Chuck Conrad, KZQX general manager, turns the switch at the 100.3 transmitter site. A tiny radio station based in tiny Chalk Hill is making a new niche for itself by giving a “forgotten audience” what it wants to hear.

Chuck Conrad, owner of “Unforgettable QX-FM,” the little station that plays a mix of the greatest non-rock hits of the 1950s and ’60s with a smattering of Big Band, jazz and occasional folk songs, has turned the switch on a higherpowered station and moved to 100.3 on the FM dial.

He said he caters to the “50-something” audience, whom he says is largely ignored by traditional broadcasters, and he plans to give them what they want on his new station — fewer commercials and a format that screams “If you remember... then you’re our kind of listener.”

“It is a pretty eclectic station,” says Conrad. “In all my travels, I’ve never heard anything quite like it.”

The biggest challenge for the station has been is its extremely low-power signal. The main station in Chalk Hill is a mere 74 watts. The translators that cover Longview, Kilgore and Tyler range from 20 to 250 watts.

“That’s not much power when you consider that many stations in the area operate at as much as 100,000 watts,” Conrad said.

In what is thought to be a “first,” the low power broadcaster is moving to a much more powerful dial position - 100.3 FM, with 2,500 watts and a 500-foot tower. The move was officially approved Nov. 4, by the FCC, clearing the way for another unique change — after a week or two of simulcasting the low-power FMs “Unforgettable QX-FM” format on both the low power and full power signals, Conrad will swap the call letters of the stations. The new 100.3 frequency, currently called KXAL, will become “KZQX.” The KXAL call letters will be assigned to the low-power signal on 104.7 which is also heard on 101.9, and 105.3 in Longview and Kilgore.

“The call letter swap needs to be approved by the FCC, which hopefully will only take a couple of weeks,” said Conrad. “Once that is accomplished, a new classical and jazz format will debut on the signals of the low-power stations.”

Because FCC rules prohibit simultaneous ownership of both a full and a low power FM station, Conrad is donating the low power license to the Church at Lake Cherokee. Radio Veteran Jim Allen will take the helm as the LPFM station’s volunteer general manager, and Conrad will manage the full-power station. Allen will also serve as the full power station’s general sales manager.

He said church officials are enthusiastic about the move and have indicated they would like Conrad to assist the station with programming, which he has agreed to do.

On a recent radio industry Internet site Conrad described the move and the church involvement this way:

“100.3 will eventually become ‘KZQX-FM’ and broadcast our ‘QX-FM’ Adult Standards format. The church plans for the LPFM to become ‘Classical KXAL’ and do a light classical and jazz format. That way the call sign stays in the area and it picks up some of the void that was created when Kilgore College sold their classical and jazz station, KTPB.”

The change will allow station to welcome new listeners in the cities of Marshall, Carthage, Henderson and the surrounding areas. The new improved signal, coupled with the several thousand people who tune in to the station via the Internet at www.kzqx.com, means the station’s fame and audience is growing, Conrad said.