New Tijuana FM Found

[thebeach33445]

Hey Guys:

I found through some research some FM's in Tijuana from the past.

Here is the list:
89.3 XEAU 1960-1966
89.3 XEBBC 1966-1968
Obviously Simulcasted the AM station on 1470.

90.3 XHB 1961-1964
92.9 XHB 1964 to 1968

91.1 XHC 1961 to 1968

98.5 XHRD "Formula Melodica" 1970-on or about 1974.

Anybody remember these stations? Formats?

Tommy C.

 

[Sammi Brie]

Hey Guys:

I found through some research some FM's in Tijuana from the past.

Here is the list:
89.3 XEAU 1960-1966
89.3 XEBBC 1966-1968
Obviously Simulcasted the AM station on 1470.

90.3 XHB 1961-1964
92.9 XHB 1964 to 1968

91.1 XHC 1961 to 1968

98.5 XHRD "Formula Melodica" 1970-on or about 1974.

Anybody remember these stations? Formats?

Tommy C.

Holy cake!

I have this information from my research on my blog...

"XHRD-FM 98.5 Tijuana - Listed in several editions of Broadcasting Stations of the World, a 99 kW blowtorch and border blaster that would have been owned by Víctor Manuel Díaz Romo. If the name sounds familiar, Víctor Díaz came from the Díaz Romo family of broadcast pioneers in Jalisco and ended up running the Tijuana unit as Califórmula Broadcasting. (DOF March 15, 1969)"

It makes so much sense he would have had a station known as Fórmula Melódica...that's a name most definitely associated with stations that were in his family elsewhere (Guadalajara especially but also XHDFM 106.5 Mexico City).

XHB is today's XHTY-FM/BC, though I was not aware it was on 90.3 prior to getting a concession on December 5, 1964. (BTW, it's not unusual for this time to see the station on air before its concession.

I do not know of XHC-FM or the XEAU/XEBBC FM simulcast. Where did you get that info?

This is absolutely fascinating. The fact you've stumped me should say something about what you've dug up!

 

[thebeach33445]

Holy cake!

I have this information from my research on my blog...

"XHRD-FM 98.5 Tijuana - Listed in several editions of Broadcasting Stations of the World, a 99 kW blowtorch and border blaster that would have been owned by Víctor Manuel Díaz Romo. If the name sounds familiar, Víctor Díaz came from the Díaz Romo family of broadcast pioneers in Jalisco and ended up running the Tijuana unit as Califórmula Broadcasting. (DOF March 15, 1969)"

It makes so much sense he would have had a station known as Fórmula Melódica...that's a name most definitely associated with stations that were in his family elsewhere (Guadalajara especially but also XHDFM 106.5 Mexico City).

XHB is today's XHTY-FM/BC, though I was not aware it was on 90.3 prior to getting a concession on December 5, 1964. (BTW, it's not unusual for this time to see the station on air before its concession.

I do not know of XHC-FM or the XEAU/XEBBC FM simulcast. Where did you get that info?

This is absolutely fascinating. The fact you've stumped me should say something about what you've dug up!

Hey Raymie:

I found all the "New FM" stations here:
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/FBIS_Master_Page.htm
Go to FM and look under Mexico for the stations.. It only goes to 1974. I stumbled on that by accident.

The simulcast thing of XEAU, XEBBC I figured out because both AM and FM XEAU 1470 and 89.3 was named "Radio Acuna"

As for 98.5 XHRD-FM "Fórmula Melódica" would you know the format? I wonder how long they were on the air? I a guessing 1975 because I looked at the Broadcasting Yearbook 1975 and XHRD 98.5 was not listed.

Tommy C.

 

[fybush]

Tommy,

I'm going to re-up my plea to you that with all the research you've done over the years to nail down specific formats and dates in markets around the country, that you find a way to share all that info somewhere that's more easily searchable and not as ephemeral as these message boards, which could go away at any moment without any warning (and have done so several times in the past!)

I can't speak for David Gleason, but I strongly suspect he could find a way to make your research more permanently available somewhere on his website, where it could be of more benefit to your fellow broadcast historians!

 

[thebeach33445]

Tommy,

I'm going to re-up my plea to you that with all the research you've done over the years to nail down specific formats and dates in markets around the country, that you find a way to share all that info somewhere that's more easily searchable and not as ephemeral as these message boards, which could go away at any moment without any warning (and have done so several times in the past!)

I can't speak for David Gleason, but I strongly suspect he could find a way to make your research more permanently available somewhere on his website, where it could be of more benefit to your fellow broadcast historians!

Thank you Fybush:

David Gleason American Radio history site is where I was headed. I want to give him full info before giving him markets to put on his site.

Unfortunately I have been having personal problems in my life that has had me delay my research. In 2015 my Dad passed away. In 2016 my uncle passed away and in 2017 my mom became sick and was in and out of rehab. She passed in May 2018.

So I ma finally back on the research hunt again.

thank you for the awesome note. I really appreciate it.
Tommy C.

 

[Sammi Brie]

Hey Raymie:

I found all the "New FM" stations here:
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/FBIS_Master_Page.htm
Go to FM and look under Mexico for the stations.. It only goes to 1974. I stumbled on that by accident.

The simulcast thing of XEAU, XEBBC I figured out because both AM and FM XEAU 1470 and 89.3 was named "Radio Acuna"

As for 98.5 XHRD-FM "Fórmula Melódica" would you know the format? I wonder how long they were on the air? I a guessing 1975 because I looked at the Broadcasting Yearbook 1975 and XHRD 98.5 was not listed.

Tommy C.

OK, so this is a bit circular. My guess would be a romantic/Spanish music format.

