WKCW
| |
Broadcast area | Fauquier–Prince William County, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1420 kHz |
| Branding | 1420 WKCW |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic hits[1] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | December 7, 1957[2] |
Former call signs | WKTF (1957–1960)[3] |
| Technical information[4] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| 73190 | |
| Class | D |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 38°43′52.0″N 77°46′42.0″W / 38.731111°N 77.778333°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
WKCW is a classic hits formatted broadcast radio station at 1420 kHz on the AM band and is licensed to Warrenton, Virginia, serving Fauquier and Prince William counties in Virginia.[1] WKCW is owned and operated by Radio Companion, LLC.[5]
History
[edit]The station originally signed on the air in 1957 as WKTF and later changed to its current WKCW call sign in 1960. For most of its history, WKCW or "Big K Radio" was one of the nation's longest-running traditional country music stations. After running the country format from 1960 to 2003 [6] it was sold and switched to a spanish variety format in 2004.[7][8] Over the years, the station went through a number of formats from spanish variety, gospel, news, oldies, adult hits to the current classic hits.
After going silent in July 2025 due to damage to the southwest tower, as of April 2026 the station is back on the air at reduced power.[9]
WKCW is heard during daytime hours, "From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Beltway," covering all of Northern Virginia with its 22,000 watt transmitter (temporarily at reduced power), among the most powerful in the Washington, DC and Fredericksburg designated market areas (DMA). At night, the station cuts their power down to 60 watts to protect other radio stations operating at 1420 kHz.
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
- ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-572. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ↑ "History Cards for WKCW". Federal Communications Commission. (Guide to reading History Cards)
- ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WKCW". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ↑ "WKCW Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ↑ WKCW's Deejays Stay Loyal to Station's Country Roots, Washington Post - January 18, 2003
- ↑ From Honky-Tonk To a Latino Beat, Washington Post - January 18, 2004
- ↑ Country Music Station Changes Format to Spanish, talentondisplay.com - January 2004
- ↑ Lane, Dan (July 7, 2025). "WKCW On the Air". Retrieved May 11, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Facility details for Facility ID 73190 (WKCW) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WKCW in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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