KABT
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Abilene, Texas |
| Frequency | 101.7 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 101.7 The Patriot |
| Programming | |
| Format | Americana/Texas country/southern rock |
| Subchannels | |
| Affiliations | Texas Rangers (baseball) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KTJK, KWKC, KZQQ | |
| History | |
First air date | December 3, 2018 |
Former call signs | KTJK (2018–2023) KKHR (2023) |
Call sign meaning | "Abilene, Texas" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 198731 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | 95 meters (312 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 32°30′38″N 99°44′30″W / 32.51056°N 99.74167°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | Primary: www |
KABT (101.7 FM), "The Patriot" is an Americana/Texas country/southern rock radio station serving the Abilene, Texas, area and licensed to nearby Hawley, Texas. The station is owned by WesTex Communications.
The 101.7 facility went on the air at the end of 2018 as KTJK, with a variety hits format. WesTex acquired the station in 2021 and relaunched it as "The Raider" with the same music format. In 2023, The Raider moved to 106.3 MHz, and 101.7 was relaunched with its present format.
History
Then operating under the call sign KTJK, the station began airing content under a new commercial license in late winter 2018, adopting a variety hits format after a seasonal broadcast of all Christmas music.[2] The license and equipment was purchased in early 2021 by WesTex Telco, which operated KTJK as variety hits 101.7 The Raider.[3] The station was named after the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a heavy bomber under development and to be housed at nearby Dyess Air Force Base.[4]
In 2022, WesTex acquired KKHR (106.3 FM) and the other Abilene stations owned by Canfin Enterprises; it began moving The Raider and the call sign to the higher-power 106.3 facility with a simulcast on August 1, 2023.[5] On August 8, the KKHR call letters briefly moved to 101.7 MHz; on August 21, the station debuted a new format mixing Americana music with Southern rock and red dirt country music, known as The Patriot, plus Texas Rangers baseball; team organist Dustin Tatro is the operations manager for the WesTex stations.[6] New KABT call letters were adopted on September 1, 2023.
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KABT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Jaklewicz, Greg (January 9, 2019). "Do you hear what I hear? Christmas music still playing in Abilene". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
- ^ Jacobson, Adam (March 10, 2021). "Bill McCutchen Sells In West Texas". Radio & Television Business Report. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
- ^ Jaklewicz, Greg (July 1, 2020). "What the Abilene Reporter-News liked and disliked: Those stepping up". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
- ^ Venta, Lance (August 1, 2023). "The Raider Moves In Abilene". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Venta, Lance (August 21, 2023). "The Patriot Brings Americana To Abilene". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 198731 (KABT) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KABT in Nielsen Audio's FM station database