My Broadcasting Days at KLTI
I had just finished a one-year course in radio training, at Tyler Commercial College, and was going for my Radio Telephone Operators License in Dallas. On the day that I passed my tests for the third class operator’s license, I returned to KLTI, where I met the Chief Engineer Kenneth Maxwell. He seemed very impressed with my experience and told me that He would hire me with my third class ticket. The FCC had just changed the rules so that a third class operator could legally operate an FM station. KLTI had added an FM transmitter to their station, in 1948. Needless to say, I had finally arrived into Broadcasting. I believe that was the summer of 1953.
My duties were to turn on the transmitter, start the sign on tape recorder, check all meter levels for proper operation, and then start up the Magnecorder with forty-five minutes of pre-recorded orchestral music, no singing, to all businesses who purchased the Functional Music program from KLTI. All the time, keeping an eye, on the AM transmitter, and associated equipment.
I took this job very seriously. I remember going home late at night. During those days AM radio had to go off at Sundown, but FM could stay on until about ten at night.
I would get home and tell Jackie, my wife about how important my job was. I remember telling her that if I made just one little mistake, how many people would hear it. I was very excited about finally getting into Broadcasting, at the ripe old age of twenty
I would sit there, take my transmitter log readings, change tapes on the Magnecorder, listen to the DJ playing records, and making his commercials. One DJ that I remember was Milton (Ewie) Evans. I had a lot of time to continue on in my studies for my second, and then my first class radio operator’s license. I did pass my first in less than six months. It did feel good to get to hang that license on the wall in front of that old Raytheon one KW transmitter.
I recall one day, when everyone heard a rumble out behind the tower. We all ran outside to see what was going on. It was a Tourneau train, driving around in our back yard. If you don’t know what a Tourneau train is, well I will tell you. It was one of R.G. Letourneau’s big electric tractors; with several all-electric drive wheeled trailers hooked up, and was driving around our tower. Even though the wheels were about 8 feet tall, and 3 feet wide, it was not doing our ground system any good. You see, they were filming from up on the tower this tractor running around in our back yard. I spent the next couple weeks with a shovel and torch out soldering up all the ground radials that were dug up.
I was also the remote setup engineer. We had a Weekly program from the First Baptist church, and it was up to me to carry the remote amp down and tie it into the telephone lines that were equalized for audio. The music did not sound too good, but that was alright. What fun times I was having at my first job in broadcasting.
After about a year of just being an operating Engineer, I begin to get restless. I wanted to get a position with a larger radio station, and of course make more money. After all, I was a First Class engineer and really deserved it.
I had just finished a one-year course in radio training, at Tyler Commercial College, and was going for my Radio Telephone Operators License in Dallas. On the day that I passed my tests for the third class operator’s license, I returned to KLTI, where I met the Chief Engineer Kenneth Maxwell. He seemed very impressed with my experience and told me that He would hire me with my third class ticket. The FCC had just changed the rules so that a third class operator could legally operate an FM station. KLTI had added an FM transmitter to their station, in 1948. Needless to say, I had finally arrived into Broadcasting. I believe that was the summer of 1953.
My duties were to turn on the transmitter, start the sign on tape recorder, check all meter levels for proper operation, and then start up the Magnecorder with forty-five minutes of pre-recorded orchestral music, no singing, to all businesses who purchased the Functional Music program from KLTI. All the time, keeping an eye, on the AM transmitter, and associated equipment.
I took this job very seriously. I remember going home late at night. During those days AM radio had to go off at Sundown, but FM could stay on until about ten at night.
I would get home and tell Jackie, my wife about how important my job was. I remember telling her that if I made just one little mistake, how many people would hear it. I was very excited about finally getting into Broadcasting, at the ripe old age of twenty
I would sit there, take my transmitter log readings, change tapes on the Magnecorder, listen to the DJ playing records, and making his commercials. One DJ that I remember was Milton (Ewie) Evans. I had a lot of time to continue on in my studies for my second, and then my first class radio operator’s license. I did pass my first in less than six months. It did feel good to get to hang that license on the wall in front of that old Raytheon one KW transmitter.
I recall one day, when everyone heard a rumble out behind the tower. We all ran outside to see what was going on. It was a Tourneau train, driving around in our back yard. If you don’t know what a Tourneau train is, well I will tell you. It was one of R.G. Letourneau’s big electric tractors; with several all-electric drive wheeled trailers hooked up, and was driving around our tower. Even though the wheels were about 8 feet tall, and 3 feet wide, it was not doing our ground system any good. You see, they were filming from up on the tower this tractor running around in our back yard. I spent the next couple weeks with a shovel and torch out soldering up all the ground radials that were dug up.
I was also the remote setup engineer. We had a Weekly program from the First Baptist church, and it was up to me to carry the remote amp down and tie it into the telephone lines that were equalized for audio. The music did not sound too good, but that was alright. What fun times I was having at my first job in broadcasting.
After about a year of just being an operating Engineer, I begin to get restless. I wanted to get a position with a larger radio station, and of course make more money. After all, I was a First Class engineer and really deserved it.