Interstate 78 said:
92.1 was beautiful music (with some vocals) in the 90s. The WCTX call sign belongs to Channel 59 in New Haven (known as My TV 9 because of its position on provider systems).
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Bad stations/ formats of yesteryear in Central PA
- Thread starter RockofHBG
- Start date
92.1 was beautiful music (with some vocals) in the 90s. The WCTX call sign belongs to Channel 59 in New Haven (known as My TV 9 because of its position on provider systems).
WMIM Mount Carmel.
The problem wasn't the format. The problem wasn't the talent. The problem WAS the "manager"....a 100%, pompous, jack --- of a jerk who was full of himself. He was despised by the staff, detested by the "movers and shakers" of the business community.
As a example, this jerk decided to make the place "non smoking", even before the law required it. Yet, he would come in Saturdays, strolling thru the place with his cigar.
The problem wasn't the format. The problem wasn't the talent. The problem WAS the "manager"....a 100%, pompous, jack --- of a jerk who was full of himself. He was despised by the staff, detested by the "movers and shakers" of the business community.
As a example, this jerk decided to make the place "non smoking", even before the law required it. Yet, he would come in Saturdays, strolling thru the place with his cigar.
In a very certain sense...the old WCOY 1580 out of Columbia was a real KILLER. Literally. The original owner, Len Savage managed to electocute himself.
So other engineering types tell me, Len de-activated an interlock on the back door to his transmitter in order to do some maintenance while the carrier was on air. Plates, filaments and all. He was found dead dadly burned. Len was actually a very competentent man in his field. He was chief engineer of the old WLBR-TV, Channel 15 when it was owned by Les Etter, WLBR radio and the Lebanon daily news. It was knocked off the air by Hurricane Hazel in October of 1954 when the station was flooded with 3 feet of water in the transmitter and control room areas. Three years later, Les had the station back on the air...running illegal (middle of the night) tests at the behest of Roger Clipp, head of Triangle Stations (WFIL-TV, etc.). That was before the sale to Triangle (for $155,000) was approved by the FCC. Triangle's first Chief Engineer for WLBR-TV (later WLYH) was one Dave Miller. With Ch. 15 back up and runing, Len turned his fultime attention to starting up WCOY and the rest is history that's been pretty well covered in other posts here. Len put WLBR-TV back together after Hurricane Hazel and built WCOY..both singlehandedly. he deserves to be well remembered. I once heard that he also helped Sam Youse put WGSA on the air in Ephrata about the same time. Their first PD was the very talented and likeable Dave May.
So other engineering types tell me, Len de-activated an interlock on the back door to his transmitter in order to do some maintenance while the carrier was on air. Plates, filaments and all. He was found dead dadly burned. Len was actually a very competentent man in his field. He was chief engineer of the old WLBR-TV, Channel 15 when it was owned by Les Etter, WLBR radio and the Lebanon daily news. It was knocked off the air by Hurricane Hazel in October of 1954 when the station was flooded with 3 feet of water in the transmitter and control room areas. Three years later, Les had the station back on the air...running illegal (middle of the night) tests at the behest of Roger Clipp, head of Triangle Stations (WFIL-TV, etc.). That was before the sale to Triangle (for $155,000) was approved by the FCC. Triangle's first Chief Engineer for WLBR-TV (later WLYH) was one Dave Miller. With Ch. 15 back up and runing, Len turned his fultime attention to starting up WCOY and the rest is history that's been pretty well covered in other posts here. Len put WLBR-TV back together after Hurricane Hazel and built WCOY..both singlehandedly. he deserves to be well remembered. I once heard that he also helped Sam Youse put WGSA on the air in Ephrata about the same time. Their first PD was the very talented and likeable Dave May.
I saw Dave May do a live broadcast around 1960 or '61 from Root's Furniture in Hinkletown. Back then they actually played the records from the site. Barry Seidel and Phil Jacobs were also on the airstaff at that time as well as Ralph Hanneman...longtime WDAC chief engineer. Was actually a very well programmed little station.
Who was the brilliant broadcaster who ditched the great WORK call-letters? In order to grab the putrid WZIX? In order to convey, what? Young? Lively? Half-baked AC (apparently they hadn't heard that music formats had already moved to FM)? Still makes my skin crawl.
