Retro Radio Broadcasts: WNCX and WGAR December 1990

[Scott2011]

The quality is not the best because A) these airchecks were found on a 21-year-old cassette tape and B) I don't have the proper equipment to capture cassette tape audio directly to my computer (although I know there's a way to do it), but I still think these are worth sharing if you're a Northeast Ohio native.

98.5 WNCX (Mad Dogs and Englishmen):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDg6u0Ksc4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAbJ9_c2E60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spyolH7N8h0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LuMYI-LdqE

99.5 WGAR (Dave and Lucy):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BEfdME51d4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oJEwuOqcZc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o2RPcheExE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VIwxSGqdaA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slG9SjJCan0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1ZLcbLM864
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ro4GA2kj5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph-ZkoI6KO0

Among the songs featured throughout the tape were "Hollywood Nights" by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, "All of Me" by Willie Nelson, "Crazy in Love" by Conway Twitty, "American Boy" by Eddie Rabbitt, "Old Flame" by Alabama, "These Eyes" by the Guess Who, "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas, "Home" by Joe Diffie, and a few others I don't know (maybe you guys can help me identify some of them listening to the song clips at the beginning and end of the videos).

 

[Bongwater]

Not to complain, but I can barely understand these.

But here's the solution you need.

All you really need is a double-ended 1/8 RCA male stereo headphone plug from your local electronic emporium (or you can slash that price, if you don't mind the wait) by ordering one off eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-5-3-5-MM-MALE...er_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item4aa54c626a

This will let you hook up your portable tape deck (or Walkman) to your computer's line-in jack (the blue one)

You'll be using the headphone jack of the tape deck. So ride it's volume output and pay VERY close attention to your levels on your computer's end (we'll get to the FREE software in a second.) Takes some trial and error on both ends. You're not going to get the best quality sound this way, but in a pinch, you should have something acceptable.

For BEST results, use a component tape deck, add one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2x-3-5mm-Headph...740?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf8066374

....and plug it into the output of the tape deck.

There's other things like the volume level of the original recording and condition of the tape (I think I heard some squealing on the first one.) But overall, the results should be MUCH better.....

Now the software,

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

This is pretty much all you need. It won't take long before you figure it all out......

 

[radioman148]

Audacity is OK, but IMO, Total Recorder is much better software for recording onto your PC.

 

[Bongwater]

Audacity is OK, but IMO, Total Recorder is much better software for recording onto your PC.

Whatever works. I just explained the nuts and bolts of it. The important thing is to remember to ALWAYS make a safety copy of your original file BEFORE you get fancy with the editing, processing and effects. Because your newfound power will soon become hours of fun before you know it (echo, phasing, reverse, vinyl effect, etc.....) But in the end, you have to get back to business.....

 

[radioman148]

Audacity is OK, but IMO, Total Recorder is much better software for recording onto your PC.

Whatever works. I just explained the nuts and bolts of it. The important thing is to remember to ALWAYS make a safety copy of your original file BEFORE you get fancy with the editing, processing and effects. Because your newfound power will soon become hours of fun before you know it (echo, phasing, reverse, vinyl effect, etc.....) But in the end, you have to get back to business.....

Good advice--save your original recording.