Old radio stations; What happened to their stuff?

[PSAIRCHECKS]

I have not logged on for a long long time but check in regularly to read up. Kinda slow lately so I thought maybe I could ask something I've wanted to know for a long long time...

I know everything is pretty much digital now but back in the day, when a station moved, shut down, changed format...What typically happened to all the stuff like equipment, records - tapes - reels, station momentos, pictures on the wall, etc.?

I hope this will bring forth some cool stories from those who were there. Thanks.

 

[Shiny Knob]

I know there's always some useful memorabilia at almost any station. But I have to note that most of the places I've ever worked, they would be lucky if the GOTJUNK guys would haul it off without a surcharge.

But in my garage, I have the actual Ampex reel to reel roll about console that Chuck Blore and Don Richman recorded most of their award winning radio commercials on in the 60s and early 70s. Not much call for those anymore.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

You guys who are still in the business... you guys that are young... TAKE PICTURES. Pick up some memorabilia along the way. I just plain don't have a scrapbook of my years. I didn't understand that there would come a day when you come back and nothing is there any more. And maybe nothing left to show your children or take a picture but a vacant lot.

 

[fybush]

Take pictures of radio stations, you say, Goat?

Interesting idea... ;D

(All kidding aside - there are a few of us out there who make a specialty out of what we lovingly call "dog rescues," finding homes for station memorabilia that would otherwise find its next address in the nearest dumpster. Some of us have even been known to grab material right out of those dumpsters when necessary.)

 

[xmtrland]

Just gave my www.vashonradio.com site a make over and added some more pictures to the KOMO am transmitter site (more RCA Pictures more on the way). Near the end of the pictures is an old Ampex rr.

Click on the link for the "Vashon Tower Tour" menu link. Added pictures of the KVI transmitters. Got the call letter change on KFNQ and it's new Nautel fitted inside the old Harris MW-50 frame (you have to see it to beleive it). I just finished with the site update last night so enjoy.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I've done a lot of "dumpster diving" when a station flipped, cleaned closets, etc. simply because I knew it WOULD make it to a landfill otherwise. Many good people have helped me in that effort too by collecting and passing it along. Share your enthusiasm for preserving history!

(And DEFINITELY appreciate all the effort you do, Scott ... your collection of photos, clips, etc. is fascinating!)

 

[bossbill]

I've got a couple hundred ScotchCart/Audiopac/Fidelipac tape cartridges which will be tossed in the dumpster soon, unless somebody makes the drive to Aberdeen.

 

[Bongwater]

I was actually GIVEN things like cart decks, carts and cart racks, a Shure SM5B mic (virtually brand new!) and a Teac reel to reel (this was about 20 years ago.) I just got lucky in those cases. In most others, they got donated to the neediest college stations or trashed.

 

[scott salvatori]

in the early 90's, soon to be eliminated AM country KWYZ, held an auction to pawn off several decades of radio station memorabilia/records in everett. a mass amount of radio station copies of classic country vinyl from the late 60's through the early 80's, found a good home with me.

for those interested in old classic radio station logos on shirts, coffee cups, hats, etc, check out:radiologoland.com. i heard the owner interviewed on rollye james show several years ago. seattle radio fans check out old KJR logo stuff from 63/75/80, and KOL logo'd attire from 66.

 

[Shiny Knob]

I've got a couple hundred ScotchCart/Audiopac/Fidelipac tape cartridges which will be tossed in the dumpster soon, unless somebody makes the drive to Aberdeen.

I heard on the radio that the carts are cheaper if you make the drive to Aberdeen!

 

[IndigoCoyote]

Indeed. "Aberdeen, where carts cost less."

 

[mimo]

Back in the late 80's when CKCK 620 Regina went from LP's to CD's...they gave away all the vinyl they had ever played (they still had almost all of it) away to listeners. Old 78's all the way to late 80's rock on vinyl. Including some Elvis 78's.

 

[swhyde1980]

I've wondered what happened to KBTC-FM's equipment after Bates sold the station. I guess that would be a question that could be directed to Willie Kelly over there, who still teaches the Audio Production program at the South Campus.

 

[bossbill]

Well, we have a couple of young office girls (mid-20s). It took me a while to explain how we used these carts, with commercials and songs on them. All they know are the computer automation systems. Fortunately, my General Manager, in her mid-30s, remembers them from when we bought our first station 15 years ago. At that time the station had finally embraced the Digilink, but still played commercials from cart during football games.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Well, we have a couple of young office girls (mid-20s). It took me a while to explain how we used these carts, with commercials and songs on them.

