KDAV is an AM radio station

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...

 licensed to Lubbock

Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, broadcasting an oldies

Oldies

Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....

format which focuses on 1950s and early 1960s pop, rockabilly, mild doo-wop, and country oldies.

The “KDAV” call sign is always attributed to "the Buddy Holly Station" because young Buddy Holly performed in a country show there before he reached stardom. The station observes Buddy Holly's career the first weekend of February, which coincides with the time of his death in 1959 in a plane crash in Iowa.

The KDAV station known to Buddy Holly was a 500 watt daytimer on 580 that began in 1953 at 66th and Quirt Avenue (today known as 6602 Martin Luther King). That station was founded by Elmore, Worley and Pinkston. David Pinkston founded KDAV and sisters KZIP Amarillo (1310), KPEP San Angelo (1420) and KPIK Colorado Springs (1580). All four stations used a common floor plan. The Amarillo building was raised to make room for a highway, San Angelo was vacated when 1420 returned it's license to the FCC.

KDAV 580 became KRLB in 1979. It added 99.5 -KWGO-FM, then KRLB-FM, then KCRM, now KQBR . The 580 license is now owned by  he “Big Ed” Wilkes family.

1590 was activated after World War 2 by Caprock Broadcasting Company headed by Joe Bryant. A three tower transmitter site was installed in southeast Lubbock along the old Slaton highway. Power was a thousand watts day and night, with each mode using a three tower directional antenna system. The site was supervised by R.F. "Frank" Lee who worked at the station until it's sale in 1971, and continued at sister KCBD-TV until his death in 1980.

Studios were originally at 1803-1805 Broadway between Downtown Lubbock and Texas Tech College. The radio studios moved in 1953 when the they were consolidated into the new KCBD-TV facilities at 5600 Avenue A. In 1971 KCBD radio was spun off to Lew Dee and 20 local businessmen. The Callsign changed to KEND. The format had been adult middle of the road. Lew Dee changed the format to a more contemporary "The Living End" as KEND (The End of the Dial). The station had business reversals. Management traded too many things in too many deals, and developed tax problems. The station was required in those days to use transmitter site operating engineers or update it's equipment and procedures in order to permit remote control operation. Both were costly so neither was done.

The station was sold to an Abilene Texas family (The Ackers) who owned KENM in Portales NM and part of KRBC AM/TV in Abilene, Texas. The format changed in 1975 to the "National News and Information Service" (NIS) from NBC. In 1977 the station went country and reached the top of the Lubbock ratings as "Country 16".

KLLL AM/FM tired of it's daytime AM at 1460, sold that station to Terry Wynn in 1982 and bought KEND. Many years later KEND changed calls to KLLL (AM). AFter a few more years the KLLL (AM) was sold to a local operator. Since 1995 Bill Clements has owned the station. He installed a new transmitter (the 1949 sign on Western Electric transmitter gave way to a 1971 Collins 820-D) in 1995 a "Gates 1" solid state (no tubes) transmitter.

.....................................................................................................updated:kdav webmaster 10/2011

D.J's

Among its most recent DJ’s are/were Bud Andrews, Jerry Coleman, Virgil Johnson, former lead singer for the “Velvets”, who released the 1961 hit “Tonight” (could be the night), Mark Beneze, Peggy Sue Gerron (yep, it is THE Peggy Sue as recorded by Holly), Rockin’ Ron Reid, Bill “C” (Clement), Smokin’ Joe, Dave Rubush, Emery Waters (the ole’ geezer) and MuddToe. In 2011, Alex Jones, syndicated radio host based in Austin, Texas, started airing on KDAV from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST. KDAV is the West Texas Flag Ship station for Alex Jones.

Streaming

KDAV has a live stream so listeners around the world can tune in via their computers. As of September 2010, the feed which originally charged a listening fee, is once again streaming free through their website.

Technical information

• Class: B
• Format: Oldies
• Antenna Mode: Directional-2 Pattern
• Power: 1000 Watts
• Towers: 3
• Phone: 1-806-744-5859