KJJT was originally known as KYMI. While this was randomly assigned by the FCC and most of these changed names before actually going into operation, KYMI stayed with the name using the retronym of "K Ybanez Mary and Israel". The founders were Israel and Mary Ybanez. The station was initially on 107.9 mHz. It was moved to 98.5 as a result of changes at KADM Odessa who moved from a class C2 permit on 107.7 to a class C1 on 107.9. This obligated that station to move the station in Los Ybanez to a new, comparable channel, compensate them for changes in equipment, and pay to promote the changes. The station had been programmed pursuant to a brokered time agreement where a group in Brownfield, TX was running a religious outreach. That group continues to this day. The group stopped feeding the station in March 2007, and the station went silent. In November 2007, KYMI was sold to KYMI FM LLC, and its license sub KYMI License Sub LLC. The previous owner had not filed for license renewal in 2005. The next owner had to work with the previous owner to reinstate the authorization. The transmitter site was rebuilt with new air conditioning, new electrical wiring, and a rebuilt transmitter. The call letters were changed to KBXJ. The station returned to the air with a format of all Christmas music. The station called itself "Christmas 98.5" and began 24-hour-a-day operation. After Christmas the station aired a grab bag format of all kinds of music. In February 2008, the station began airing a format called "The West Texas Jukebox". The format is Country Music with Album cuts by Rock artists. The station also airs a few overflow sports broadcasts from KPET with which it shares facilities at 1 Radio Road. Other local programming included "Football Picks" in the fall when local politicians, students, and business owners are interviewed as to their best guess for local, area, and national contests. "Ask The Vets" Q & A with renowned veterinarians from Brock Veterinary Clinic. A Christian music program aired en Espanol each Sunday afternoon 2-4pm
Transfer of License
In a pair of concurrent transactions, KYMI FM LLC sold KBXJ to former owner Mr. Israel Ybanez, who in turn sold it to Mr. Jesus Pena Acosta. The sale to Acosta was consummated on March 17, 2014. On May 26, 2014, the station changed its call sign to the current KJJT. The format of general interest music en espanol was redubbed "La Original" tied to the fact that the music is a throw back to another older KJJT station, a small daytime AM in Odessa, Texas. On June 30 an application was made to the FCC for silent authority because of a serious breakdown due to a lightning strike. This was extended into May 2, 2017.
Format Change
On March 17 KJJT began broadcasting a Texas Red Dirt Country format under the handle 'The Red Dirt Ranch'. This current format has been received well in this West Texas Region. and is the Red Dirt Ranch is the only station offering this new and upcoming country format. The station receives many calls from outside Lamesa from portions of New Mexico especially Hobbs, N.M. Other outside listeners include residents in Midland, Seminole, Brownfield, Wolforth, S. Lubbock county, Slaton, Tahoka, Snyder, Big Springs. On February 6, 2020, KJJT dropped its Country format and began stunting with a loop of Ritchie Valen's "La Bamba", indicating a new format is forthcoming. On February 7, 2020 KJJT changes its format to Tejano music now known as KJJT FM, 98.5 The Wave offering Tejano music genre. The station is operated by Multimedia Southwest Communications of Lubbock and J.P. Acosta from Odessa. According to Multimedia Southwest founder JL Rodriguez, the change came about because of a recently created void in the market as a result of changes in two stations out of Lubbock.
