Radio Station KSOO

Radio Station KSOO. . On Sunday, December 5, 1926, the second radio station to be established in Sioux Falls began transmitting programs. Station KSOO, owned and operated by the Sioux Falls Broadcasting Association, was located in Room 626 of the Carpenter Hotel. Offices and a studio were continuously maintained in the hotel until 1937., Local businessman W. B. "Bram" McKenzie organized the company, and the station was built using equipment obtained from WFAT, the city's first radio station. Operating on 360 meters with a power of 100 watts, KSOO transmitted at irregular times and only as programming was sold and talent was available. It was on the air from 15 minutes to one hour in the early evening. Because of skywave propagation at night, broadcasts could reliably be received within a 150 to 200 mile radius of Sioux Falls. In March 1927, a remote studio was added that was located on the second floor of the Manchester Biscuit Company., Joseph Henkin, of Madison, S. Dak., purchased the station in December 1927 and soon increased the power to 250 watts. In 1928 the transmitter was relocated to a new building and power was increased to 1000 watts. The Henkin family sold KSOO on December 1, 1990, ending the nation's longest period of both ownership and active management of a radio station by one family.