On December 13, 1926 KXL began operation on 750kc. with the power of 50 watts. KXL was owned by KXL Broadcasters, Inc. Studios were located on the top floor of the Mallory Hotel, with transmitter on roof.(171 Lownsdale St., now 729 S.W. 15th Ave.) in Portland.

On February 17, 1927 KXL switched to 770kc. In May 1927 KXL was inspected by the newly empowered Federal Radio Commission. In a report, it was noted that the station was a "very haywire operation". KXL was then re-assigned to the lower class frequency of 1360kc. on June 15, 1927.

On September 26, 1927 KXL studios & transmitter were moved to the Bedell Building, 7th floor studios.(130 S.W. 6th Ave., 6th & Alder). KXL slogan: The Voice of Portland. In April 1928 power was increased to 100 watts. On November 1, 1928 KXL switched to 1250kc. & power increased to 500 watts..

In October 1929 The Federal Radio Commission conducted a license renewal hearing for KXL. In the FRC ruling, KXL was reduced to 100 watts & forced to share time with the Benson Polytechnic School Station KFIF on 1420kc. This went into effect on November 1, 1929.

On November 5, 1930 KXL became a UBC affiliate. On April 1, 1931 UBC folded. In early 1935 KXL increased day power to 250 watts. In late 1937 KXL studios moved to the KXL Building (1101 S.W. Washington St.). In late 1939 night power was increased to 250 watts. On March 29, 1941 KXL & KBPS were switched to 1450kc.

On October 12, 1941 seventeen years after KXL's debut on 750kc., the station returned. Power was increased to 10KW., sunrise to sunset & limited night hours when WSB Atlanta was off air. KXL's transmitter site was now located at Harmony OR. A new multi-tower directional array was activated on this date. KXL's new slogan: Oregon's Most Powerful Radio Station.(it was for the moment). In 1942 studios were moved to the 5th floor of the Orpheum Building.(743 S.W. Broadway).

On January 4, 1947 KXL Broadcasters, Inc. started the XL Group of stations. Those changing their calls on this date were:
KXLE Ellensburg WA
KXLF Butte MT
KXLJ Helena MT
KXLK Great Falls MT
KXLL Missoula MT
KXLO Lewiston MT
KXLQ Bozeman MT
KXLY Spokane WA

In 1953 KXL studios were moved to it's transmitter site.(6735 S.E. 82nd Ave.). On November 7, 1955 KXL Broadcasters, Inc. was sold to Mount Rainer Radio & TV Broadcasting Corp.(Lester M. Smith and Lincoln & Sylvia Deller) for $450,000. Mr. Smith also became G.M.

On June 7, 1958 KXL was sold to Sinatra Radio & Essex Productions, Inc.(entertainer Frank Sinatra & wife Nancy) for 2 Million.(included KJR Seattle). KXL was programming a top 40 format at this time. Slogans: Listening's swell on KXL. The nifty 750.

In early 1959 the licensee name changed to Seattle, Portland & Spokane Radio, Inc.(KJR-KXL-KNEW). On January 4, 1961 KXL increased power to 50KW.(directional single-pattern, limited night operation to WSB Atlanta). KXL slogans: Refreshing Radio. Aisle 750.

On October 14, 1964 KXL was sold by Mr. & Mrs. Frank Sinatra to entertainer Danny Kaye & wife Sylvia and Lester M. Smith for $700,000. KXL was programming a "Good Music" format at this time. Slogan: Better Music. In 1970 KXL joined the abc Information Network. On June 29, 1972 the licensee name changed to Kaye-Smith Enterprises. In January 1973 KXL dropped it abc affiliation.

On October 14, 1975 KXL was granted pre-sunrise authority of 500 watts.(6AM & local sunset). In 1977 studios were moved to 1415 S.E. Ankeny St. In 1980 KXL dropped it Easy Listening format and switched to News/Talk. Slogan: News Radio 75. On June 1, 1981 KXL joined the NBC Radio Network. On February 1, 1982 KXL began carrying NBC's TalkNet schedule.

On May 13, 1982 Lester M. Smith bought all of Mr. & Mrs. Danny Kaye's stock in KXL. Kaye-Smith Enterprises became Alexander Broadcasting Co. In March 1984 KXL began 10KW night operation.(directional single pattern all hours). KXL slogan: Portland's News Authority.

On August 16, 1988 KXL was given permission to raise night power to 20KW.(2 pattern directional, for day & for night). In 1989 KXL joined the CBS Radio Network. In 1992 KXL dropped it's NBC affiliation. KXL slogans: News Radio 750, When You Need To Know. The Northwest Spells News K-X-L.

