Superrock KYOI

The aim was to deliver broadcast rock and pop music to Japan, but due to short-wave distribution features it was also well-heard in the USSR, China, Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific countries, where it became legendary.

The idea for Superrock KYOI was first proposed in 1980, due to the popularity of shortwave radio in Japan, which led to the idea of using the medium of shortwave to satisfy Japanese teenagers' and young adults' appetite for Western pop and rock music, as the Western concept of Top-40 or Album Rock radio formats did not exist in Japan at the time.

Both studio and transmitter facilities were co-sited in the same building, a 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) concrete structure designed to withstand hurricane winds of 150 miles per hour and earthquakes of magnitude 3 on the Richter scale.

The station had a powerful transmitter, a Continental Electronics 418-D-2, 100-kilowatt high level plate modulated, with an automatic servo system, allowing pre-tuning of channels in use.

The program of broadcasting consisted of continuous top 40 rock music controlled primarily by a computer audio sequencing system, with automated song title and station identification announcements inserted as required.

Technical facilities on Saipan employed just six staff, working as operators, antenna riggers and other devices which were needed to keep the station on the air around the clock.

However, the music format consisted chiefly of Western pop and rock, with very few J-pop singles played; the playlist included a flavoring of oldies dating back to the 1960s in addition to current and recent hit records.