| Broadcast area | San Luis Obispo, California KNBX:Monterey County, California |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 90.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Central Coast Public Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Public radio |
| Affiliations | NPR |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | KCBX Public Radio |
| History | |
First air date | July 27, 1975; 49 years ago (1975-07-27) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 33705 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 5,300watts |
| HAAT | 433 meters (1,421 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°21′36″N120°39′22″W / 35.360°N 120.656°W /35.360; -120.656 |
| Translator(s) | See§ Translators |
| Repeater(s) | See§ Repeaters |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
KCBX (90.1FM) is anon-commercialradio station that islicensed toSan Luis Obispo, California. Thepublic radio station is a member station ofNPR and airs a wide variety of programming, includingAll Things Considered,Democracy Now!, andjazz andclassical music.
KCBX has a network ofrepeaters andtranslators that enable the station to be heard throughout theCentral Coast of California. Full-power repeater isKNBX (91.7 FM), licensed toSan Ardo, California.
KCBX itself broadcasts inHD Radio.
KCBX first signed on July 27, 1975 and began airing a variety ofNPR programming, plusjazz,classical music, and foreign-language shows.[2]
KSBX, a full-power repeater of KCBX inSanta Barbara, began broadcasting April 1, 2003.[3]
From the 1970s through the end of 2012, KCBX broadcast live meetings of theSan Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. In its decision to drop coverage of meetings, the station cited a lack of interest in the radio broadcast as county residents can stream meetings online.[4]
KCBX operates two full-powerrepeater stations: KSBX on 89.5 MHz inSanta Barbara, California and KNBX on 91.7 MHz inMonterey County. The station also operates several low-power FMtranslators scattered throughout the Central Coast. KSBX was shut down on December 31, 2022, with KCBX citing thattropospheric ducting had brought in unacceptable interference fromKPBS-FM inSan Diego, an issue it had tried and failed to address through a failed relocation to 89.9 FM. The KSBX license was surrendered and cancelled on February 13, 2023.[5]
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | Facility ID | Class | ERP (W) | Height (m (ft)) | First air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KNBX | 91.7 FM | San Ardo, California | 51720 | B | 3,000 | 532.9 meters (1,748 ft) | January 21, 2001 |
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | Facility ID | Class | Power (W) | Rebroadcasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K215AH | 90.9 | Avila Beach, California | 33699 | D | 250 | KCBX |
| K215AF | 90.9 | Cambria, California | 33701 | D | 13 | KCBX |
| K216AG | 91.1 | Cayucos, California | 33700 | D | 38 | KCBX |
| K236AF | 95.1 | Lompoc, California | 83032 | D | 10 | KCBX |
| K215AG | 90.9 | Solvang, California | 33703 | D | 10 | KCBX |
In parts of the Santa Barbara area, sometimes during atmosphericducting, co-channelKPBS-FM inSan Diego can override or interfere with the KSBX signal. At one time, KSBX was a 9-watt translator on 89.9 MHz; later, another station began using that translator. Eventually a deal was reached that would vacate that frequency. In 2006, KCBX applied for aFederal Communications Commission (FCC)construction permit to move back to 89.9 MHz and increase theeffective radiated power from 50 watts to 350 watts. As part of the application, the station enclosed copies of numerous letters and emails from listeners complaining about the signal override or interference from KPBS. In support of the frequency change, a consulting broadcast engineer was hired to analyze the situation, make signal strength measurements during ducting, and fully explain the technical causes of the problem to the FCC. Making the interference problem worse is the fact that the KPBS signal travels completely over water.
In 2010, KPBS-FM was granted a construction permit to increase itseffective radiated power from 2,700 watts to 26,000 watts. The consulting engineer explained to the FCC that if KSBX's frequency change was not granted, this would worsen the interference problem. In February 2012, the FCC dismissed the construction permit application from KCBX. KPBS started broadcasting with the new 26,000 watt signal on October 1, 2012.
KCBX announced on December 20, 2022, that it would close down KSBX by the end of the year, stating thatclimate change had increased the ducting and its related interference.[6][7][8]