[Texas] 1060 AM El Paso

[Mister B]

We have an interesting "new" station here in the El Paso area. It has been Spanish for as long as I can remember but now is playing a very wide variety of English language music from the 60's to present day. I am even hearing dance and alternative rock versions from 12 inch singles. The only announcements are still mostly Spanish and I believe they are saying "hits, digital" and then give the call letters of KXPL and 10,000 watts of power. I need to get a Spanish speaking friend to listen more carefully. There are no commercials as of yet.
When they first started playing music I found it to be distorted as if the audio volume was set too high but they were off for a few days and now it sounds very good. In fact in the car, other than the fact it is not stereo, I would think it was FM. I wonder if they hope to get an FM translator as the only drawback is they have to go off of the air at sunset. But then at night I have my favorite, KCKK 1510 from Littleton, CO.

 

[dfergie]

I’ll see if I can get in SE NM...


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys mobile app

 

[The Fat Man]

Basic search through my basic resources show nothing. Radio Discussions doesn't have anything, Radioinsight doesn't have anything, nothing on Wikipedia outside a basic description, and a basic Google and Yahoo search turned up nothing. Perhaps the station is stunting before a format flip?

 

[Mister B]

They have been off again for a couple of days. Although radiolocator.com shows 1060 as KXPL, I really think they are saying KXEL. I also get the idea that it is a relay of another station in Mexico, possibly something Santiago. I asked a Spanish speaking friend to listen to 1060 but just then it was off the air. Time will tell, I hope it works into something interesting. Already their playlist is so much more interesting that our "classic hits" 92.3 which is just about identical to the "classic hits" stations in Albuquerque and Tucson.
I doubt it is going to be received in SE New Mexico. When I went to Albuquerque last week 1060 faded out about Hatch which is only 80 miles. I "googled" their co-ordianates with a Google picture and even though they claim 10,000 watts, the broadcast tower is one rather short structure on the west side that I always tough was just a low power religious FM.

 

[dfergie]

No go here, barely get locals anymore on am...

 

[radio]

FCC databases on KXPL show no change in ownership, and as far as I can tell, no application for an FM translator.

The FM translator window recently closed, and I doubt there will be another for quite some time, due to the objections the Prometheus Radio Project and others threw in the works for the nearly 1000 applicants last time. I have not verified the existence or non-existence of such an application for them yet, however.
I can tell you if they did apply for one, they did not make the latest "singleton" list of non-contested frequencies that were handed out without auctioning, and by application process-only.

Ownership shows as, "New Radio System" via the FCC databases. Their (required) uploads of issues/programs to the new FCC website are not in English, and are deficient in content. Latest is a February monthly program "schedule" which is not what the FCC wants, and it should be is a quarterly filing for January-Feb-March, uploaded by April 10th of this year. (Many stations have broken this filing rule, and I suspect that the FCC, in going "online" with public files will very much be watching for this when renewals of license are filed...this has yet to come out in the wash for any stations to the best of my knowledge.)

The FCC also, surprisingly did not make AM stations post their FM translator licenses associated with the AM's which I find strange. Given that the translator has to rebroadcast the AM parent station, you'd think they'd want the FM translator license cross-referenced on the public file with the AM. In our case, we created a file folder and uploaded it to the FCC public files anyway for inquiring minds.

Keep listening! Sounds like an interesting scenario developing down that way....wish I could help you more with your interesting find!

 

[spongella]

At night if that station goes off the air, on that frequency is KYW 1060 all news from Philadelphia, PA.