It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West" for its 50,000 watt signal. KOA was originally owned by General Electric and began broadcasting in 1924. They started with 5,000 watts, and in 1927, increased to 12,500 watts. In the early 1930s, power was raised to the current level of 50,000 watts. Today, the antenna is located about 30 miles (50 km) southea
st of the city of Denver. It is a 5/8 wave, 660 foot (198 m) guyed tower. At night the signal can be heard in over 30 states of the U.S. and over most of Canada and Mexico. KOA sometimes can be picked up in California, which is west of the Rocky Mountains, an obstacle that prevents most east coast radio stations from traveling west of the Rockies. KOA is frequently heard in northern Europe, Australia and Japan, and is one of the most frequently reported stations world wide. KOA has a news/talk format. It is also the flagship station of the Denver Broncos football team, the Colorado Rockies baseball team, and the University of Colorado Buffaloes. Radio host Alan Berg broadcast his talk show from the station, but was shot and killed by members of the white supremacist group The Order on June 18, 1984. Another host from an earlier era was Leigh Kamman, who hosted jazz programs during World War II. Kamman has long since returned to his home state of Minnesota. "The Sports Zoo" with Dave Logan and Scott Hastings ran for 12 years until Hastings left in April 2005 for the Altitude Sports and Entertainment network. Hastings resumed sports radio broadcasting on KKFN in January 2006 alongside former Denver Broncos lineman Alfred Williams. Ken Hamblin, "The Black Avenger," also hosted a popular and long-running show during the 1980s. Also in the 1980s, during the weekend evening hours on KOA 85 AM, Larry Cox, and his dog Wilbur, would host the radio program, "The National Recovery Act", a listener-friendly call-in show. A certain topic may be announced and people from all over the nation, picking up the KOA signal at night, would call in with their memories. Big-band music from the 1930s & 40's was also played. The program would always end with the song "And So To Bed". In December 1987, Larry Cox began a new radio program, "No Place Like Home", broadcast from Larry's home on Chicago Creek. You would often hear the fireplace crackling and his dog, Wilbur, snoring. Other former hosts include Tom Martino, Rollye James and George Weber.
