KRKO broadcasts on a regional frequency of 1380 kHz with 50,000 watts, the maximum power for United States AM radio stations.

The signal is non-directional during daytime hours, but employs a directional antenna at night, in order to avoid interfering with other stations.

While carrying a music-based format, KRKO also covers local and regional sports in Western Washington, including high school football and basketball from Snohomish County.

In order to provide a common standard, the department issued a regulation effective December 1, 1921, requiring that broadcasting stations would now have to hold a Limited Commercial license that authorized operation on two designated broadcasting wavelengths: 360 meters (833 kHz) for "entertainment", and 485 meters (619 kHz) for "market and weather reports".

Otto and Robert Leese started the radio station on the second floor of their auto repair shop on 28th and Rucker in downtown Everett.

[12] On November 11, 1928, under the provisions of the Federal Radio Commission's General Order 40, KFBL was assigned to 1370 kHz, on a timesharing basis with KVL (later KEEN and KEVR) in Seattle.

[15] A 1940 review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that, under Mudgett's ownership, KRKO was badly managed and financially unstable.

In the early 1980s, an Everett area investment group led by a local beer distributor, Niles Fowler, acquired control of the station.

[11] KRKO moved their studios and offices from Lowell to the top floor of the Everett Mutual Tower, the tallest building in the city, in December 1998.

[2] In October 2000, the station applied to construct eight freestanding radio towers adjacent to the Snohomish River west of Monroe that would range in height from 425 to 466 feet (130 to 142 m).

[23] A citizens' group formed to oppose the construction of the proposed towers on claims that it would pose dangers to the environment, birds, and pilots at nearby Harvey Airfield, as well as cause "visual blight" near two county parks.

[2][22] The Snohomish County government issued a determination of nonsignificance for the project in 2001, which was appealed by the citizens' group and the owners of Harvey Airfield.

[26] The county government issued an environmental impact statement for the radio towers in early 2005 that approved the modified design, but the citizens' group once again filed an appeal.