History questions

[Ultimajock]

1) Whose tower is/was that atop the Westward Ho? I pass that thing every day coming into KPHX and am still curious as to what the deal is/was with that pyramid-type.

2) When KTAR joined NBC in 1930, was it primarily affiliated with the Red, Blue or (West Coast) Orange Network?

 

[Legend City]

I had to go to a meeting downtown today, saw the W'ward Ho, and I thought the exact same thing!

too much time on this board.....

 

[MarkAndrews]

When I first visited the Valley of the Sun in May of 1972, my pal and I drove all around to see the sights. I distinctly remember seeing the call letters KXTC on the lower portion of said tower. This was before we spent the afternoon at Big Surf... Oh, yes...the Superstition Freeway was open all the way to Mill Avenue at that time...And 1060 KUPD was simulcasting their new Top 40 format on FM from studios situated in a trailer at the base of the three towers alongside today's I-10, wanting to give KRUX and KRIZ a run for thier money...

Great competition back in the day. Not enough vacation time back then...and, yes...too much time on this board.

 

[KeithE4]

1) Whose tower is/was that atop the Westward Ho? I pass that thing every day coming into KPHX and am still curious as to what the deal is/was with that pyramid-type.

It was the original tower for Channel 5 beginning in 1949, when KPHO radio and TV were located there. I'm not sure when Channel 5 moved to South Mountain.

2) When KTAR joined NBC in 1930, was it primarily affiliated with the Red, Blue or (West Coast) Orange Network?

I think it was a combination of the Red and Blue networks, but mostly Red. NBC Blue/ABC didn't get its own Phoenix station until KPHO radio (originally on 1200, then 1230 after the NARBA shift, finally moving to 910 in 1949) came on the air in 1940.

 

[pberger]

When I came here in 1958, I think KPHO was already in their studios on First Ave north of the Westward Ho. It was about that time that they moved their transmitter to South Mountain, with all the others. I remember a discussion about it being less expensive to maintain the lights on the tower, rather than dismantle it. Electricity was cheap in those days!

 

[KeithE4]

I distinctly remember seeing the call letters KXTC on the lower portion of said tower.

Now that you mention it, I do remember the Westward Ho being the first transmitter site for KXTC 92.3. IIRC, it was a jazz station then.

 

[buster2]

KXTC was a jazz station (and a pretty good one) back in the early-mid 1970s. They had studios somewhere in the Westward Ho, but I understand they were pretty bleak - nothing fancy. It would not be difficult to hoist an FM antenna on the old rig on top of the building.

Now that I think about it, 92.3 may have had an auxiliary xmtr up there when the Beer Baron (Fred Weber, for those new to the area) owned Power 92 and KFYI. But I may be wrong about that. I do know our engineers had to occasionally go into the upper reaches of the Ho to do some sort of work, but that may have been for our microwave repeaters.

For those interested in history, KPHO radio was on 910, and the towers are located near I-17 and Glendale Ave. KPHO eventually became KJJJ, a successful country station for many years, and then in 1986 was flipped to KFYI.

KXTC, as mentioned before, was a commercial jazz station that flipped to disco (DISCO 92...ECSTASY RADIO!!!) in the late 1970s. Then I think they went country to complement KJJJ AM before being flipped to 92 Fire FM when the Beer Baron flew into town.

 

[justthenumbers]

KXTC, as mentioned before, was a commercial jazz station that flipped to disco (DISCO 92...ECSTASY RADIO!!!) in the late 1970s. Then I think they went country to complement KJJJ AM before being flipped to 92 Fire FM when the Beer Baron flew into town.

92.3 hasn’t always been 100,000 watts from the top-top-top of South Mountain, has it? If so…

1) What was its previous wattage, and where was its main (not auxillary) transmitter located?
2) When did it attain its current wattage and location?

And for what it’s worth, the KXTC calls are now being used by a Clear Channel Rhythmic CHR in Thoreau, NM. The station calls itself “99.9 XTC”. http://www.999xtc.com