KAHM signed on the air on September 9, 1981; 43 years ago (September 9, 1981). It provides the Prescott, Flagstaff and Phoenix areas with a format of Beautiful Music, which remains virtually unchanged. The station originally aired quarter hour sweeps of easy listening music, mostly instrumental cover versions of popular adult songs, with some Broadway and Hollywoodshow tunes. In the 2000s, it moved to a 50% vocal playlist.
First broadcasting under 1,000 watts, KAHM's signal expanded in the early 1990s to 58,000 watts, serving the people of northern and central Arizona, along with the metropolitan Phoenix market. With the improved signal, KAHM could be heard in southern Arizona as far south as Peoria, Scottsdale and Anthem. In 2005, the station began broadcasting 24 hours a day, using broadcast automation overnight.
From the early 2000s until September 14, 2015, KAHM also had an Internet stream on its website.[3] The stream was ended due to high demand on the server and due to licensing fees.[4][5] As of 2023, the internet stream has returned.
Effective January 12, 2018, Southwest Broadcasting sold KAHM (as well as translator K269EE and sister talk KYCA and its translator K278CN) to Phoenix Radio Broadcasting, a holding company for the Cesar Chavez Foundation's Farmworker Educational Radio Network.[6] Under the new ownership, the station has continued its easy listening format.
In 2023, KAHM moved to a new tower location in Crown King. It also changed its city of license to Spring Valley. It previously broadcast from Cottonwood, and was licensed to Prescott. With the taller tower, the power was dropped from 54,000 watts to 26,000 watts. But it still has a similar coverage pattern over much of Arizona due to its height above average terrain.[7]
