KJMU 1340 Tulsa

[Kent]

I don't think it was the owners of Power 1550 KBLK (who actually were LMA'ing THAT signal from the Stephens at the time; I was there the night we got the call that the IRS had padlocked their studios and to shut the transmitter down), although some of the guys from KBLK absolutely ended up at Mix 102.3.

That would make sense because, like I said, KBLK was being operated by Donnies, and I know Mix 102.3 never was (unless it was after '93). However, a lot of the KBLK staff did end up at Mix, including Terry Alexander. She didn't hang around very long, though. She ended up at KQLL doing nights for a little while and then either left the market and/or the business. By the way, I believe you can still see a faded Power 1550 KBLK sign on a prefabricated building attached to the east side of Donnies, though it's been a few years since I've been in that part of Tulsa.

It was commonly believed there that 102.3 forced 1550 off the air... I'm sure it didn't help, but they seemed to do themselves in...

I remember KBLK leaving the air about a week or two before Mix signed on. However, the FCC shows it was actually October '91 when KBLK became KXOJ. The way I heard it was that KXOJ didn't renew the LMA. It was really kinda strange because, the summer before they left the air, they were advertising their new FM at 94.5. However, it never showed and instead became KEMX, which was a simulcast of KXOJ from the time it signed on, and KBLK went away shortly afterward.

 

[joelr]

Maybe Bob can answer this. KEMX was KWOJ for two months in 1990. If they signed on as a simulcast of KXOJ, why did they change calls? Forgive me if there is an obvious answer, I'm an OKC product and don't know Tulsa radio as well.

I remember KBLK leaving the air about a week or two before Mix signed on. However, the FCC shows it was actually October '91 when KBLK became KXOJ. The way I heard it was that KXOJ didn't renew the LMA. It was really kinda strange because, the summer before they left the air, they were advertising their new FM at 94.5. However, it never showed and instead became KEMX, which was a simulcast of KXOJ from the time it signed on, and KBLK went away shortly afterward.

 

[Bob Oshea]

Maybe Bob can answer this. KEMX was KWOJ for two months in 1990. If they signed on as a simulcast of KXOJ, why did they change calls? Forgive me if there is an obvious answer, I'm an OKC product and don't know Tulsa radio as well.

I remember KBLK leaving the air about a week or two before Mix signed on. However, the FCC shows it was actually October '91 when KBLK became KXOJ. The way I heard it was that KXOJ didn't renew the LMA. It was really kinda strange because, the summer before they left the air, they were advertising their new FM at 94.5. However, it never showed and instead became KEMX, which was a simulcast of KXOJ from the time it signed on, and KBLK went away shortly afterward.

I think that pretty well sums that one up. To tell the truth, Tulsa's had so many changes down through the years, I can't remember them all.

Bob O

 

[charlestace]

One of the many oddities about the AM station formerly known as KTOW, on 1340 in Sand Springs, is this: many years ago, AM stations now known as "Class D" were limited to 1000 watts daytime and 250 watts at night. Then the FCC, in its wisdom, decided that since hundreds of stations were on each class D frequency (such as 1340, 1400, etc.), why not just let everybody interfere with each other a little more? So those stations became authorized to remain on the air full-time with 1000 watts: no power change at sunset or sunrise.

KTOW, however, was in an interesting situation. Because (I assume) they were geographically close to other 1340s, they had never been allowed to operate in the daytime with 1000 watts. They had 500 watts daytime. But they WERE allowed to go to 1000 watts at night, becoming the only American AM station I ever heard of which INCREASES power at night. (Surely one or two others exist.)

According to the FCC database, their authorized power has decreased for some reason: they're now 450 watts day and 900 watts night.

The one constant in all of this: their signal has always been lame and it remains lame, yea, verily, unto this day.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

KFMB Sandy-Eggos comes to mind on the night-time power up deal. It's rare, but there are a FEW that do that. They have a pesky little daytime god-channel station on Catalina Island that they have to protect during the day. At night they get to blast 50k.

 

[billyg]

One of the many oddities about the AM station formerly known as KTOW, on 1340 in Sand Springs, is this: many years ago, AM stations now known as "Class D" were limited to 1000 watts daytime and 250 watts at night. Then the FCC, in its wisdom, decided that since hundreds of stations were on each class D frequency (such as 1340, 1400, etc.), why not just let everybody interfere with each other a little more? So those stations became authorized to remain on the air full-time with 1000 watts: no power change at sunset or sunrise.

I remember when KWON in Bartlesville went from 250w to 1K in the early 80's (before the Caney river flood in 1986 destroyed their original studios... which were conveniently next to the river..) and their night signal was a little better but it wasn't the huge improvement everyone expected.

It's strange that nobody that has owned KJMU has attempted to get 1K full day power. Bad ownership who didn't have the cash or engineering know how to get it, I guess. With all the move-ins and upgrades Tulsa AM's have had the past decade you'd think they would've. The closest 1340 signal I know is KEBC in OKC (and it's a runt too)

Maybe now with Birach owning it, 1340 may get a improvement, they've done upgrade work on several of their stations to get the most out of them.