KUAZ: June 26, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-06-26) (as KFIF) KUAZ-FM: April 27, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-04-27) KUAS-FM: October 11, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-10-11)
By day, 1550 KUAZ is powered at 50,000 watts, the maximum for AM stations. But because 1550 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Mexico and Canada, KUAZ is a daytimer, required to go off the air at night to avoid interference. The transmitter is off Interstate 10 near the Tucson Premium Outlets Mall in Marana.[2] KUAZ-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,600 watts. The FM transmitter is on Tumamoc Hill Road in Tucson.[3]
Programming is also heard on KUAS-FM at 88.9 MHz in Sierra Vista, as well as two FM translators that fill in service gaps around Tucson and Southeastern Arizona.
History
As a construction permit, 1550 AM began as KSWC, but changed its call sign to KFIF before signing on the air on June 25, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-06-25).[4] It was owned by the Southwest Broadcasting Corporation.
In 1967, John B. Walton, who had bought KFIF in 1965, also bought a station at 580 AM, which he would christen KIKX. The station on 580 could operate 24 hours a day. Walton then donated 1550 AM to the University of Arizona. The station became KUAT on October 7, 1968.[5] KUAT initially had a format of classical music and jazz. When KUAT-FM went on the air in 1975, the FM played all classical music and the AM went all jazz.
The U of A put 89.1 FM on the air in Sierra Vista on April 27, 1992. It took the call sign KUAZ-FM, so as to distinguish itself from KUAT-FM.[6] The AM station adopted the KUAZ calls on August 11, 2000.
Repeaters
On October 11, 2018, after an 11-year process, KUAS-FM 88.9 came to air for the first time, broadcasting to Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Benson, Huachuca City, and Douglas. Previously, Sierra Vista received KUAZ via translator K217GI (91.3 MHz).[7]
A second translator, K283DC at 104.5 MHz, fills service gaps in the Catalina and Saddlebrooke areas to the north of Tucson and began operating in 2019.