And then subsequent owners tried to salvage the "heritage" of WORK with the almost-there-calls, WOYK. "Woik?" Brooklyn-ese for "work."
"1350... WORK, York." As it should have always been.
And then subsequent owners tried to salvage the "heritage" of WORK with the almost-there-calls, WOYK. "Woik?" Brooklyn-ese for "work."
"1350... WORK, York." As it should have always been.
the WORK calls were droped by a company named "Musicfair enterprises" which was owned and headed by a man named Shelly Gross from Philidelphia. they bought the station from Steinmen stations in 1974 and some genius that worked for WFIL happened to be a friend of Shellys and I am pretty sure it was him who suggested the calls needed to be changed because the station had a very old (and small) audiance. it was supposed to give 1350 a whole new image. they also got sold on the Drake "hit parade " automated format. That format bombed , station got sold again to a couple of guys from washington dc who , I think, tried to get the old calls back but it was too late. I agree, the WORK calls were a perfect fit for the "first station in York". the signed on in 1932
Once they decided that the Drake Hit Parade wasn't setting the world on fire, they flipped WZIX to top 40 in '75. They sounded pretty good doing it...and from what I heard from an insider at the time, threw a pretty good scare into the WSBA downtown brass. They already had two FMs to compete with, but AM wasn't dead yet. Entertaining jocks on the air as well. Doc Daugherty actually was on doing top 40 for a short time and sounded like he loved it. Doc later told me that it actually made him want to throw up. That's the sign of a true pro! By the way...WSBA's reaction to this flip.....the MOR daytime category returned....and WSBA soon became an AC station.
J
John-Summers
Guest
Yes, Doc did sound good on WZIX, playing Aerosmith and KC and the Sunshine Band, hardly music he would have enjoyed. He wasn't even the age I am now at that time, and although I could probably pull off doing CHR today, I might have the same reaction to the music! Later on when I was PD, I asked him if he might have any interest in coming back and doing a short midday shift. He was surprised to be asked. It was a management idea, and I approached him reluctantly, as I really didn't want to have a nice guy like Doc working for those two bozos, who were only interested in exploiting his legendary name.
bossjock, since I was the PD who fliped wzix from "hitparade" to top 40 at WZIX I really appreciate the nice words about the sound of the station after the transition. at the time I was very proud of my air staff . we had absolutly no promotion budget and horrible equipment to work with but we actualy did give the "mighty 910" a bit of a start. management had not a clue what we were doing and the sales staff was a complet cluster.... but think we all did a pretty good job. it was the last gasp for AM radio in York. looking back, I actualy had a ball.
I happen to know quite a loy about WCTX-FM when it was owned by the late Hugh Clinton. What would you like to know?
How much time do you have? I started working for Mr. Clinton at the end of 1969 after he had moved the station from the old farm house at 950 South Grant Street in Palmyra. The building was just a bit of a frame the first time I saw it with lots of studs and framing where walls now stand. Only the control room was "finished". Of interest, WCTX was the first radio station in Lebanon county to begin broadcasting in stereo. I was still in High School then, and I would come out and work at WCTX on the weekends. I knew Mr. Clinton as a family friend from when he was at WBUX in Doylestown, PA (Bucks County). We had heard that he was buying a radio station and after a bit of searching, we found him at WCTX ahortly after he purchased the station in April of 1969. As a matter of fact when my parents and I traveled to Palmyra for the first time we came in from Route 22 on Gravel Hill Road and passed the empty lot where ethe building still stands that we built back then. I own the building now and I'm putting WWSM, 1510-AM, Annville-Cleona in the facility, and like back in 1969 we're trying to operate the radio station, keep sales going, and, this time, remodel the building to better suit my plans for a radio station. Anyway, back to WCTX. Let me also emphasize that Mr. Clinton was by far the best employer I ever worked for. I'll be 59 this year and while he was not free with his money I had enough to get by, but above and beyond that he was and ever shall be a great friend. The equipment in the studio back in 1969 consisted of a Sparta 5 pot stereo board (I still have it and it still works), 2 QRK turntables, a J.C. Penny 1/4 track stereo tape recorder and a Magnecord PT-6. All of the commercials were produced on reel-to-reel as a cart machine was a luxury that we couldn't afford. We had 2 Harkins AGC units (I still have on of them...and it still works) a CBS-411 Volumax stereo limiter. The transmitter was a brand new CCA FM-3000DS with a CCA Exciter and Stereo Generator. Our monitoring equipment was McMartin, both modulation and frequency, and the usual "Ball Brothers" Miratel Air Alert. We didn't have a production room, all of the production was done on the "audition side" of the board, as the old Gates equipment from Grant Street was "traded in" for the new goods, besides it was mono anyway! I really fealt bad for the people that got the old Gates transmitter. That old 1kw rig was doing good to put out 800 watts peak! It has been abused over the years and had little or no maintenance to it so consequently if you looked at the old beast cross-eyed it would shut off! And I don't mean just the "plates", the entire transmitter would shut down!
