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That brings back memories and while I don't remember the call letters, it may be the same station my brother and I sneak listened to in the 50s when we were supposed to be asleep. I remember the station always identified itself as coming to you from Del Rio, Texas. Since the town you mention is right over the border the studio may have been in Del Rio but the transmitter was probably in Mexico so it could get away with the huge power output.

You were right about it being everywhere. We were in a low reception mountainous area in nowheresville, New Mexico. Needed a rooftop antenna on a big console radio to get most out of town stations but Del Rio came in clear as a bell all night long on the cheap internal antenna bedside radio.

Back in the ‘70s, the first quadraphonic TV broadcast I ever heard utilized AM for one channel. The TV was another, and stereo FM were the other two! Getting it all set up was a challenge but in the end, it sounded good! Nothing like today’s digital multichannel systems of course but not bad for the era.

I used to joke that the sound a dial-up modem made was the screaming of digital information being crammed through an analog phone line.

:)

Something that no one has mentioned... but here's my turn.

Let us not forget that Packard and the great Earle C. Anthony played a good hand in pioneering AM radio. Mr. Anthony's KFI 640 AM still exists today. The station was a "clear channel" (in the original meaning, not a brand name). KFI always had a strong broadcast signal and on a clear night could be heard coast to coast and beyond.

KFI would issue reception certificate stamps to people who wrote in from remote locations. Mr. Anthony himself would check KFI's signal when he would sail his yacht to Hawaii and Tahiti. Of course he had radio sets in his vehicles and aboard his private train car.

As for radios in convertibles... I have always, always had convertibles and I have always had superior sound systems and radios in them. Always.

One of my 1956 Packard Caribbean convertibles had a rear-mounted speaker (and so did my other 1955 and 1956 Packards). All, of course with signal-seeking AM Wonderbar feature. My 1959 Continental Mark IV convertible had one of the earliest factory AM/FM radios. My 1963 Ford Galaxie XL convertible had optional AM/FM and an aftermarket accessory record player that played BOTH 45s and 33-1/3 LP albums. My 1964 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible had optional AM/FM with optional Vibrasonic speaker system. My 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado convertible had the first factory-installed AM/FM Stereo. My 1968 GTO convertible (ordered new from Vietnam) had AM/FM and 8-track tape player. My 1969 Continental Mark III has AM/FM stereo. My 1970 Challenger convertible had AM/FM Stereo. My 1971 Challenger convertible had AM/FM Stereo AND factory cassette player (mounted on the console). Loved it... loved them all.

My 1979 Continental Mark V had factory Quadraphonic tape (it wasn't convertible but had a huge moonroof which was often open). My 1986 Mazda RX-7 (again with sunroof) had wild AM/FM with equalizer and the earliest (some people wanna debate this) CD player. I got an RX-7 convertible later. And a Miata. And on and on.

My most fave audio systems are my 1991 Cadillac Allante with AM/FM CD and more. And my late model Lincoln MK-X. The Lincoln is amazing and probably wayyy overkill. I can actually stream from iTunes through the iPhone via Bluetooth. The MK-X has factory AM/FM, 6-CD changer, satellite radio, Bluetooth connection, and the almighty THX sound that will knock your socks off!

Remember that FM has a relatively short range and is best in urban areas. AM is dominated in recent years by Talk Radio stations, but I still listen to it on occasion.

Regarding AM on modern automobiles... they shield AM radio from random signals quite effectively.

Also satellite radio is indeed full of everything, including info stations. Far more than any one person could ever want or completely take in. I switch back & forth on my driving car's stations and formats. On my recent drive to America's Packard Museum (in Dayton, Ohio) annual "Spring-Fling" I listened to AM, FM, CDs and a number of satellite radio broadcasts ranging from stand-up comedy to smooth jazz to disco to Motown and Sinatra and classic vintage radio broadcasts. So... for what it's worth. I still use AM and will certainly mourn its passing, if indeed such a thing takes place.

Remember... Ford Motor Company has announced numerous systems over the years (ever heard of ill-fated Wingcast?), features, and even automobile lines (remember Edsel?). So the future is not always certain. Especially when it is so drastic.

By the way... Packard Panther-Daytonas pioneered radio antenna built into the decklid. Why and what was the advantage? Hidden antenna aesthetics and big isolation of antenna from static generated by engine electricals...

Image below is photographed at an amazing Texas Interstate rest stop along what was once the old Route-66. As incredible as this may seem.

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  ECARestStopKFIsignDET4 copy.jpeg (162.20 KB)

XERF has a rather colorful history, along with a couple of similar stations.

Search: "XERF Radio 1570".

"Reverend Ike"

"Reverend J.Charles Jessup"

"Wolfman Jack"

"Paul Kallinger"

... and the good Doctor Brinkley.

I believe it was the Reverend Jessup who had some connection to both the Beach Boys and Charles Manson.

I guess being virtually deaf has certain advantages as car radios are just so much noise to me so I don't even listen while driving or even riding in a car.

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XELO? We used to listen to it too as kids in Santa Fe.

I have heard KFI on occasion. Too weak here in Texas to listen to, but WLS in Chicago, WNOE in New Orleans, WLW New Orleans, and KOMA in Oklahoma City were favorites. KOA Denver and a Salt Lake City station that carried the Herb Jepko "Nightcaps Show". (First radio talk show) all could be heard from time to time, and WBS (?) in Atlanta.

KOMA 1520 played Rock & Roll, and often broadcast ads for several bands that played various towns across the Mid West:

TONIGHT!! LARNED, KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY!! SPIDER AND THE CRABS!!!!!! MUSIC STARTS AT 8 ... !!!! BE THERE!!!!!!!!!

In later years, you couldn't beat WBAP 820 in Fort Worth. They played C&W day and night, and had the Bill Mack All Night Trucker Show. Their studio was located where DFW airport is today.

I won't miss it. I'll have my radios modified like Big Kev's and stream what I want to hear from my phone. I haven't listened to AM radio for decades, since I started buying cars with FM reception, in the late 70's. We used to have a wonderful AM station here in Detroit, WJR which was really all things to all people. It too was a 'clear channel" station that could be received hundreds of miles from Detroit.
They did much original programming including "Adventures in good music" hosted by Karl Haas, "Kaleidoscope" hosted by Mike Warf, morning drive time hosted by J.P. McCarthy, who was a very affable host. I listened to WJR when I owned my Packard, and it was good. In the 90's WJR went the way of most AM radio and went to all talk format, following a certain bent that much AM radio has gone to, dumping local content that was completely relatable for syndicated talk hosts. I never liked the audio (lack of) quality of AM radio, and enjoy listening to Classical and Jazz music on our local non-profit station WRCJ, which I gladly support financially.

WRR FM in Dallas used to play a lot of Classical. They had a transmitting tower out Greenville Avenue near Walnut Hill Lane. You could get clear reception for a few miles. KERA/NPR affiiliate had more reach a lot of excellent programming, but you had to be in the DFW area to listen. FM is still very spotty around here. Clear channel AM doesn't seem to be as clear anymore, and sound quality is down even on major stations. I suspect that channel bandwith has been cut. AM used to be about 50 to 5000 audio CPS. It sounds like they've cut both the low end and the high end off these days.