French Canadian Engineer from Richmond?

[stereolane]

I have heard some hilarious stories about a French Canadian CE who worked at what is now WQLK Richmond, back in the 1970's. Just wondering if any of you old timers knew this guy... how in the world did he end up in Richmond, of all places?

 

[flakunkel]

I have heard some hilarious stories about a French Canadian CE who worked at what is now WQLK Richmond, back in the 1970's. Just wondering if any of you old timers knew this guy... how in the world did he end up in Richmond, of all places?

His name was Jacques Deneufville, and he worked at what then was WGLM, Richmond (now WQLK) when Rich Williams owned it. I worked there in the mid-late 60's but I don't remember the story of how Jacques wound up in Richmond.

My favorite story from those days is about the Sunday morning I went in to sign on the station, (which did not operate overnights) and found the remote control for the transmitter didn't work. As I was getting ready to go out and fire it up at the site, the phone rang, and it was Rich, telling me there were big problems and I could come help if I wanted. When I got there, Jacques poked his head out the door and said, "zee transmittair ees full of baird sheet!" Seems some birds had gotten in through the opening for the coax and nested on top of the old Gates rig. You can guess the rest.

 

[Roberta X]

That is one of the more famous stories in Indiana radio; when I first heard it, the teller couldn't remember which station it was. Birds and mice were especially bad for tube transmitters, there's nothing like high voltage to make a bad situation worse.