The station signed on the air in the fall of 1926.[4] It had the sequentially assigned call sign KCGM. Initially, it was a 10-watt station and had limited programming. By early December the schedule was reported to be "Daily except Sunday: 10:15 a.m weather forecast; 10:30-11:30 a.m. request music; 12:30 road information followed by music; 6:30-7:30 p.m. request music".[5]
During this time the local Chamber of Commerce was promoting San Antonio as "America's Playground" for conventions and tourists.[6] Aligning the station with this promotion, in December 1926 station owner Robert Bridge arranged for the call sign to be changed to KTAP, standing for the slogan "Kum to America's Playground".[7][8]
The station's later call signs were KABC, KGBS and KENS, followed in 1962 by KBAT. The current KKYX call sign was adopted on September 4, 1972, and the station has had a country music format ever since. It became a major outlet for country artists from much of South Texas. During the 1970s and early 1980s, KKYX was ranked one of the top ten country music radio stations in the United States.[9]
Former KKYX morning personality Jerry King is a member of the Country DJ Hall Of Fame. King retired from KKYX in 2018 after a 53-year radio career. Of those 53 years, he worked for KKYX for 43 years.
Coverage area
KKYX has a fairly large coverage area, covering a large area of southern Texas, including the entire San Antonio and Austin radio markets, along with areas around Victoria, Texas. Grade B coverage can be received in the Corpus Christi and Houston areas. About 100 counties were claimed to be part of the KKYX listening area.[10]
