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KDCD-TV, Midland, Texas

T

TexasTuner

Does anyone have any information on this station? It's been on and off the air more times than anything I've seen (on 12/9/61, off 2/16/62, back on 6/8/69, off again 3/16/71). It's a small market UHF (like so many that didn't survive) but may have had an interesting history.

Thanks!

Texas Tuner
Houston, TX
 
> Does anyone have any information on this station? It's been
> on and off the air more times than anything I've seen (on
> 12/9/61, off 2/16/62, back on 6/8/69, off again 3/16/71).
> It's a small market UHF (like so many that didn't survive)
> but may have had an interesting history.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Texas Tuner
> Houston, TX
>
They transmitted on channel 18, didn't they?

-John L.
 
> > Does anyone have any information on this station? It's
> been
> > on and off the air more times than anything I've seen (on
> > 12/9/61, off 2/16/62, back on 6/8/69, off again 3/16/71).
> > It's a small market UHF (like so many that didn't survive)
>
> > but may have had an interesting history.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Texas Tuner
> > Houston, TX
> >
> They transmitted on channel 18, didn't they?
>
> -John L.
>
That is correct. The 72-73 Television Factbook has them as 631 watts visual, 324 watts aural, antenna 440 feet above average terrain, located at the "SE Corner of Marienfeld at Wall Streets" in Midland, Texas. Given the rather poor performance of UHF converters at that time, and the small amount of power it ran, I'm surpirsed anyone could watch it.

Texas Tuner
 
Texas Tuner quoted the 1972/1973 Television Factbook:

> (KDCD-TV Channel 18 has) 631 watts visual, 324 watts aural,
> antenna 440 feet above average terrain, located at the
> "SE Corner of Marienfeld at Wall Streets" in Midland, Texas.

Today, there are LPTV stations that run more power!!

Also: I suspect that they probably never broadcast anything in color, certainly not anything local.
 
> Texas Tuner quoted the 1972/1973 Television Factbook:
>
> > (KDCD-TV Channel 18 has) 631 watts visual, 324 watts
> aural,
> > antenna 440 feet above average terrain, located at the
> > "SE Corner of Marienfeld at Wall Streets" in Midland,
> Texas.
>
> Today, there are LPTV stations that run more power!!
>
> Also: I suspect that they probably never broadcast anything
> in color, certainly not anything local.
>
And probably nothing more than a film chain (B&W) and one studio camera. If they made any money back then, I don't see how.

Some of these LPTV facilities have ERPs of 150kw now. If you can get one of these to be carried by your local cable system, then you've got something indeed!

Texas Tuner
 
KDCD was also on the air from approximately Aug. 1974 until Feb. 1975. It served as my entry into radio and television when I was 15 years old, and it broke my heart when it went dark...again. "CD" in the call sign stood for Chester Darwin. In my book, Chet Darwin was a heck of a nice fellow. After all, he gave me my start in radio/TV. Technologically, UHF stations of that day went on the air with higher expenses (UHF transmitters were terribly inefficient) and potential customers with lousy receivers. KDCD's transmitter was an RCA model TTU-1B which was built in the early 1950s. All other television stations fed visual and aural transmitters into a diplexer that fed one antenna. KDCD had no diplexer. The visual antenna was on top of the Wilco Building and the aural antenna was about 50 feet lower on the next deck down. Even in little old Midland, TX 631 watts, on a good day, just would not cut it. Some CBers in Midland were running 10 times that power! The video was color. The film chain used an RCA TP26 and a TK43 was in the studio but rarely used. Part of KDCD's business plan was to sue their way into business. They had filed lawsuits against the cable companies of all surrounding cities. In the end, the courts ruled in favor of the cable companies citing that KDCD's signal was not strong enough to be usable by anybody. When I began work at KDCD there were approximately 6 employees. They all were very talented in their respective field and had families to support, except for me. They all trickled out the door as the writing on the wall became clear. When it went dark for the last time, I was the only student in my high school that had a key to the top of a 20 story building! You can ben my Mother knew nothing of this.
 
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