Newbie on board

[jcs]

Hello!

I am a newbie on these boards! I live in Dayton, the one north of Cincinnati (not the one in Kentucky!). I am here to discuss radio!

Here are my favorite stations:

WRRM "Warm 98" 98.5
WLQT "Lite" 99.9 (Dayton's answer to "Warm 98")
WMMX "Mix" 107.7 (Dayton's answer to WVMX 94.1)

WSM 650, Nashville, Tennessee (which comes in clearly at night)
WMRI 860, Marion, Indiana
WRFD "The Word" 880, Columbus
WMNI 920, Columbus (which I can only hear east of I-675)
WERT 1220, Van Wert (which I can only hear north of Greenville and Troy)
WHIO 1290 (mainly for Rush 12-3)


James

 

[NewtotheNasti]

Word of advice: Do not, under absolutely any circumstances, refer to Cincinnati as "The Nasti"--it riles up the regulars

Just teasin'--welcome on board!

 

[hipporadio]

Hello! I am a newbie on these boards... I am here to discuss radio!

WELCOME James... Always happy to draw another radio-lover for a new-arrival at the party. This can be a place for a delightful (and reminiscent) exchange of information—sometimes (and unfortunately) mitigated by those with an age or agenda complex. ‘Just remember—“radio is good”—even IF it occurred in a bygone era!

You present an interesting collage of “favorite stations”... I can say “I’ve heard every one—but every one would not be a personal favorite"—but that’s the very paradigm that radio is challenged with.

Please allow me to reflect on a few of your stations and their rich history...

EXCLUDE the FMs—there’s NOTHING of “substance” happening there—as is the case (unfortunately) in many other locales.

WSM 650, Nashville, Tennessee...

Of all radio stations—this is a true national treasure. Gaylord is in a very unique position (owning The Grand ‘Ole Opry and OpryLand) to program a music AM station in the “country capital” of Nashville. Its facilities are second-to-none—its AM on-air quality is the same. Engineers there pursue and can take much pride in the quality and coverage of that AM signal. NO PLACE else is so much emphasis and pride placed on that... And MAN—I’m awed by that B-Knox antenna east of Nashville!

WRFD "The Word" 880, Columbus

Used to be WNCI’s AM station? Awesome signal—even more today with their elevated power... I can hear it clearly in Indianapolis, IN—but daytime only—NEVER a prayer for nighttime due to WCBS. The first PD (Denny Nugent) I worked for left our local station to become WRFD's PD back in the mid-70s as an AC programmer (he later went on to 840 WHAS Louisville). Denny was the “calmest” PD I have ever run into—and a very good guy! He gave me my first job as a part-timer on weekends when I was in college. One Saturday, I just decided as my “snot-nosed self” to play “all-oldies” on the AM I worked for him at. My shift ended at 3PM—at which time he showed up CASUALLY in the studio to say “GOOD SHOW—but the next time you want to change our station’s format—please ask me first—NOW—when you’re back tomorrow—please play the “red—blue—and yellow dots on our format wheel”. I kept my job thanks to that respectful, copasetic, and open-minded man.

WMRI 860, Marion, Indiana

This station harbors a lot of Indiana radio history. Situated in Marion—decimated by recent factory closings and a depressed economy—860 established its history as Top-40 WGOM in a bygone era. I’m going to take a stab (which may be wrong)... That station was owned by local businessman, Louis Dissinger for MANY years. He also owned 106.9 WMRI—originally Beautiful Music for his “club friends”—and later expanded state-wide as a B/M—smooth jazz—lite AC simulcast delivered via ISDN line in the 90s to several other owned stations in Indiana (Terra Haute’s 102.7, South Bend area’s 96.9, and Lafayette’s 95.3) as a “regional radio station”. The “empire” was dissolved, and later the 106.9 (WMRI) signal was moved south after a sale to serve the college-community of Muncie as a rock station. The WMRI calls replaced the heritage 860 WGOM AM calls and its Music of Your Life format is there now.

So here’s a question... 860 began its life as a day-timer on the Canadian Clear Channel at 1kw ND. Later, I recall it going to 2.5kw ND. After the “Canadian Agreement”—it built reduced-power nighttime facilities into a new three-tower array... And today—it’s daytime power is back to 1kw... WHAT happened here? The current WMRI facilities cannot place a nighttime signal on I-69—a few miles east of their site at night (I suppose they cover a small portion of Marion). Today, the 1400/99.3 entity seems to dominate that market. 1400 WBAT has one of the best Class D AM signals I have experienced—receivable at 20-miles at night and 60-miles day.

WHIO 1290 (mainly for Rush 12-3)

They seem to have given up on their “regional” facilities... Rightfully so considering all the “loosey-goosey” PSA/PSSA operation of half-legged “daytimers” operating at night on their frequency that (collectively) have “done in” most regional 5kw AM signals during periods of twilight. WHIO does a good job (politics aside—but I like Boortz), but their once-prould signal just doesn’t “cut it” anymore—hence the move to 95.7FM.

OK James... Contribute more!

