| Broadcast area | Minneapolis-St. Paul |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1590kHz |
| Branding | Hmong Radio WIXK 1590 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Hmong language programming |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | September 29, 1960; 65 years ago (1960-09-29) |
Call sign meaning | Variation ofKIX branding used by country radio stations, transposed |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60643 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 5,000watts day 95 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°5′10.00″N92°34′19.00″W / 45.0861111°N 92.5719444°W /45.0861111; -92.5719444 |
| Translators | 103.3 W277CW (New Richmond) 106.7 K294AM (West St. Paul, Minnesota, relaysKEEY-HD3) |
| Repeater | 102.1 KEEY-HD3 (St. Paul, Minnesota) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | WIXK Online |
WIXK (1590AM, "Hmong Radio 1590") is acommercialradio station broadcasting a music, news and talkradio format for theHmong community of theTwin Cities. It islicensed toNew Richmond, Wisconsin, and serves theMinneapolis-St. Paul area. The station is owned by Mai Yia Vang, through licensee Hmong Radio Broadcast, LLC.[2]
By day, WIXK transmits with 5,000wattsnon-directional; at night, to avoid interference with other stations on1590 AM, it reduces power to 95 watts. WIXK'stransmitter is on Road A near Road G in New Richmond.[3] WIXK programming is also heard on twoFM translators: 103.3W277CW in New Richmond and 106.7K294AM inWest St. Paul (which is fed by anHD Radiodigital subchannel ofKEEY-FM).
On September 29, 1960; 65 years ago (1960-09-29), the station firstsigned on the air. For much of its early history, it had afull service,middle of the road (MOR) format of popular adult music, news, sports and community information. It had been anetwork affiliate of theMutual Broadcasting System. In 1968, it added an FM station, WIXK-FM, which today is 107.1KTMY.
WIXK used to be owned byHubbard Broadcasting. On August 10, 2012, Hubbard announced that it would sell WIXK to Zoe Communications.[4] The purchase was consummated on December 12, 2012, at a purchase price of $10,000.
WIXK was sold by Zoe Communications to Hmong Radio Broadcast, LLC for $125,000 on terms.[5] The sale was consummated on November 19, 2014.In the fall of 2017, the station added anFM translator on 103.3 FM,W277CW, which allows the station to reach a wider audience in eastern communities in theTwin Cities. This includesNorth St. Paul,White Bear Lake,Stillwater andWoodbury. In contrast, the station's AM signal covers most of the metro adequately during the day but due to a drop in power, has a very limited coverage area at night. Another FM translator,K294AM at 106.7 MHz in West St. Paul, was also added to simulcast WIXK programming.
As of September 9, 2020, WIXK was being simulcast onKQGO-HD3. This change came after Hmong Radio Broadcast, LLC's acquisition of previousKFAI translator K294AM (106.7 FM). Upon the consummation of KQGO's sale to theEducational Media Foundation in April 2021, WIXK's simulcast on the HD3 sub-channel was dropped; KEEY-FMHD3 is now the primary originating station for the WIXK simulcast/translator relay.[6][7]
