KOOV (defunct)

KOOV (103.1 FM was a popular Central Texas radio station in the late 1970s-80s and 90s. The station was licensed to Copperas Cove, Texas and broadcast at 103.1 FM from a studio in downtown Copperas Cove and a transmitter site on the north side of Copperas Cove on Hogg Mountain. In late 2000, the station was sold to Cumulus Broadcasting and the format changed from Country to R&B Urban. The call letters were changed to KSSM.

The FCC assigned 103.1 FM to Copperas Cove in the mid 1970s. Local businessman Ted Connell and radio personality Gaylon Christie were awarded the license. Christie was a local musician in Central Texas and was well known from his days at KTON-AM/FM in Belton, where he was general manager.

The station signed on the air in early November 1977 from a studio in the Cove State Bank Building on Main Street in Copperas Cove. The station initially was known at "Cove Radio" and the "only station that really cares about Copperas Cove". Within a few years, the station developed more of a regional appeal serving the Killeen/Fort Hood area. KOOV was always challenged by a poor signal in the hills of Central Texas. The station was limited to a Class A status due to other nearby stations on the same or nearby frequencies. The original power was 3,000 watts, but lowered to 980 watts as the station's antenna was raised from 300 feet to 500 feet. In the early 1990s, the station finally was upgraded to 8,000 watts with an antenna 500 feet above average terrain and developed a solid signal over the fast-growing region from Lampasas on the west to Temple on the east. KOOV had to move from the Hogg Mountain transmitter site (were the second tower still stands almost 500 feet high on the north side of Copperas Cove) to a self-supporting tower on the far west side of Copperas Cove near the Lampasas/Coryell County line.

For much of its early years, KOOV was programmed with a personality-driven country music format. Sales were good and the station managed good ratings with a very high spot load. KOOV was a local full service station with news, weather, local sports, many local "remotes", and a tightly controlled playlist of country music hits of the day.

The original staff included owner/general manager Gaylon Christie as the first morning personality. He continued with the "Get Outta Bed" morning show from 1977 until 1984. Jim Jones, the station's first chief engineer was the original midday DJ. Alan Reynolds held down the afternoon drive shift. "Cousin" Chris Michaels was the first night DJ and Doug North the first overnight DJ. KOOV was always live and local 24/7.

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Wikipedia