KNGL

KNGL (1540 AM) is a radio station licensed to McPherson, Kansas, United States. The station is currently owned by Davies Communications.[1]

The station first went on the air Jan. 4, 1949 as KNEX. KNEX operated out of a two-story farm house south of McPherson, known as the Crumpacker place. The first owners in 1949 were Ken Krebhiel (who also owned The Republican newspaper), Paul Sargent of Peoples Bank and Trust, John Griffith, owner of Friends Drug Store, and Everette Mills, a McPherson attorney.

KNEX' most enduring employee was Claude Hughes, who came to McPherson from Garden City. He began as the station's first engineer in 1949. But he quickly moved up to station manager by 1956. "Cousin' Claude", as his listeners called him, hosted a number of programs, including "Sunny Side of the Street." And he reported McPherson's weather conditions from the "Weather Garden". Claude worked for the station until his death in 2003.

Another notable voice on the station was Bob Hapgood, who Claude Hughes hired in 1968. Bob was the leader of a popular regional band called King Midas and the Muflers. He would draw on his experience as drummer for the band to host an oldies show on KNEX for many years.

Initially the station had both an AM and FM license, but dropped the FM license within its first year of operation because so few people had FM radios in the 1940s. Later, in January of 1974, KNEX-FM was granted a new license and returned to the air in new facilities next to the original farm house.

In 1979 new owners took over the stations and chose call letters inspired by their names, Joe Engle (KNGL) and Bernard Brown (KBBE-FM).

In 1985, Jerry and Diane Davies, dba Davies Communications, acquired the two stations.