain...
and transmits at 54 kW.
The station is ranked 21st in the Seattle-Tacoma Arbitron PPM ratings data for September 2011 with 2.5 percent of the market share.
History
Prior to 1984, KCMS was known as KBIQKBIQ
KBIQ, known as "Q102.7", is a Christian Adult Contemporary radio station broadcasting at 102.7 FM. The station serves the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area of the United States. The station is owned by Salem Communications.-102.7 history:...
; the original calls were KGFM. KBIQ was used from about 1970 to 1984. That callsign now belongs to a Contemporary Christian music station in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. Conversely, the prior usage of the KCMS callsign was for a non-religious station broadcasting at 103.1 MHz from Indio, California
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
. In that context, the "CMS" was promoted as meaning "Classical Music Station."
In the late 1960s into the early 1970s, KBIQ was one of the most powerful FM stations on the west coast of the United States. The station transmitted with an effective radiated power of 240,000 watts from the tower site of KGDN-AM at King's Garden (now Crista
Crista
Cristae are the internal compartments formed by the inner membrane of a mitochondrion. They are studded with proteins, including ATP synthase and a variety of cytochromes. The maximum surface for chemical reactions to occur is within the mitochondria...
) in north Seattle (19303 Fremont Ave West).
The station signal could be heard from Vancouver, BC to Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
. The stereo on hour logo music was edited from Mission Impossible — Operation Charm and had a 747 going from left to right channels. John Pricer was the station voiceover. "From Vancouver to Vancouver, this is the all northwest sound of stereo 105, KBIQ in Edmonds" was their top-of-the-hour ID, along with slight variants.
KBIQ stood for "known by its quality," and played easy listening music and sprinkled with some Christian instrumental music and short local newscasts. The station was automated using IGM equipment and home recorded 14" reels, but had live news announcers during most important day-parts. The station also supplied music to K-Happy, a Christian formatted FM station in Albany, Oregon
Albany, Oregon
Albany is the eleventh largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon, and is the county seat of Linn County. It is located in the Willamette Valley at the confluence of the Calapooia River and the Willamette River in both Linn and Benton counties, just east of Corvallis and south of Salem. It is...
.
Many KIRO
KIRO
KIRO may refer to:* KIRO , a radio station licensed to Seattle, Washington, United States* KIRO-TV, a television station licensed to Seattle, Washington, United States...
alumns either got their radio careers started there, or came back to KBIQ/KGDN (AM).
The station had a good following and decent ratings, until about 1973, when Bonneville's owned and operated KIRO-FM (later branded as KSEA, now KKWF
KKWF
KKWF , known as "The New 100.7 The Wolf", is a Country music radio station based in Seattle, Washington. The Entercom outlet broadcasts at 100.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 67 kW. Its transmitter is located in Seattle.-History:...
) went to the Bonneville beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format.
Other Seattle stations doing easy or modified versions of the format included KLSN-FM (now KJAQ
KJAQ
KJAQ is a commercial radio station located in Seattle, Washington. KJAQ airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
) (from the late 1960's to early 1970's), KIXI-FM, KBBX, then KEZX (now KLCK-FM) (mid 1960's to 1979), KUET (now KMPS
KMPS
KMPS-FM is a country music station based in Seattle, Washington. The CBS Radio outlet broadcasts at 94.1 MHz with its main transmitter operating at 69 kW effective radiated power and its three auxiliary transmitters operating at 57 kW, 55 kW and 53 kW ERP. All four of its transmitters are located...
) (mid-1970's), and low powered station KBRD Tacoma. KBRD went full power in 1979 and added the Churchill format (now KMTT
KMTT
KMTT , marketed as "103-7 The Mountain", is an adult album alternative FM radio station in the Seattle, Washington market.The station broadcasts at 103.7 MHz and is owned and operated by Entercom Communications. The station's transmitting antenna is on Reichert's Hill on Cougar Mountain...
).