KRPI

KRPI

Ferndale,Washington
Broadcast area	Metro Vancouver
Frequency	1550kHz
Branding	KRPI Radio
Programming
Format	South Asian(Hindi,Punjabiand other languages)
Ownership
Owner	BBC Broadcasting, Inc. (operated under aLMA)
History
First air date	May 1963(1963-05)
Former call signs	KOQT (1963–1984) KNTR (1984–1998) KCCF (1998–2002)
Call signmeaning	KRadioPunjabI
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	21416
Class	B
Power	50,000watts(days) 10,000 watts (nights)
Transmitter coordinates	48°50′35.00″N122°36′5.00″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	http://listen.streamon.fm/ckspam
Website	https://www.sherepunjabradio.ca/

KRPI(1550kHz) is acommercialAMradio stationbroadcasting aradio formatinHindi,Punjabiand otherSouth Asianlanguages for listeners inMetro Vancouver.It islicensedtoFerndale, Washington,and airsnews, talkandBollywood music.KRPI is owned by BBC Broadcasting, Inc.,

By day, KRPI transmits with 50,000watts(the maximum for commercial U.S. AM stations), but at night, it reduces power to 10,000 watts to avoid interfering with other stations on1550 AM.It uses adirectional antennaat all times, with a three-tower array,pointed at Vancouver. Thetransmitteris on Imhoff Road in Ferndale, about 10 miles (16 km) from theCanada–United States border.

History

The stationsigned onthe air in May 1963(1963-05).The originalcall signwasKOQT.It was adaytimer,with 1,000 watts and was required to go off the air at night. Power was increased in 1976 to 10,000 watts day and night, using adirectional antennaafter sunset, from a new transmitter site. The call letters were switched toKNTRon August 13, 1984. For a time, the station broadcast aChristian radioformat.

On October 22, 1998, the station changed its call sign toKCCF.On August 9, 2002, it changed callsigns to the currentKRPI.

Previously carried from 2004-2020 Sher-E-Punjab, 2001-2004 Radio Punjab, 1994-2001 Apna Sangeet. It formerly carried Baptist programming andCommonwealth Club of California.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 aconstruction permitfrom theFederal Communications Commission(FCC) to change itscity of licensefrom Ferndale toPoint 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 ofTsawwassen, British Columbia,citing potential interference with electronic devices and health concerns.The transmitter move did not happen and the station remains in Ferndale.

See also

• Indo-Canadians in Greater Vancouver

External links

• KRPI
• Facility details for Facility ID 21416 (KRPI)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
• KRPIinNielsen Audio's AM station database