Craig, great job as usual on history of Portland radio. Your KXL story does not mention John Salsbury nor Paul Allen.
Wasn't John involved in management/ownership and when did Allen purchase the station.
When did they spin off KXL-FM as the 'good music' station. As I remember they only had commercials on the hour for many years.
Thanks again, look forward to your weekly series.
Oldduck

At some point, KXL went to a 50kw sign-on which must have been shortly after their pre-sunrise authority was granted. This was possible because it was already daylight in Atlanta. They added a nighttime signal in 1980 with 1kw and it was on a holiday but I can't remember which one.(I'm thinking Columbus Day.) Soon after that was the switch to News/Talk and the addition of an afternoon newsblock.

Craig: As an alum of two of the 'XL stations and 'JR, I had never really understood the history of the 'XL chain. Thanks for making that clear. Also, my hat is off to Larry Wilson, who has been the chief engineer of KXL for about 30 years, and will be soon retiring. His brain power, hard work, and leadership has made a lot of what is KXL and KXJM the reality it is today

Ooops! I skipped part of a paragraph, thought of it as I drove home. I didn't remember typing Mazzanine!!! Should read:

On November 1, 1928 KXL moved studios to the Mazzanine floor of the Multnomah Hotel.(269 S.W. Pine St.). Two 70 foot towers were erected behind the hotel. On November 11, 1928 KXL switched to 1250kc. & power increased to 500 watts.

God how I hate making mistakes. But if I discover One, it will always be posted! I'll answer your questions next, I just had to post this first.

As I remember John Salsbury was not mentioned in the information I have.(not an owner). Your right, he should be mentioned! What a great talent & voice he had! I didn't go beyond the mid 90's or KXL's current address. I don't have the latest changes, it was long enough and you guys know the latest. Interesting, nothing was mentioned about KXL's 1KW pre-sunrise. It must of been skipped over. I have noticed this info. is not 100 per cent dead on, but it's the best out there and I add to it and check out as many dates as possable.

I believe that presunrise authority(or post-sunset authority) is limited to 500 watts. There used to be a KXL sign atop one of the downtown buildings. It may still be there. Do you know if it is and which building?

Sorry I don't. Any body else know?

Is KXL planning to go to 50,000 directional nightime from 20,000 watts? I work at the Post Office & can,t hardly pick it up. You know the Blazers are coming soon.

Anything is possible now, with the way the FCC has been running lately.

Larry Wilson did a ton of groundwork to get KXL-AM converted to a 24 hour station. Great guy and (despite the ubiquitous cup of coffee) very hard worker.
Tough to imagine them dominating news as they did in the late 80's and 90's without that 24 hour capability.

Craig,
thank you for the history on KXL. It was fun to read (and I thought I knew my KXL history). Larry Wilson does deserve much credit...he is without question the brightest engineer i've ever worked with.
Sincerley,
James Derby
Program Director
NewsRadio 750 KXL

Larry Wilson was my first boss in radio when I was at KUPL.

Craig,

When did the station move to it's current
TX site?

WOW! James Derby...Thanks! I think you're the first P.D. to respond to a radio history. Broadway: That would be the Harmony OR site(1941) I believe. I'm not sure with just a town site name to go on. I was at the library this week and took a look at the new Broadcasting Yearbook. It lists the last station sale of each. KXL was sold to Rose City Radio Corp. on November 30, 1998 for $5.5 Million.(included FM).

Craig..What year did Kex move into the 2nd floor studios (close to Portland State)...On Sundays my Dad would drive me downtown to go on up & watch the jocks & grab news copy out of the garbage cans...to practice at home! I will never forget watching in total facination at Bob Blackburn & Rollie Truitt in studio B re-creating a Beavers game. Bob had this toy wood bat & would hit it on this pole to make the sound of the "HIT"...They were masters at it. They did many road games in that studio. True professionals that could create theatre of the mind. Thanks.

That must of been the move in 1959 to 2130 S.W. 5th Ave. Stoner, this is the KXL Thred!

Craig,

In looking at maps on the internet Harmony Oregon
is on 82nd ave SE...did they move the town?

Harmony Road now runs directly into Sunnyside Road at 82nd Avenue. KXL was moved to Damascus to make room for Clackamas Town Center.

Thanks Semoochie! I wanted to include that fact, but I couldn't remember for sure if it was KXL. It wasn't mentioned in the info I have. I also should say that I really wanted to have an address for the Harmony site. The 82nd Ave. site is very close as you know. It might even be the same, but I don't think so. I wish someone who knows would be so kind as to post what they remember.

