KCAL-FM first signed on in 1965 with a middle of the road format. Originally owned by Southwest Broadcasting Company, it was the sister station of KCAL. In 1969, KCAL-FM adopted a dayparted rock format, playing soft rock during daytime hours and harder album rock. This hybrid format, known as "The Rock Spectrum", was unique in the Inland Empire radio market. A prominent feature on KCAL-FM was a weekly program called Album Premiere, during which a newly released album was played Monday and Tuesday evenings — one side each evening. This eventually led to a switch to album-oriented rock full-time in 1978. In October 1986, Southwest Broadcasting sold KCAL-FM to San Bernardino Broadcasting, headed by Tim Sullivan, for $4 million; KCAL remained with Southwest. On January 1, 1987, control of the station passed to Anaheim Broadcasting, also led by Sullivan; that March, the new owner installed former KGGIprogram directorCliff Roberts in the same position at KCAL-FM. During the 1990s, KCAL-FM adjusted its AOR format to active rock, mixing newer hard rock songs with classic rock. In the late 1990s, the station began hosting a listener appreciation party known as the "KCAL Kegger". Held in the station's parking lot in Redlands three times a year, each party features live rock bands, local vendors, refreshments, and a beer garden; the station donated proceeds from beer sales to local charities. Each year's final Kegger includes a bikini pageant called "Miss KCAL". In January 2018, longtime KCAL-FM on-air personalities Michael "Stu-Man" Stewart, Tiffany Angelo, and James "Jimbo" Smith — the morning drive hosts collectively known as "STJ" — were dismissed from the station due to budget cuts. Morning show producer Steven Kibo was also let go. Patrick Tish took over morning host duties.
Transmission issues
On December 31, 2014, high winds in the San Bernardino Mountains toppled KCAL-FM's transmission tower, knocking the station off the air. The station resumed broadcasting two days later on the evening of January 2, 2015, attaching its transmission equipment to KFRG's tower temporarily.
