Jim Had the gift of Terry Grieger as ENG and "Loop" as the $500 a day consultant... Man, that signal smoked! Even at 1kw-DA Night, the skywave to the north-northeast was unbelievable... :-\
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Is it ME... Or does WIBC's audio sound like POO?
- Thread starter hipporadio
- Start date
..."IBC....I know ya' really think that ya' sound sweet, but just like small town am your 'pro-cess' smells like 'poo-poo-poooooo'!" Isn't that a hit record from a couple of years back......??????? ;D
Oh how sad it is to hear some of these once-great AM stations sounding "like poo" as the subject says...
Just this week my 1939 Philco AM/Marine/SW console died... It's one of those 3 1/2-ft tall consoles with the beautifully-backlit (and highly accurate) sliderule displays, motorized volume, and killer wideband speaker. It will not lie unfixed for long (no old masterpiece like this should be left to die!).
Turning back the clock... This is the radio where, when I was younger, I would crank up stations like 1190 WOWO, in a basement in Monee, Illinois, daytime or nighttime. Songs like Fire Lake / Bob Seger, Hot Legs / Rod Stewart, or Double Vision / Foreigner on Wo-Wo came through with sizzling clear treble, while the bass literally rattled the windows. Except for an occasional zap from within the house from a flipped switch or electric furnace relay, the audio from that station 140 miles distant was as clean as my father's brand new FM Stereo upstairs.
AM really can sound spectacular, but it seems those days aren't just numbered, the number is already up. I don't know what the temperature is on the World Famous Wo-Wo Fire Escape anymore, because WOWO is completely covered by IBOC from WRTO Chicago, and even if I could hear it, I am sure the audio would be muffled. As for WIBC, I just had it on before the nighttime DX began to roll in, and yes, it really does sound like poo... Just like WSCR, WGN, and WBBM Chicago, and just like 3/4 of the internet streams out there.
Just this week my 1939 Philco AM/Marine/SW console died... It's one of those 3 1/2-ft tall consoles with the beautifully-backlit (and highly accurate) sliderule displays, motorized volume, and killer wideband speaker. It will not lie unfixed for long (no old masterpiece like this should be left to die!).
Turning back the clock... This is the radio where, when I was younger, I would crank up stations like 1190 WOWO, in a basement in Monee, Illinois, daytime or nighttime. Songs like Fire Lake / Bob Seger, Hot Legs / Rod Stewart, or Double Vision / Foreigner on Wo-Wo came through with sizzling clear treble, while the bass literally rattled the windows. Except for an occasional zap from within the house from a flipped switch or electric furnace relay, the audio from that station 140 miles distant was as clean as my father's brand new FM Stereo upstairs.
AM really can sound spectacular, but it seems those days aren't just numbered, the number is already up. I don't know what the temperature is on the World Famous Wo-Wo Fire Escape anymore, because WOWO is completely covered by IBOC from WRTO Chicago, and even if I could hear it, I am sure the audio would be muffled. As for WIBC, I just had it on before the nighttime DX began to roll in, and yes, it really does sound like poo... Just like WSCR, WGN, and WBBM Chicago, and just like 3/4 of the internet streams out there.
Another IBOC casualty along the border is WHAS. Their audio, especially in stereo with the touch of reverb, used to be spectacular in wideband AM. These days their audio is of phone line quality just like the rest of the adopters of IBOC.
For years, many of the factory car radios in high end cars had wideband AM stereo sections. Even a Mustang I rented in 2004 had a factory radio with a wideband AM stereo tuner. The AM section sounded wonderful except for 1530 WSAI, then a music format. They were experimenting with IBOC and, well, you know the rest.
I find it amazing this industry is willing to place the final nail in the coffin of AM radio with this fallacy. Even on FM it will take at least a decade for implementation while other portable competition (media players and such) are making an impact especially with the younger demos (read: next generation). The NAB believes that when they give the word, the world will stop what its doing and purchase a fancy IBOC radio, but reality will prevail.
A final note, the Bose wave radio has one of the worst AM tuners around. However if you add a wideband AM tuner to the AUX inputs the results will blow you away, especially if you do an A/B/C comparison between FM, the Bose AM tuner and the outboard tuner.
For years, many of the factory car radios in high end cars had wideband AM stereo sections. Even a Mustang I rented in 2004 had a factory radio with a wideband AM stereo tuner. The AM section sounded wonderful except for 1530 WSAI, then a music format. They were experimenting with IBOC and, well, you know the rest.