What does the KXL Towers on Damacus look like? Are they self supported like KKPZ or KBPS or uses guy wires like KEX, old KEWS site, KFXX? Also can you see the towers on Hwy 224 heading towards Estacada?

Anybody?

No, not from 224, cause that's smack dab in the middle of the Carver Curves (the river is straight down, and the cliff goes straight up from the road), instead, you'll want to take 212, and look South... there, you'll see a couple of towers... elsewere, the Sunset, I-5, and I-84 are all a big mess. Take the bus. With KXL traffic and weather together on the 5s, I'm Jason Kyte... okay maybe not. I couldn't resist.
Also, the Tiger map from the FCC webiste does a good job of representing where the towers are...
KXL Transmitter

KXL's four towers can be seen from the 205 exit at Clackamas if you know where to look. I can usually spot them from the Fred Meyer parking lot looking at Mt Hood. Only two are lit at night. They're easily seen from Damascus. Craig, KXL's studios and transmitter had clearly been at that site for decades before being paid to move to Damascus. I even visited there once while in college. If they were anywhere else in later years, it's the first I've heard about it. I once heard that one of the towers was being used by KGAR when they first went to 10kw alongside 205 before moving to their present site as KVAN.

Are KXL towers are self support KBPS, KKPZ or uese array like KEX or KFXX?

Are they on top of Mt. Scott?

One thing I remember about the early months of KXL-AM at night was that before they hired Ardee Patton to do a talk show they had a quite cool jazz/MOR show hosted by Ray Horn.

Mixmasterdmc: Are they on top of Mt. Scott?
No. According to the FCC database, KNRK, K242AF (96.3), K274AR (102.5) are there on FM, and it looks like AM stations KKPZ (1330) and KPBC (1640) are on the hill in Southeast. Also, KUPL used to be located there (probably due to the 98.5 / TV-6 10.7 IF spacing), and what is now KSTE had a permit for 81,000-watts from Mt. Scott.

KXL is on a plateau(if you want to call it that)in Damascus which is south of Gresham and quite some distance from Mt Scott. The three large towers on Mt Scott are the old KPOJ 1330 towers where KUPL-FM used to be.

Thanks guys, I always wondered who's those were!

Current TX Site

I e-mailed Craigadams initial history to Larry Wilson (now Director of Engineering for Rose City Radio's 5 stations). Larry comments:

[Craigadams]
On October 14, 1975 KXL was granted pre-sunrise authority of 500 watts.(6AM & local sunset). In 1977 studios were moved to 1415 S.E. Ankeny St. In 1980 KXL dropped it Easy Listening format and switched to News/Talk. Slogan: News Radio 75. On June 1, 1981 KXL joined the NBC Radio Network. On February 1, 1982 KXL began carrying NBC's TalkNet schedule.

[Larry Wilson]
(The PSA authority was 50,000 watts....not 500 watts. 6AM to local SUNRISE. ) The transmitter site was moved to make room for the Clackamas Shopping Center in 1975/76. The transmitter was moved to SE Curtis Road in Damascus.

[Craigadams]
On May 13, 1982 Lester M. Smith bought all of Mr. & Mrs. Danny Kaye's stock in KXL. Kaye-Smith Enterprises became Alexander Broadcasting Co. In March 1984 KXL began 10KW night operation.(directional single pattern all hours). KXL slogan: Portland's News Authority.

[Larry Wilson]
The operation was with 50,000 watts Day and 10,000 watts night. About a year earlier I got permission for 1000 watts STA operation with the DAY pattern, and then changed to 10,000 watts night 50,000 watts Day when the CP was granted for the 10,000 watt night operation. Two pattern operation.

[Craigadams]
On August 16, 1988 KXL was given permission to raise night power to 20KW.(2 pattern directional, for day & for night). In 1989 KXL joined the CBS Radio Network. In 1992 KXL dropped it's NBC affiliation. KXL slogans: News Radio 750, When You Need To Know. The Northwest Spells News K-X-L.

[Larry Wilson]
Never heard of the slogan The Northwest Spells News K-X-L..

I love this history. Thanks to everyone who's contributed. I worked with Larry Wilson at KPOK AM/FM(former KPOJ)in the early 70's. He was the PD then. Herb Davidson was the engineer. Last saw Larry in the late 90's. Anyone know Larry's where abouts today??

Thanks! Larry lives in Eastern Oregon. I should have the new expanded KXL History posted sometime in late October or November 2008. I've been working on it since early 2006. It's the biggest history project I've ever done. Larry was a tremendous help.