Hi K69

[Rhoda]

As you might well be aware, there are many allusions to things in the state of San Andreas that are either inaccessible to the player or merely hinted at. From food to fashion, music to movies, there's a lot we see on our travels that we're simply not given the chance to interact with. These examples might well have been intended to appear, but for the most part I believe they're a solid attempt at world building, immersion and even just to have a little joke. However, there's one thing you might well have seen that's been on my mind for a while now. If you haven't seen it, I can't blame you. It isn't exactly obvious.

 

 

This ominous looking building is the presumed broadcasting location for a small-time radio show called Hi K69 and it can be found in Fort Carson, just across from the town's Pay & Spray. Due to its small size and lack of influence it can be realistically assumed that it doesn't broadcast very far, perhaps only serving Bone County. We're unable to listen to anything related to this station, nor are we given any reason to believe its remotely relevant in casual play. We can't enter the building and we can't interact with it in any way. In a lot of respects, this mirrors another radio station advertised called Dopealicious FM, where billboards can be seen promoting it. However, it isn't clear whether either of these were ever intended to be included in the final game. From the name, we can assume Dopealicious FM would play a mixture of funk, R&B and soul music perhaps, but that's where the trail dies. It is also notable as the location of this radio station is entirely unknown, if it even still exists at all. Many faded advertisements presumably showcase long derelict services or products that have been seen as too much of a hassle to remove.

 

Hi K69 is a little different though, in that the opposite is true - we see no advertisements or references to it of any kind, but the location can be found quite easily if you know where to look. From the name we might come to the conclusion that it's a small-time talk station where calls are taken and topics are discussed, much like public radio. This concept is actually explored in GTA V via Blaine County Talk Radio, where a variety of deluded hicks are free to bicker and share their opinions about aliens, tin foil and conspiracy theories. I think the same might be true for Hi K69 but there's no concrete evidence of this. For all we know, this is where K-DST is broadcast and the sign was never changed from beta development. The setting certainly suits the music played, and the impressive delusions of its host would add a layer of irony - a former rock big shot forced to play other people's songs from a dusty brick shed with little natural light and no exposure of any kind.

 

However, I'm still firmly in the camp that this is a talk show, giving a platform to the more unhinged civilians of Bone County to share their stories, experiences and theories. What do you think? There's certainly more to this than just another dumb sex joke...

[Ivan1997GTA]

I think this building could also serve as a transmitter for WCTR as a way for Marvin Trill to broadcast his Area 53 show.

[Rhoda]

I hadn't actually thought of that, but the thing is WCTR already broadcasts from Missionary Hill and their antenna is bloody massive. Also, we can hear every show played on that station regardless of where we are on the map so he wouldn't necessarily need an additional transmitter.

[ROCKSTAR MANIC]

Facts @Rhoda one thing that’s been missing  since 3 is Radio station locations. At least in SF there’s a huge radio communications tower maybe that’s where SFUR WCTR for sure are broadcasted.  

[Rhoda]

It's commonly reported that the radio station/mast/antenna at the top of Missionary Hill is where WCTR is hosted. I believe that's the only known location.

 

In VC, we did actually see where radio stations were broadcast, but I will agree that there's a lack of these in SA and that's a bit of a shame.

[universetwisters]

HIK69 would probably be some weirdo fringe AM stuff. 

 

Or maybe it's supposed to be some country station like HICK 69 but the C fell off?

[Wakka387]

Seems like an abandoned radio station as it is in a state of disrepair (such as the C missing from HICK)

[Rhoda]

It never even occurred to me that it might have read "HICK" instead once upon a time, that's a great thought.

[universetwisters]

On 3/9/2022 at 5:35 PM, Wakka387 said:

(such as the C missing from HICK)

 

I literally just posted that above yours lol

[universetwisters]

On 3/10/2022 at 10:19 AM, Rhoda said:

It never even occurred to me that it might have read "HICK" instead once upon a time, that's a great thought.

If this were the case, either HICK 69 wouldve been a beta name for KROSE or this building was made just to be an abandoned radio station. 

I mean yea there couldve been two country stations like how there were two rap stations and two rock stations, but are we really gonna entertain that possibility in a game like SAN ANDREAS?

Edited March 11 by universetwisters
Holy sh*t sorry for the doublepost I swear I thought they would automatically merge ;^;

[Jeansowaty]

On 3/11/2022 at 7:50 PM, universetwisters said:

If this were the case, either HICK 69 wouldve been a beta name for KROSE or this building was made just to be an abandoned radio station. 

I mean yea there couldve been two country stations like how there were two rap stations and two rock stations, but are we really gonna entertain that possibility in a game like SAN ANDREAS?

Nah.

 

[universetwisters]

9 minutes ago, Jeansowaty said:

Nah.

 

wtf two techno stations!?!?!?!?

 

Conversely I was also thinking about this the other day at work and thought that, if the station was originally called HICK 69 or whatever, they probably changed it because BIG MUTHA TRUCKERS (which came out two years before SA) already had a station called HICK FM, but then I realized it was just the Mandela effect and it was just called YEEHAW fm which is an equally dumb name for a station

[Nico]

On 3/8/2022 at 1:46 PM, Rhoda said:

For all we know, this is where K-DST is broadcast and the sign was never changed from beta development. The setting certainly suits the music played, and the impressive delusions of its host would add a layer of irony - a former rock big shot forced to play other people's songs from a dusty brick shed with little natural light and no exposure of any kind.

I'm pretty sure both Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith and the voice of the radio bumpers mention more than once they are broadcasting from Los Santos.

[Rhoda]

8 hours ago, Nico said:

I'm pretty sure both Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith and the voice of the radio bumpers mention more than once they are broadcasting from Los Santos.

 

From the fires of Los Santos to the deserts of Bone County? I always assumed that to mean they were stating their broadcasting range, not necessarily where they were based.

[Nico]

11 hours ago, Rhoda said:

 

From the fires of Los Santos to the deserts of Bone County? I always assumed that to mean they were stating their broadcasting range, not necessarily where they were based.

More than once Tommy himself refers to the radio being based in Los Santos, and talks about aspects that are only present there. Like his disdain for the beach, for instance. Or the high levels of air pollution which were also a thing in Los Angeles around that period. I know it because K-DST has always been my favourite radio in this game and I remember a lot of the things he and the radio callers say.

Edited March 15 by Nico

[Rhoda]

I must have missed that. The only reference I remember him making was wishing he was by that weed that went up in flames "with a good set of lungs". Interesting though, I suppose I never bore much thought as to where The Nightmare was holed up.