KOA (AM)

KOA
Broadcast areaDenverBoulderColorado Springs
Frequency850 kHz
BrandingKOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM
Programming
FormatNews/talk
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KBCO, KBPI, KDFD, KHOW, KDHT, KRFX, KTCL, KWBL
History
First air date
December 15, 1924; 99 years ago (1924-12-15)
Call sign meaning
"King of Agriculture"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID29738
ClassA
Power
  • 50,000 watts unlimited (main antenna)
  • 10,000 watts (auxiliary antenna)
ERP
  • 250 watts (K231BQ)
  • 205 watts (K231AA)
Transmitter coordinates
Translator(s)
  • 94.1 K231BQ (Golden)
  • 94.1 K231AA (Boulder)
Repeater(s)97.3 KBCO-HD3 (Boulder)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitekoacolorado.iheart.com

KOA (850 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Denver, Colorado. Owned by iHeartMedia, it serves the Denver-Boulder media market. KOA broadcasts a news/talk radio format, and is also the flagship station of the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies and Colorado Buffaloes. KOA has its radio studios in Southeast Denver, while the transmitter site is off South Parker Road in Parker.

KOA is a Class A, clear-channel station, broadcasting at 50,000 watts non-directional, the maximum power permitted by the Federal Communications Commission for AM stations. By day, the station provides city-grade coverage to most of Colorado's densely populated area, including cities such as Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Fort Collins. It provides at least secondary coverage to most of eastern Colorado, along with portions of Wyoming. Under the right conditions, it reaches portions of Nebraska and Kansas. With a good radio at night, the signal can be heard over much of the Central and Western United States, and parts of Canada and Mexico. KOA is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West".[2] It is Colorado's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

As of November 1, 2015, KOA is also heard on 94.1 MHz K231BQ, which is licensed to Golden, Colorado, as an FM translator of KBCO-HD3. In addition, KOA also simulcasts on translator K231AA (also on 94.1 MHz), licensed to Boulder.[2][3]

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KOA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ a b Ostrow, Joanne (November 1, 2015). "KOA is now simulcasting, taking over 94.1FM". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  3. ^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=22 Archived August 29, 2016, at the Wayback Machine HD Radio Guide for Denver