The XEAU one is probably a studio-transmitter link. Mexico licensed a number of these as FM services, though very few turned into stations. (Some of the AMs did not migrate to FM until migration at the start of this decade.) Many were at the low end of the band, 88-89 MHz or so.

Also noteworthy is that through the sixties, Mexico was not afraid to allow stations to broadcast on even decimal frequencies. Sometimes, stations did both. For instance, XEWV-FM Mexicali began operating on 89.6 as an STL and then was relocated to 106.7, becoming a full station. These stations moved to even frequencies in the early 70s. (For instance, in the 1974 guide which I suspect might be a bit behind anyway, XHCM Cuernavaca is on 89.0 MHz, today 88.5.)

Specific to the northern border, a lot of stations were shuffled around in conjunction with the 1974 US-Mexico FM station treaty. XHERS, for instance, was booted from 100.1 to 104.5. There were changes elsewhere, like Mexicali (XHVG 99.5 -> 103.3), Juárez (XHH 93.3 -> 100.7, XHPX 93.7 -> 98.3, XHEM 99.3 -> 103.5, XHTO 100.9 -> 104.3), and Ciudad Acuña (XHPL 98.5 -> 99.7).

 

[thebeach33445]

OK, so this is a bit circular. My guess would be a romantic/Spanish music format.

The XEAU one is probably a studio-transmitter link. Mexico licensed a number of these as FM services, though very few turned into stations. (Some of the AMs did not migrate to FM until migration at the start of this decade.) Many were at the low end of the band, 88-89 MHz or so.

Also noteworthy is that through the sixties, Mexico was not afraid to allow stations to broadcast on even decimal frequencies. Sometimes, stations did both. For instance, XEWV-FM Mexicali began operating on 89.6 as an STL and then was relocated to 106.7, becoming a full station. These stations moved to even frequencies in the early 70s. (For instance, in the 1974 guide which I suspect might be a bit behind anyway, XHCM Cuernavaca is on 89.0 MHz, today 88.5.)

Specific to the northern border, a lot of stations were shuffled around in conjunction with the 1974 US-Mexico FM station treaty. XHERS, for instance, was booted from 100.1 to 104.5. There were changes elsewhere, like Mexicali (XHVG 99.5 -> 103.3), Juárez (XHH 93.3 -> 100.7, XHPX 93.7 -> 98.3, XHEM 99.3 -> 103.5, XHTO 100.9 -> 104.3), and Ciudad Acuña (XHPL 98.5 -> 99.7).

Hey Raymie:

98.5 XHRD was Spanish Romantic AC. Found it yesterday but didn't get a chance to post it.

I did notice that some Mexican stations did broadcast on the even band (.6.8.4) found that during my research. I found that interesting.

I also found out that 91.1 XETRA was on the air prior to 1978. It came on the air in November of 1968 and had an MOR/STDS Big Band format from 1968 to 1978 while 690 XETRA was doing the Beautiful Music thing. I think 91.1 was all automated. Nothing in Billboard on DJ's for that station.

Tommy C.

 

[Sammi Brie]

Hey Raymie:

98.5 XHRD was Spanish Romantic AC. Found it yesterday but didn't get a chance to post it.

I did notice that some Mexican stations did broadcast on the even band (.6.8.4) found that during my research. I found that interesting.

I also found out that 91.1 XETRA was on the air prior to 1978. It came on the air in November of 1968 and had an MOR/STDS Big Band format from 1968 to 1978 while 690 XETRA was doing the Beautiful Music thing. I think 91.1 was all automated. Nothing in Billboard on DJ's for that station.

Tommy C.

The original concession specifies 91.3 MHz. It would have moved to 91.1 around 1974 like all the other stations, following the implementation of the 1972 FM station treaty which came into effect at that time. The date the treaty would have gone into effect would have stipulated the frequency changes for all the affected stations.

 

[davideduardo]

The XEAU one is probably a studio-transmitter link. Mexico licensed a number of these as FM services, though very few turned into stations. (Some of the AMs did not migrate to FM until migration at the start of this decade.) Many were at the low end of the band, 88-89 MHz or so.

In the 60's, almost all Mexico City FMs used FM for STL purposes. The power was usually in the 50 watt to 100 watt range, and the Gates 50 watt self contained unit was quite popular.

In 1970, I was offered the job of converting Radio Centro's FMs to independent stations, as they were about to go to microwave for STL use. The plan was to locate the transmitters at the top of the Torre Latinoamericana at Juárez and San Juan de Letrán (diagonally across from Bellas Artes). The offer was pretty good, and they even were going to be able to bring me "into compliance" as to the then-required Mexican citizenship. But I got a better offer in Puerto Rico and took it...

At the time, the FMs were mostly "X-H-M, on Oasis en FM" and soft music" in style. Some ran no spots on the main signal, sustaining the station with SCA background music or storecasting.

 

[thebeach33445]

The original concession specifies 91.3 MHz. It would have moved to 91.1 around 1974 like all the other stations, following the implementation of the 1972 FM station treaty which came into effect at that time. The date the treaty would have gone into effect would have stipulated the frequency changes for all the affected stations.

Hey Raymie:

In the research I found XETRA was listed as 91.1 on all of the lists. I remember reading about 91.3 but on all the lists it was 91.1. But as I just re looked at the lists you are right!!!! THANK YOU Raymie!!! 1971 list had it as 91.3 3,000 WATTS. 1975 list it was 91.1 100,000 WATTS.

I also think that was the same for XHRM-FM. It stared out as 99.3. then in 1974 went to 92.5. I looked back on the FM lists and XHRM was listed as 99.3 then went to 92.5.

Good catch!! Thank you.
Tommy C.