I find it amazing this industry is willing to place the final nail in the coffin of AM radio with this fallacy. Even on FM it will take at least a decade for implementation while other portable competition (media players and such) are making an impact especially with the younger demos (read: next generation). The NAB believes that when they give the word, the world will stop what its doing and purchase a fancy IBOC radio, but reality will prevail.
A final note, the Bose wave radio has one of the worst AM tuners around. However if you add a wideband AM tuner to the AUX inputs the results will blow you away, especially if you do an A/B/C comparison between FM, the Bose AM tuner and the outboard tuner.
skippertthomas said:
“Obie” could easily have taught an Audio Engineering class at M.I.T. What is interesting about him is his “quietness” about the topic. I’m sure he enjoyed the fruits of his labor, but to the mass – in his mind – it was JUST a job. Dave-O’s “secret” on AM was ANTENNA DESIGN – he was really into the physics of “J-Factor” – APPLAUSE! KJAS during his era had but a humble audio chain with a Gates “Solid-Statesman” limiter as the final guard. Obie once asked me: “Why is your mod so low – it “hung” at 100-percent on the Belar modulation monitor in the rack next to the FM transmitter – he suggested in a respectful fashion that I increase to 105-percent - I instantly reached for the jeweler's screwdriver!
I haven’t seen him in over a decade – nor his “Hawkins-like” sidekick, Tom Beatty – who had the best “Part 15 (and then some)” station I had heard at the time. These are GREAT MEN who formed the cosmetics of classic radio... Bless them for being part of our MUCH BETTER history!
B.T.W... Withers' KGMO WAS EASY TO BEAT before they hit the 100kw jackpot, but it's delightful that a 250-watt AM did it! Is Barney "K-Whyyy-M-Oooo" Webster still alive, and is 1080 still playing the Pointer Sisters ???
Thanks for bringing up Tom B... I wonder where he's at... He and I used to yak alot when I'd drive from 'CIL-FM down to Mom and Dad's in Poplar Bluff....I'd stop by Sikeston to see him... I was in the KJAS studio one day (after getting off the overnight at KGMO) and was bragging about the "EQ" on 1170.... He laughed and went to the Realistic "EQ" box on top of the rack and turned everything down.. No change.. It was the "EQ" to the audio feed to the local cable that ran KJAS when on-air and then played reel to reels of jingles and songs after sign off (over Jackson and Cape Cable)..... Ahead of the times in 1977... I remember the new step-down Harris 1kw transmitter being put in and the old RCA still capable of being a great back up... He'd fire that old transmitter up and the meters would go crazy with the modulation and air-chain going through it... I though "Sherman & Peabody" would show up any moment as it looked like the "Way-Back" machine! ;D
"...But, Jim Loupus was our consultant at 1280/WGBF in Evansville...
Skip, I have no doubt that Jim and Terry would appreciate your kind endorsement of their engineering skills. However, your use of the characterization of Mr. Loupas (corrected spelling) being "our consultant" does imply that "Skipper T." had a bit more influence (other than running AT-40) and impact at the station than the rest of us, who actually were on the air and in management positions. So, let's keep the revisionist history where it belongs, okay?
Skip, I have no doubt that Jim and Terry would appreciate your kind endorsement of their engineering skills. However, your use of the characterization of Mr. Loupas (corrected spelling) being "our consultant" does imply that "Skipper T." had a bit more influence (other than running AT-40) and impact at the station than the rest of us, who actually were on the air and in management positions. So, let's keep the revisionist history where it belongs, okay?
Let's see??? I got paid for 20 hours a week to drive a car, give out cash and run taped programming... Yep... Still that's an employee.... I was the high school kid hired to do just that.. I did not say I did a shift, or implied such..... If I remember, I was a cocky high schooler... No rewriting of that... I have mentioned that many times on other posts... I learned alot being baby-board operator and typing Sunday morning stories for Randy in the news department, because he thought it would be great training and his Sunday guy didn't have to come in until 11:am (Mark Moulton, if I remember right)... Still... To say I was rewriting history is absured... Yes, I was a pain in your side (Kirby never got paid a dime hanging with Terry?)... But, that's like saying the weekend crew, the sales people and the receptionist (as well as Don N. and Rip) can't be considered a part of it.. Remember, Geronimo got let go for running up the watts line bill..... No one is under a 'free ride'... And think of all the stations I worked at that bought your great jingles 
...
