Maybe someone can 'splain to Nurse Jeff and me why U of A wants to throw more money into KUAZ 15~Fifty by going directional and adding night service. They're currently a non-directional daytimer with 50kw that gets into the Valley in spite of KASA 15~Forty. The application calls for a new site with three sticks. It'll be directional with 50kw day and 425w at night. While many AM stations are slipping into tar pits, this dinosaur is consuming more money by upgrading. The station was gifted to U of A years ago by the illustrious John Walton. Maybe the Regents should gift it to someone else and save taxpayers' money.
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Good money after bad
- Thread starter DrAkbar
- Start date
I don't get the purpose of adding low power directional nighttime service on that signal either. When it comes to gifting the station to someone else, the University probably has no one to gift it. People don't want AM's, even free, these days, especially if it doesn't come with the land that houses the transmitters.
Walton donated the station, then KFIF, in 1967 so that he could buy then-KTAN at 580, which had a fulltime license. KTAN went off the air May 1 of that year; KFIF planned to move - and change its call letters to KIKX - on May 15 but didn't actually appear to do so until June 10. KFIF/KIKX took over KTAN's former studios. KFIF's Top 40 format also made the move to KIKX. KTAN had broadcast "cosmpolitan music for adults". There's no indication when the university actually started operating 1550 but it would have been after June 10 since Walton continued to broadcast on 1550 until finally ready to switch over. The university added FM outlets somewhat later.
Due to the terrain in parts of Tucson - the northern "foothills" where FM signals go to die - it's possible that the university sees the AM station as a fill-in service. But I've not seen any explanation by Arizona Public Media.
And now a twist that just reinforces the need to preserve broadcast history.
There's no history card for 580 and the listing of actions on fccdata.org indicates that the current station at 580 was considered a new station in 1982. Going back through newspaper archives, a fuller story appears. The license was designated for hearing in 1975 over multiple issues, including a hoax presented as a news broadcast in 1974 claiming a KIKX DJ had been kidnapped, with the result that listeners started calling the Tucson police department about it. Shortly thereafter, Walton reportedly fired the employees who had been involved in the hoax. In October 1976, an FCC ALJ revoked KIKX's license. The station appealed, continuing in operation and switching to a country format in 1977. The full commission denied the appeal in May 1980. Court appeals ensured, but after an adverse appeals court ruling in July 1982, even with one judge dissenting by stating the FCC had overreacted, the station abruptly shut down on July 17 and turned in its license. By then, the station had been in the ratings basement for some time. It was estimated that the appeals cost $250,000.
Due to the terrain in parts of Tucson - the northern "foothills" where FM signals go to die - it's possible that the university sees the AM station as a fill-in service. But I've not seen any explanation by Arizona Public Media.
And now a twist that just reinforces the need to preserve broadcast history.
There's no history card for 580 and the listing of actions on fccdata.org indicates that the current station at 580 was considered a new station in 1982. Going back through newspaper archives, a fuller story appears. The license was designated for hearing in 1975 over multiple issues, including a hoax presented as a news broadcast in 1974 claiming a KIKX DJ had been kidnapped, with the result that listeners started calling the Tucson police department about it. Shortly thereafter, Walton reportedly fired the employees who had been involved in the hoax. In October 1976, an FCC ALJ revoked KIKX's license. The station appealed, continuing in operation and switching to a country format in 1977. The full commission denied the appeal in May 1980. Court appeals ensured, but after an adverse appeals court ruling in July 1982, even with one judge dissenting by stating the FCC had overreacted, the station abruptly shut down on July 17 and turned in its license. By then, the station had been in the ratings basement for some time. It was estimated that the appeals cost $250,000.
The way UArizona is tossin' money around...it's a drop in the bucket.
Whewn KUAZ's timer forgot to shut off one sunset about 5 years ago, they blasted into laramie, wy all night
In Cleveland, OH, in the very early 60's I got KFIF as it did its final stage of its construction permit with an on-air test after midnight. The two guys who were going to be the lead DeeJays did the audio of the test, live. They even accepted a collect call from me and put me on the air.
I remember they got a call from Scottsdale, and the two guys carried on for a bit about "only the rich can live in Scottsdale". Yet about 12 years later, I lived there in what I thought was a rather "cheap" condo that was convenient to ASU.
I remember they got a call from Scottsdale, and the two guys carried on for a bit about "only the rich can live in Scottsdale". Yet about 12 years later, I lived there in what I thought was a rather "cheap" condo that was convenient to ASU.
The KIKX cards survived. They are the only thing in their own Facility ID, which makes sense. It's kind of a minor miracle they were microfiched.
Psst... The Wikipedia article on KIKX is mine. It was one of the first improvement projects where I went "wow, this station had a wild story". I've had so many moments like that since, but none have been like KIKX.
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Glad to hear it!
The Tucson newspapers covered the situation fairly well. It is pretty wild, and even stranger in that Walton was a longtime broadcaster. It looked like he had issues with management oversight in this particular situation.
Pretty much a regular at critical hours in Denver.
Future home of Wildcat Canabis. Why not? If you lived in Marana, what else is there to do?
KUAZ could've kept the station a single stick daytimer with less power instead of spending on an engineering report and three new sticks, phasor, fencing, lamp timer, etc. To keep the 50kw, they have to protect more stations now at the new site. Strong null toward KASA 15~Forty...but is that station even on the air since losing their own tower site?
15~Fifty has a translator of questionable coverage and value: K283DC-FM Radio Station Coverage Map
It covers the Catalina foothills, where the main FM signal doesn't reach well, and where there's a lot of money.
It happens. But to his credit, Walton shyt canned those involved in the hoax. Back in those days, the FCC was a lot harder on licensees than it is today. He might have gotten away with a fine and provisional renewal if the hands of time were advanced ten more years. 5~Eighty is a blowtorch, but it's still Ancient Modulation.
The dissenting judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals was quoted as saying that the denial was a "gross overreaction to the violation". But, from the newspaper articles of the time, it's pretty clear that the costs already incurred, plus the station's weak ratings (and presumably weak revenues resulting from that plus uncertainty over its future that lasted for years), plus the long odds in getting the case before the Supreme Court, led Walton to turn in the license.
Today he'd get a wag of the finger and after-school detention for a day or two as long as his political and public files were up-to-date.
So would have the Meltons and Norris regarding KUPD/KUKQ if it had happened later.
In Cincinnati OH in the mid? 60's I would occasionally hear KFIF and KYND (Tempe 1580) on sunset skip. One time after "Country Kind" KYND signed off at AZ sunset, I heard "Million Dollar" KDAY from Santa Monica.
Ol Buck Owens shoveled a lot of money into getting 15~Eight 50kw at night with six sticks. Today as KQFN, it's 245 watts at night triplexed with KSUN & KPHX.
Meanwhile back at the U of Academia, KUAZ 15~Fifty, will get its first nighttime service by erecting three new sticks. It'll be expensive, but the Regents know there are so many people who listen to Ancient Modulation at night.
Meanwhile back at the U of Academia, KUAZ 15~Fifty, will get its first nighttime service by erecting three new sticks. It'll be expensive, but the Regents know there are so many people who listen to Ancient Modulation at night.
What's the age of the youngest regent? They're probably political appointees anyway, right?
There are two governor appointed student regents who are probably in their early 20s, I’d love to know if they voted for it since one is also the board‘s assistant treasurer:
Board Members | Arizona Board of Regents
RegentsThe Arizona Board of Regents is the governing board for the state’s public universities: Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona. The board provides policy guidance in such areas as: academic and student affairs; financial and human resource...
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