Bob Nelson: 25 yrs at WMWM on March 12

[raccoonradio]

Yours truly, Bob Nelson (no not the Dallas guy who did the site on call
letter origins) will celebrate his 25th anniversary at WMWM on March 12.
25 years at the same college radio station; am now semi-retired (on air
every couple months). We're planning some kind of on-air celebration
which will air at least from 8:30 am to 3 pm on 91.7 FM in Salem (perhaps
past 3 pm, too). Live band? Memories, surprises?

What a long, strange trip it's been since March 12, 1981, the day of my first
show--when WMWM barely missed losing its license due to being off-air since
the previous October. I remember 28 days later being at the old Sullivan
Building studios when the UPI ticker started ringing like crazy: Reagan
had been shot.

I remember our last day in that studio (in '84) and the first day in the new
one in the College Union. And so on.

A page on this is going up at http://www.raccoonradio.com<P ID="signature">______________

</P>

 

[Shellanswerman]

> Yours truly, Bob Nelson (no not the Dallas guy who did the
> site on call
> letter origins) will celebrate his 25th anniversary at WMWM
> on March 12.
> 25 years at the same college radio station; am now
> semi-retired (on air
> every couple months). We're planning some kind of on-air
> celebration
> which will air at least from 8:30 am to 3 pm on 91.7 FM in
> Salem (perhaps
> past 3 pm, too). Live band? Memories, surprises?
>
> What a long, strange trip it's been since March 12, 1981,
> the day of my first
> show--when WMWM barely missed losing its license due to
> being off-air since
> the previous October. I remember 28 days later being at the
> old Sullivan
> Building studios when the UPI ticker started ringing like
> crazy: Reagan
> had been shot.
>
> I remember our last day in that studio (in '84) and the
> first day in the new
> one in the College Union. And so on.
>
> A page on this is going up at http://www.raccoonradio.com

I can pick up WMWMWMWM a little on the highway around routes 93 and 128; I've noticed that it seems to be on the air all the time now. In the past, the station seemed to mimic the old WVCA-FM, on the air some of the time, and not at other times. Is it to stymie any incursion from Amesbury's WNEF?

 

[raccoonradio]

Yes we're on the air 24 hours a day now with automation running midnight to 7 am,
and during the few time slots that are "open". We're on a lot more than we used
to be with live DJs, though:

http://wmwm.freespaces.com/schedule.htm

Alternative rock, sports talk (yes, on Wed. afternoon), jazz, blues,
more than a bit of Hispanic content, oldies (Uncle Henry's Basement,
since 1989 or so) etc.

Well, we want to be on as much as possible to serve the community,
attract people, etc.; WNEF does cut into our signal as you head
north and for awhile they came through even in downtown Salem
back when we were "off and on". Technically they're supposed to point
their signal AWAY from us, though. We serve our area, they serve
theirs.

Unless you live within a few blocks of our transmitter, you can still
get WUMB 91.9 (maybe some slight splatter) and/or, esp. as you head north,
WNEF 91.7

> I can pick up WMWMWMWM a little on the highway around routes
> 93 and 128; I've noticed that it seems to be on the air all
> the time now. In the past, the station seemed to mimic the
> old WVCA-FM, on the air some of the time, and not at other
> times. Is it to stymie any incursion from Amesbury's WNEF?
>
<P ID="signature">______________

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[argytunes]

CONGRATULATIONS!

Bob....

I just wanted to offer my congratulations for staying at the same station for 25 years! You're definitely a survivor!

I'll bet there are a lot of broadcasters (past and present) who wish they could equal your 'longevity record?'

argytunes

 

[raccoonradio]

Re: CONGRATULATIONS!

> I'll bet there are a lot of broadcasters (past and present)
> who wish they could equal your 'longevity record?'
>
> argytunes
>
Thanks! I'm semi-retired in that I do shows only once every couple months
(though I occasionally fill in for the local rock show Sunday mornings)<P ID="signature">______________

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[Eli Polonsky]

Re: CONGRATULATIONS!

Kudo's to Bob for staying involved for so long at an all-volunteer station. Very admirable.

I'm currently in my 24'th year on staff at MIT's WMBR, though I retired from my regular weekly program in fall 2004. It's no longer practical or even possible for me to devote the time required for a weekly show and other required work at an all-volunteer station in today's economy. I still do an occasional fill-in there once in a while, and drop by very briefly every week for a little help with promotions.

> > I'll bet there are a lot of broadcasters (past and present)
> > who wish they could equal your 'longevity record?'
> >
> > argytunes
> >
> Thanks! I'm semi-retired in that I do shows only once every
> couple months
> (though I occasionally fill in for the local rock show
> Sunday mornings)
>

 

[raccoonradio]

Re: CONGRATULATIONS!

Thanks Eli! Yeah, a few yrs ago I turned things over to Henri "Jump Steady"
Bellows who does two shows a month; "Sister Lisa" does one and Pete Cahill does
one. When there's a fifth Sunday to the month, or if a fill in is needed, it's
me. This way I can devote time to other interests but still do an occasional show.

I also do the station's website and donated the domain name wmwmsalem.com

> Kudo's to Bob for staying involved for so long at an
> all-volunteer station. Very admirable.
>
> I'm currently in my 24'th year on staff at MIT's WMBR,
> though I retired from my regular weekly program in fall
> 2004. It's no longer practical or even possible for me to
> devote the time required for a weekly show

Yup...after awhile it's time to move on to other things but good to stay involved in one or two aspects as well. The Juke Joint isn't the only show with rotating
hosts that we have; Mood Swings (jazz) and Uncle Henry's Basement (doo wop)
are, too.

WMWM DJs POSE WITH THE STARS IN THE 80s:

Peter Wolf musta got lost with John O'Neill, Steve Lochiatto,
and Lisa Cournoyer(?)

Maura Sullivan and friend wanna beeeeeeeeee anarchy