[Hippo]

 

[jcs]

This station [WMRI 860, Marion, Indiana] harbors a lot of Indiana radio history. Situated in Marion—decimated by recent factory closings and a depressed economy—860 established its history as Top-40 WGOM in a bygone era. I’m going to take a stab (which may be wrong)... That station was owned by local businessman, Louis Dissinger for MANY years. He also owned 106.9 WMRI—originally Beautiful Music for his “club friends”—and later expanded state-wide as a B/M—smooth jazz—lite AC simulcast delivered via ISDN line in the 90s to several other owned stations in Indiana (Terra Haute’s 102.7, South Bend area’s 96.9, and Lafayette’s 95.3) as a “regional radio station”. The “empire” was dissolved, and later the 106.9 (WMRI) signal was moved south after a sale to serve the college-community of Muncie as a rock station. The WMRI calls replaced the heritage 860 WGOM AM calls and its Music of Your Life format is there now.

So here’s a question... 860 began its life as a day-timer on the Canadian Clear Channel at 1kw ND. Later, I recall it going to 2.5kw ND. After the “Canadian Agreement”—it built reduced-power nighttime facilities into a new three-tower array... And today—it’s daytime power is back to 1kw... WHAT happened here? The current WMRI facilities cannot place a nighttime signal on I-69—a few miles east of their site at night (I suppose they cover a small portion of Marion). Today, the 1400/99.3 entity seems to dominate that market. 1400 WBAT has one of the best Class D AM signals I have experienced—receivable at 20-miles at night and 60-miles day.

I have tried to tune in to WMRI 860 at night, only to get a signal I can barely hear. The words sound French, which tells me it's from Quebec, Canada.

 

[alans613]

Hello!

I am a newbie on these boards! I live in Dayton, the one north of Cincinnati (not the one in Kentucky!). I am here to discuss radio!

Here are my favorite stations:


WLQT "Lite" 99.9 (Dayton's answer to "Warm 98")
WMMX "Mix" 107.7 (Dayton's answer to WVMX 94.1)

James, you had listed many more stations than this, but here's a brief history of both of those two aforementioned stations:
WLQT "Lite 99.9" was once known as College Station WVUD, which was owned by the University of Dayton. At one point, they were the closest thing to CHR/Top 40/Pop in Dayton, until Z-93 signed on on 3-15-1984(Their first song was "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, BTW). 'VUD eventually adopted the WLQT calls in 1990 I believe.
WMMX "Mix 107.7" was once the FM home of heritage WDAO. It was an Urban station at that time, in the early part of the 80s. Around 1985, WDAO's FM signal was sold, and the calls and format were changed to WWSN/Star 107.7 and AC. In the early 90s, Hot AC was emerging from the ashes of CHR/Pop and Randy James, the PD at the time, changed the station to Hot AC and the calls to WMMX/Mix 107.7. After James departed, Jeff Ballentine took over the reigns of 'MMX. Ballentine left around 98 and was replaced at the PD helm by Jeff Stevens(Who was also the PD of WXEG/The X at the time as well). The station evolved a TON throughout the 90s, from featuring oldies in the regular playlist to their current 80s-90s-today position. Some former voices of 'MMX: Allen Rantz(Middays), Bob Sweeney(Mornings 93-04), The Tall Guys(Mornings), Todd Hollst(Overnights), Fred Tomlinson(Nights), Dean Taylor(Afternoons), Trent Darby(Overnights), Brian "Rocco" Bruchey(MIX Morning Show Producer), and current WDTN TV-2's "Sunrise" anchor, Dan Edwards, who did afternoons in the late 80s/early 90s.

 

[gr8oldies]

Don't forget WVUD's AOR/Progressive days in the early 70s which launched the careers of WLW's Mike McConnell and former WISH-TV Indianapolis personality Patty Spitler. Apparently enough of an audience to persuade then top 40 WTUE to flip to AOR in August 1975. WVUD switched to top 40 a couple of years later.

I'm pretty sure the change of WDAO to the AM side and the birth of WWSN was around 1982 but if someone knows the exact date they can post that. Seemed that it was around the same time that WVKO in Columbus made a similar move (what's now Sunny 95).

 

[Inventor989]

1- James, welcome!

2- The French station on 860 is CJBC out of Toronto. Their website is www.toronto.cbc.ca

 

[jcs]

James, you had listed many more stations than this, but here's a brief history of both of those two aforementioned stations:
WLQT "Lite 99.9" was once known as College Station WVUD, which was owned by the University of Dayton. At one point, they were the closest thing to CHR/Top 40/Pop in Dayton, until Z-93 signed on on 3-15-1984(Their first song was "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, BTW). 'VUD eventually adopted the WLQT calls in 1990 I believe.

I believe WVUD billed itself as "Lite 100." IIRC they also had news on the hour in the late 1980s.

 

[RadioBill]

I believe WVUD billed itself as "Lite 100." IIRC they also had news on the hour in the late 1980s.

Back around 1970, I recall it being " W V U D , THE radio station".

 

[FRR]

Welcome to the boards. This is a great way to meet and discuss the local happenings in Tri State radio. Be careful though. Some of these folks get real upset if you give an opinion, instead of just stating facts and statistics. I get the feeling that many of our participants work in radio and really take comments personally, instead of simply accepting them as "just an opinion". I'm not in the business, just love radio, or should I say, what radio used to be. Lots of knowledgeable folks here, that's for sure. Enjoy