I remember watching them and handing them tools to work with at the transmitter site... At least I (as cocky as I was) I can take what I learned from it... It did come in handy with Way-FM, 'CIL-FM, KINT-98 and Radio-U..... And that's not rewriting history.... As a kid, I dreamed large... As I grew up, I became very comfortable with who and where I am... I think small towns are where its at.. That's getting older and enjoying simple things in life (not just radio)... I've never doubted your talent
...I remember watching them and handing them tools to work with at the transmitter site... At least I (as cocky as I was
) I can take what I learned from it... It did come in handy with Way-FM, 'CIL-FM, KINT-98 and Radio-U..... And that's not rewriting history.... As a kid, I dreamed large... As I grew up, I became very comfortable with who and where I am... I think small towns are where its at.. That's getting older and enjoying simple things in life (not just radio)... I've never doubted your talent Skip:
No one is questioning your resume. The only point was that the term "our" does imply a certain insight that, quite frankly, does not come from being an employee, part time or otherwise. There were decisions made in that building everyday that none of us, as employees, were privy to. And that's how it should be. Specifically, what prompted my note was the "500 a day" reference. First of all, it wasn't $500, and the figure itself is truly irrelevant. (One of the people you referred to asked that a clarfication be posted.) Nonetheless, if you know anything about the net, it's that once something is posted, it becomes fact, as opposed to opinion. It was just a courtesy reminder, not an assult. I'm sorry that my comment was, seemingly, misunderstood.
And, considering the undertone in your response, I should let you know that I'm not the person you are referring too. I do contract work for the person, and he is an old friend (clear enough?), however, and he says you are welcome to call him at anytime.
No one is questioning your resume. The only point was that the term "our" does imply a certain insight that, quite frankly, does not come from being an employee, part time or otherwise. There were decisions made in that building everyday that none of us, as employees, were privy to. And that's how it should be. Specifically, what prompted my note was the "500 a day" reference. First of all, it wasn't $500, and the figure itself is truly irrelevant. (One of the people you referred to asked that a clarfication be posted.) Nonetheless, if you know anything about the net, it's that once something is posted, it becomes fact, as opposed to opinion. It was just a courtesy reminder, not an assult. I'm sorry that my comment was, seemingly, misunderstood.
And, considering the undertone in your response, I should let you know that I'm not the person you are referring too. I do contract work for the person, and he is an old friend (clear enough?), however, and he says you are welcome to call him at anytime.
Thanks "M".... That's cool... I just remember Jim Wood and Don N. noting to three of us in the news booth that's what it cost to have Jim in those days.. If they were wrong, I apologize for that... I was young and influenced by every word from that great crew! Of course Spangler said to never take him serious.... He was such a card! I also think highly of RB in his great work with the best jingle company, EVER! I owe you guys a lunch in MC, soon! I am finally getting to a break in athletics (yeah, basketball is done....)... By the way, I think Shannon's oldies net is different and fresh from the old stale networks offering it... My best ALWAYS to you guys and my birthplace on the Wabash... Just another brother across that stateline pond... Hey? Are we ever going to have another SBE meeting?? I guess Ben D. is the Pres. and I'm the Sec./Treas..... Have a great weekend ;D
The words of irwin Schoeney.
"I was here before you and I'll be here when you're gone."
Irwin rode a mean lawn mower and could always get the Collins to run..(up the power bill.) Loved the singing modulation transformer in the cage on the SouthWest corner of the transmitter hut.
Irwin had some great sories about Indiana's first FM station, WMLL and prior to that W242 something.
And more great stories about the open air feedline. 6 wires outside and a center conductor all the way to both towers. how about the two sections of tower in the field? Every now and then the top 80 feet falls off of the East tower.
too bad the once great old station is a turd. No ground system or what is there has buildings on it. used to hear it in Indy can't hear it in princeton.
"I was here before you and I'll be here when you're gone."
Irwin rode a mean lawn mower and could always get the Collins to run..(up the power bill.) Loved the singing modulation transformer in the cage on the SouthWest corner of the transmitter hut.
Irwin had some great sories about Indiana's first FM station, WMLL and prior to that W242 something.
And more great stories about the open air feedline. 6 wires outside and a center conductor all the way to both towers. how about the two sections of tower in the field? Every now and then the top 80 feet falls off of the East tower.
too bad the once great old station is a turd. No ground system or what is there has buildings on it. used to hear it in Indy can't hear it in princeton.
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