Those were fun days back then. I did my best to make the station sound like WWSH in Philadelphia, despite WHP-FM playing the same format. As the years rolled on Mr. Clinton would be out making sales calls during the day and I would hold down the fort on the hill. Evenings would come and he would write copy and record the commercials. WCTX would sign off at 2 AM. There was a time when the radio station would "bleed" into the audition part of the board and you would hear the music on the air in the background of the commercial that was recorded at what ever hour. It would bet a little humerous though when you heard the National Anthem playing in the background of a commercial and you knew when that spot was recorded.
Time went on and I was able to repair/rebuild the studios and replace some of the bad wires that were originally put in the building and we got rid of the station playing behind the commercials. Eventually a Tapecaster cart machine was purchased and all of the spots were transfered to carts. then we developed a "rapid change reflex" to stop the cart, push back the pinch roller, take out the just played cart, place it upside down on the table, insert the next spot in the machine, pull up the pinchroller arm and press the start button without the motor losing too much speed. Do that for 3 spots in a row and don't forget that the carts that are upside down must be recued.
Anyway as time went on we made steady improvements to the station. We had various tries at a production room, and then my time was interrupted by the military. My age and the last year of the draft came one year too late for me and my number was 007! So I decided to enlist to stay out of Viet Nam. That worked well as the "basic training" class just before the one I was in was the last "class" to be sent to Viet Nam. The only catch was the it cost me an extra year of military service. Mr "C" and I kept in contact and I during the time I was in the military where ever I was sent I would record music from the post library where I was and send the 1/4 track tapes back to WCTX for them to use on the air. When I was sent to Korea I sent back tapes from music from the local AFTRS radio station at the and I still have some of those tapes. I took a 30-day leave about halfway through my tour of duty in Korea to come back to Palmyra to install a new board in the main studio. Mr. C would write about bad expeeriences he had had with getting some boards in and then the RF feed back was so overwhelming that all the board woudl do is place a high pitch sq
Those were fun days back then. I did my best to make the station sound like WWSH in Philadelphia, despite WHP-FM playing the same format. As the years rolled on Mr. Clinton would be out making sales calls during the day and I would hold down the fort on the hill. Evenings would come and he would write copy and record the commercials. WCTX would sign off at 2 AM. There was a time when the radio station would "bleed" into the audition part of the board and you would hear the music on the air in the background of the commercial that was recorded at what ever hour. It would bet a little humerous though when you heard the National Anthem playing in the background of a commercial and you knew when that spot was recorded.
Time went on and I was able to repair/rebuild the studios and replace some of the bad wires that were originally put in the building and we got rid of the station playing behind the commercials. Eventually a Tapecaster cart machine was purchased and all of the spots were transfered to carts. then we developed a "rapid change reflex" to stop the cart, push back the pinch roller, take out the just played cart, place it upside down on the table, insert the next spot in the machine, pull up the pinchroller arm and press the start button without the motor losing too much speed. Do that for 3 spots in a row and don't forget that the carts that are upside down must be recued.