I was blasting my way across the Alabama country-side just a few years ago to meet with a broker about a station. I was making good time and felt I had the "luxury of time" when I stumbled across a radio station out in a cow pasture. Looked like it had been built some time in the 1950s and nothing had been changed through the years. I drove in and found my way to the front door. Inside: ditto. No change since maybe the 50s. Delightful young lady looked up from her desk and greeted me. I asked if I "could see the place." Not much going on here, she said. Walked me into the 1950s control room which now had about 7 cheap computers wired together with a spider-web of patch cords. It was an interesting home-made automation. And the U-shaped consold desk was piled about 18 inches deep in un-opened mail.

She and I had an animated conversation about the place and like a doting grandfather I was oooh-ing and aaaah-ing over things I spotted. She figured that out and announced there was one more thing I should see: "Under all this stuff we have 'one of those record-player-thingies' but I don't know anything about how they worked." And there it was.... a nice turntable with a tone-arm bent like the proverbial camel's-back from the weight of all the un-opened mail. I gave her a quick tutorial on the art of slip-cueing a "record-thingie" and headed on down the road to find the broker.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

I can still remember the smell of those old radio studios, where the moldy LP covers mixed with the dust and that hemp-like vinyl smell. Throw in an old RCA ribbon mic, the heat from the transmitter and the rumbling AP teletype machine in an old phone booth and you've got the picture of my first station in the 1970s. Smack in the middle of a sheep pasture with four tall towers our back of the old depot that served as the studio for WMGS outside of Perrysburg, Ohio "Lime City."

There's a lot of them there old LPs that I sure wish I could access today. Stations that throw out all that old stuff when they make a format or technology change are throwing out a lot of history, some of which may become valuable collectors items. A lot of those out of print albums have not been digitized and some priceless music is being lost. Even if it's not part of the 300-song playlists that pass for music radio today, it's still worthy of some respect. Even the dozens of albums put out by the four-part gospel harmony Chuck Wagon Gang, stuff that nobody seemed to know what to do with at the time, seem kinda nostalgic to me now.

Has anybody on this list been inside the faux "K-BHR" studio in Roslyn, that was used in Northern Exposure? Is it still there? Does it smell like a real old radio station, and is there some worthwhile stuff that perhaps someone up there with time on their hands could digitize and turn into a virtual "K-Bear" online station, where you can be your own "Chris in the Morning" -- for anyone who still goes for that kind of do it yourself DJ thing.

 

[radioboy]

This topic brings back years of memories and situations.

First little AM I worked at had all their music on 45s and a handful of LPs. When it was sold, the
new owner took it to the MOYL format on reels. Eventually I was able to retrieve some of that music
when the station moved to a new location and left the records behind. Hundreds of light pop, soft oldies and some country titles there.

Another station was switching to a satellite service and getting rid of their vinyl music library. Mom and I came back with over 600 albums, in great condition, as they had put most of their music on cart.

A former country station owner had sold his station, but kept the music. He donated it to me saying "If you will just usse some of this and share it with your listeners, you can have it." There were decades of country, southern and country gospel records in his collection.

Lastly, another local AM station where I worked desperately wanted their transmitter building cleared out. I offered to do it for free, and was given a Spotmaster 5 deck cart machine and later, that station's music collection.

I was not gathering these to hoard. I have an internet station and am trying to get an LPFM in North Florida (thread about Big D Radio in Tallahassee Democrat on the N. Florida board) has a link to my story.

In quite a few cases, I have found the owners or engineers to be helpful, so I am hopeful that we can continue to be on friendly terms.

 

[crainbebo]

Bill, about your carts - do they have recorded material on them? Vintage KBKW stuff? Oh goodie...

-crainbebo

 

[Wonderfulwino]

The foulest smelling station I ever gigged at was KORD Pasco in the 70's. Wally Nezcog's little write-off. Mold, cow shit and cigar/cigarette smoke, all night jock B.O. all rolled into one fine aroma. Not to mention occasional "electronic smells" to add to it. Stuff was always shorting out and throwing breakers. Engineering basketcase nightmare throughout. The transmitter for the A.M. was in a small nearby pasture that had a mean as hell bull cow in it. Horns and all. Hated people. You had to run like a mofo the 150 feet to the blockhouse door, unlock it and slam it shut otherwise this critter would catch up and spear you. I was so happy when Bill Whipple fired me.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

The foulest smelling station I ever gigged at was KORD Pasco in the 70's. Wally Nezcog's little write-off. Mold, cow shit and cigar/cigarette smoke,

Yup. That one sounds like it was a real "winner"! NOT!

I don't remember the smell of records and albums... but I do remember the smell of cigarette smoke! So many little stations had a control room / studio lined with the Celotex white tile will all the little holes lined up like peg-board. Apparently Celotex and cigarette smoke had an attraction for each other. It wasn't quite as bad during the day with things running, doors opening and closing, maybe some air conditioning running, but when you walked into a station at 5 or 5:30 A.M. and started turning the stuff on and prepping for sign-on.... the smell of second-hand, stale, composted cigarette smoke still remains as the trade-mark, the mascot, of the broadcasting industry.