KRPI (1550 AM) is a commercial AM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

broadcasting a

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

serving the

South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, ...

s residing in Metro Vancouver. It is licensed to

Ferndale, Washington Ferndale is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2010 census. It is the third largest city in Whatcom County and located near the Lummi Nation. History First settled in 1872, Ferndale was given ...

, and airs news, talk and Bollywood music. KRPI is owned by BBC Broadcasting, Inc., Previously carried from 2004-2020 Sher-E-Punjab, 2001-2004 Radio Punjab, 1994-2001 Apna Sangeet. Formerly carried Baptist programming and

Commonwealth Club of California The Commonwealth Club of California is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization based in Northern California. Founded in 1903, it is the oldest and largest public affairs forum in the United States. Membership is open to everyone. Act ...

. By day, KRPI is powered at 50,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

s, the maximum for commercial U.S. AM stations. But at night, it reduces power to 10,000 watts to avoid interfering with other stations on

1550 AM The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1550 kHz: 1550 AM is a clear-channel frequency reserved for Canada. Class A CBEF in Windsor, Ontario, broadcasts on 1550 kHz. Clear-channel status had also been shared with XHRUV in Ja ...

. It uses a

directional antenna A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates or receives greater power in specific directions allowing increased performance and reduced interference from unwanted sources. Directional antennas provide increased performance ...

at all times, with a three- tower array, pointed at Vancouver. The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...

is on Imhoff Road in Ferndale, about 10 miles from the

Canada–United States border The border between Canada and the United States is the longest international border in the world. The terrestrial boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Can ...

History

The station

signed on Signing may refer to: * Using sign language * Signature A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on do ...

the air as KOQT on September 30, 1963. It was a

daytimer A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. The system exists to ensure the viability of cross-coun ...

, powered at only 1,000 watts and required to go off the air at night. Power was increased in 1976 to 10,000 watts day and night, using a

after sunset, from a new transmitter site. The

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...

was switched to KNTR on August 13, 1984. On October 22, 1998, the station changed its call sign to KCCF. And on August 9, 2002, to the current KRPI. The station previously broadcast a

Christian radio Christian radio is a Christian media radio format that focus on programming with a Christian message. Many such broadcasters play contemporary Christian music, though many programs include sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk progra ...

format. Apna Sangeet was formed by Sukhdev Singh Dhillon in 1994. In 2001, Apna Sangeet became Radio Punjab International. In 2004, Radio Punjab accused rival Sher-E-Punjab of broadcasting on its AM 1550 frequency. After legal struggles, Radio Punjab moved to a different AM frequency. Sher-E-Punjab took over Radio Punjab. On May 24, 2012, KRPI received a

construction permit Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building perm ...

from the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

(FCC) to change its

city of license In American, Canadian, and Mexican broadcasting, a city of license or community of license is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator. In North American broa ...

from Ferndale, Washington to Point Roberts, Washington and to increase its nighttime power to 50,000 watts. This move was meant to improve reception in Metro Vancouver. The move to Point Roberts attracted concerns from residents of Point Roberts and the adjacent community of

Tsawwassen, British Columbia Tsawwassen ( ) is a suburban, mostly residential community on a peninsula in the southwestern corner of the City of Delta in British Columbia, Canada. It provides the only road access to the American territory on the southern tip of the peninsul ...

, citing potential interference with electronic devices and health concerns.

References

External links

KRPI
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krpi RPI Indo-Canadian culture

History

See also

References

External links