KYKR-FM
Encyclopedia
KYKR is a radio station
broadcasting an Country
format. Licensed to Beaumont, Texas
, it serves the Beaumont/Port Arthur
metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting at 93.3 FM under the current call sign. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
.
Actually, 93.3 was originally licensed at KCAW-FM (the AM was on 1510- Currently KBED and owned by Cumulus) and was owned by Jimmie Joynt of Port Arthur. Jimmy sold the station when he moved to Dallas to start Superior Broadcast Products. KYKR was issued to 93.3 in the early 1980s and went through owner ship by the Hicks family of Beaumont (Steve Hicks most notably of CapStar; his father, John Hicks, had owned 560 KLVI since the 1960s) and was moved to the 2000ft Clear Channel Devers tower in the early 1990s after Steve Hicks had purchased 95.1. 93.3 was sold to Tichner Broadcasting, now Univision
, and the KYKR format was permanently moved to the 95.1 frequency that had been dark for some time under KZZB (a station that had great ratings until its last owner before Clear Channel bought it and ran it into the ground and bankrupt!).
suffered a massive fire believed to be arson. 93.3, 1510 AM, and numerous 2way gear including the 2meter ham repeater operated by former KLVI (KYKR's sister station under Clear Channel) assistant Chief Engineer, Chris Boone, WB5ITT, were all totally destroyed in the fire. KYKR has just lost its insurance the month before because the renewal had not been done in time for the 30day grace period. Boone had not yet gotten personal insurance for the ham repeater and lost over $1000 in equipment out of his own pocket, including a duplexer (WACOM
WP639) borrowed from a friend, Roger Dillon, K5PE in Beaumont. Boone had to give Dillon his own WACOM WP641 (a more expensive duplexer) for the loss of Dillon's and the WB5ITT repeater did not return to the air from the KYKR tower.
KYKR struggled with borrowed equipment to make it back on the air but did and eventually recovered.
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...
broadcasting an Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. Licensed to Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, it serves the Beaumont/Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting at 93.3 FM under the current call sign. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
.
History
For many years, KYKR was located at 93.3 FM. Then, in November 1991, top 40 station KZZB went silent, prompting then-owners Gulfstar to purchase the 95.1 signal and place KYKR's country format on it. 93.3 and 95.1 simulcast briefly before the latter frequency became KYKR's full-time home in the summer of 1992.Actually, 93.3 was originally licensed at KCAW-FM (the AM was on 1510- Currently KBED and owned by Cumulus) and was owned by Jimmie Joynt of Port Arthur. Jimmy sold the station when he moved to Dallas to start Superior Broadcast Products. KYKR was issued to 93.3 in the early 1980s and went through owner ship by the Hicks family of Beaumont (Steve Hicks most notably of CapStar; his father, John Hicks, had owned 560 KLVI since the 1960s) and was moved to the 2000ft Clear Channel Devers tower in the early 1990s after Steve Hicks had purchased 95.1. 93.3 was sold to Tichner Broadcasting, now Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
, and the KYKR format was permanently moved to the 95.1 frequency that had been dark for some time under KZZB (a station that had great ratings until its last owner before Clear Channel bought it and ran it into the ground and bankrupt!).
Notable events
In January, 1988, the KYKR tower in South VidorVidor
Vidor is a town and comune in the province of Treviso, Veneto, north-eastern Italy....
suffered a massive fire believed to be arson. 93.3, 1510 AM, and numerous 2way gear including the 2meter ham repeater operated by former KLVI (KYKR's sister station under Clear Channel) assistant Chief Engineer, Chris Boone, WB5ITT, were all totally destroyed in the fire. KYKR has just lost its insurance the month before because the renewal had not been done in time for the 30day grace period. Boone had not yet gotten personal insurance for the ham repeater and lost over $1000 in equipment out of his own pocket, including a duplexer (WACOM
Wacom
in Krefeld, Germany. Wacom is a Japanese portmanteau: Wa for "harmony" or "circle", and Komu for "computer". Wacom tablets are notable for their use of a patented cordless, battery-free, and pressure-sensitive stylus or digital pen...
WP639) borrowed from a friend, Roger Dillon, K5PE in Beaumont. Boone had to give Dillon his own WACOM WP641 (a more expensive duplexer) for the loss of Dillon's and the WB5ITT repeater did not return to the air from the KYKR tower.
KYKR struggled with borrowed equipment to make it back on the air but did and eventually recovered.