Anyway as time went on we made steady improvements to the station. We had various tries at a production room, and then my time was interrupted by the military. My age and the last year of the draft came one year too late for me and my number was 007! So I decided to enlist to stay out of Viet Nam. That worked well as the "basic training" class just before the one I was in was the last "class" to be sent to Viet Nam. The only catch was the it cost me an extra year of military service. Mr "C" and I kept in contact and I during the time I was in the military where ever I was sent I would record music from the post library where I was and send the 1/4 track tapes back to WCTX for them to use on the air. When I was sent to Korea I sent back tapes from music from the local AFTRS radio station at the and I still have some of those tapes. I took a 30-day leave about halfway through my tour of duty in Korea to come back to Palmyra to install a new board in the main studio. Mr. C would write about bad expeeriences he had had with getting some boards in and then the RF feed back was so overwhelming that all the board woudl do is place a high pitch sq
I don't know what happened. Let me finish this thought and I'll pick up another time.
so overwhelming that all the board would do is place a high pitch squeal on the air and peg the meters. This was caused by the RF being detected in the audio and causing the feed back.
My first preference was a Gates Executive 10 pot board, but there wasn't any in production when he called and it would take about 2-weeks to get one made. This did not fit in our plans. A telephone call to Fred Chassey with CCA revealed they had a 10 pot Ultimate board in stock, but it was promised to another station. Mr. C made a deal for a cash purchase and the other staton had to wait a bit longer for their board and while I was preparing the main studio for the new arrival, Mr. C went to New Jersey and brought back the board in the back of his AMC Gremlin.
Well enough for now, I'll continue this another day.
so overwhelming that all the board would do is place a high pitch squeal on the air and peg the meters. This was caused by the RF being detected in the audio and causing the feed back.
My first preference was a Gates Executive 10 pot board, but there wasn't any in production when he called and it would take about 2-weeks to get one made. This did not fit in our plans. A telephone call to Fred Chassey with CCA revealed they had a 10 pot Ultimate board in stock, but it was promised to another station. Mr. C made a deal for a cash purchase and the other staton had to wait a bit longer for their board and while I was preparing the main studio for the new arrival, Mr. C went to New Jersey and brought back the board in the back of his AMC Gremlin.
Well enough for now, I'll continue this another day.
loeper said:
You might remember Stan Deppen who worked there from the early 1960's into the mid-70's i believe. He used to work the 5-1am shift when he'd sign the station off. He and my late father were friends and co-workers at one time; I spent alot of time with my father hanging out with Stan at WORK on some nights eating subs from the "North Pole" and chit-chatting about the radio business and big band music. I think Saturday's were a little easier for Stan since WORK used to carry NBC's "Monitor" radio program and all he had to do was half hour breaks. The studios, located on S. Beaver St. were built in what appeared to be an old dance hall with equipment in most of the studios dating from the early 1940's--RCA Boards if I recall correctly--which barely functioned by the 1970's; tho' master control had a mid-60's Gates board that was probably the most modern equipment that they owned at the time.
boy do I remember Stan Deppen...what a great great guy ! you are so right about the WORK studios. our equipment was very outdated. the gates board you mentioned in the control room was indeed the newest equipment we had. It was actualy desinged to be a sound board for TV stations...the Steinmen stations spent absolutly ZERO money on anyting for there York station after about 1965..... the wild thing is , we took the station to "top 40" with all that same equipment in 1975..and IT DIDN'T SOUND ALL THAT BAD. we had some real pros working there at the time and that's the reason. God bless Stanley Leroy Deppen. he was a real character. there is another post of mine about Stan somewhere else on this board. It has to do with his time working for WGCB in Red Lion. try and find it. you will laugh.
RockofHBG said:
I wonder if they used "Max" at that time? Max was a large automation rig that sat on the top floor of the old WQXA building in East York. It was around 6' tall and 10' wide, with four reel-to-reel units and several slots for carts.
I wonder if that was the same system that was used in the late '70's for Q106? Had an annoying hum.
G
grandoleopry
Guest
Max was a contraption brought in by legendary engineer Art White....one of Hal Fulmers
right hand engineers.
Max was brought in when 1250 then WNOW was automated just before the calls were changed to WOBG and the format was changed from country to oldies.
Max I think was brought in from one of Hal Fulmers other stations.
It was a piece of junk when it first arrived and I don't think it ever got any better.
right hand engineers.
Max was brought in when 1250 then WNOW was automated just before the calls were changed to WOBG and the format was changed from country to oldies.
Max I think was brought in from one of Hal Fulmers other stations.
It was a piece of junk when it first arrived and I don't think it ever got any better.
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