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WAMW (AM), WAMW-FM, WFML, and WWBL in Washington/Vincennes

PTBoardOp94

PTBoardOp94

I happened upon this photo when I felt like seeing what was going on at WAMW-FM.

I know that is the tower site for WWBL today. (I've spent a lot of time in that tower's shadow with Griffith right there) Its also the night site for WAMW (AM), ND with a whopping 5 watts.

I know WAMW has a two tower DA near the Daviess/Knox county line, and WAMW-FM is full time (Directional?) at that site.

I see from FCC data that WAMW-FM and today's WFML signed on in the mid-late 80s.

So WWBL's original call sign was WFML? FCC Database doesn't go back to 1948 (IRW reports February), when I know 106.5 Washington signed on. And how long has the ownership of operating rights to WAMW and 106.5 been split? Only since the late 90s maybe? What formats were on the station(s) in the past? To add to the mystery, Indiana RadioWatch reports that the AM signed on in 1955.

Next time I'm in Washington, I ought to stop in at the Steamer and chat with Bill Greene. Haven't had the opportunity to talk to him in over a year.

Lot of things don't add up with what I'm seeing at IRW. Says that 106.5 signed on with 14,000 watts in 1950, which conflicts with what I think I know...

In any case, 1948 or 1950 would make it 106.5 one of the oldest FM stations in Indiana...predates WTTS, WFBQ, WNOU ... actually, I think it predates all of the Indy stations.

Hope you can parse this long-winded post! Thanks :)
 
According to my research, 106.5 in Washington is indeed one of the longest running FMs in the state.
100.7 Evansville was the first on the air April 1, 1947. WMDH New Castle came next August 6, 1947. Then in October 1947 WLBC-FM Muncie signed on. 100.3 Connersville hit the air February 27, 1948. Washington's 106.5 also started broadcasting in February 1948. Other 1948 starts include WRSW-FM Warsaw, 104.1 Evansville August 28, 1948, 99.9 Terre Haute October 1948, WMRI-FM Marion, December 19, 1948. There were also some educational FMs on the air in the late 40s and early 50s. Butler put WAJC-FM 104.5 on September 25, 1950, Jasper's 104.7 came on November 1, 1954. WFMS started March 17, 1957, WFBM-FM
(now WFBQ) November 26, 1959. WKKG Columbus came on in 1958. WTTS signed on January 7, 1960 and WNOU started as WIBC-FM December 5, 1960.

(side note: FMs in New Castle, Marion, Warsaw and possibly others signed on BEFORE their companion AMs.)
 
Dig a little deeper...I think you'll find WKKG was on 93.7 in 1948. The tower blew over around 1953(?) and the FM was not rebuilt at that time. When it returned, it was at a lower power and perhaps on 98.3. I want to say the "original" WKKG (WCSI-FM) had about 70KW. When I moved here & became CE of WCSI FM in 1977, it had been on 101.5 for quite some time. If you could research this a little deeper, I'd find it interesting reading...
 
Columbus at 93.7 WCSI , later added WCSI AM, signed on with a 500 foot tower and high power. 1958 is not when they signed on however. if AM came first they would not have a 500 foot tower.

The tower fell in 1960 and they decided not to rebuild. There will never be any money in FM....

Co owned with Wabash I believe. 1947 is the date on the sketch of the tower and quonset hut on Carr Hill Rd.

Evansville originally had translator like calls. W266 something, later WMLL Martin Leich. According to engineering Transmitter logs they had operated earlier on the original Armstrong 42 Mhz band and modified the transmitter later.

Original antenna built by ESI, you may have heard of them, later called ERI.
 
BobOnTheJob said:
Dig a little deeper...I think you'll find WKKG was on 93.7 in 1948. The tower blew over around 1953(?) and the FM was not rebuilt at that time. When it returned, it was at a lower power and perhaps on 98.3. I want to say the "original" WKKG (WCSI-FM) had about 70KW. When I moved here & became CE of WCSI FM in 1977, it had been on 101.5 for quite some time. If you could research this a little deeper, I'd find it interesting reading...
Click to expand...

Researched this in High school. microfiche at the library of the 1960 tower collapse and they referenced the high power. 70,000 Watts I think is right. Picture of the tower on the ground on the front page.
 
ChiefEngineer said:
Columbus at 93.7 WCSI , later added WCSI AM, signed on with a 500 foot tower and high power. 1958 is not when they signed on however. if AM came first they would not have a 500 foot tower.
Click to expand...

WCSI 1010 couldn't have signed on until later in the '50s. 1010 was WSUA Bloomington from about 1948-51.

Evansville originally had translator like calls. W266 something, later WMLL Martin Leich. According to engineering Transmitter logs they had operated earlier on the original Armstrong 42 Mhz band and modified the transmitter later.
Click to expand...

Some info from Jeff Miller's Broadcast History site: Evansville had W45V 44.5 MHz (later WMLL 94.7). It, W49FW 44.9 (WOWO-FM 94.9) Ft. Wayne, and W71SB 47.1 (WSBF 101.3) South Bend were the only FM station in Indiana on the pre-war FM band AFAIK. 1946 calls and frequencies are in parentheses.

W45V was the first commercially-licensed FM station in Indiana, starting up in 1940, although W71SB/WSBF had been on the air as W9XH on 26.05 MHz in the 11 meter shortwave band (called "Apex" in those days) in 1939. Apex stations were AM, not FM, IIRC.
 
Keith,

VERY Interesting. I remember calls with numbers in them.

At WMLL/WGBF the Conelrad folks had built a bomb shelter in their transmitter building. This and the propane generator kept us safe from the russians. In the bomb shelter with the moldy food were the logbooks dating back to 1928 when WGBF signed on. Built their own transmitter. Irwin Schoeny was a sprite 17 year old when WGBF signed on and kept the books after the original chief retired. In 1986 when I was chief the original chief was still rising around town on a bicycle. Faye Gehres was his name I recall now.

Many notes about the cowbell singal on another station for NBC blue and red programs.

I didn't understand then about the original Fm band on 40 megacycles. Many notes about transmitter readings with a channel indication. It's been 30 years though so I forgot what channel.

These logs were kept almost methodical and regular since 1928 or maybe earlier. Each station and transmitter had it's own log. Saw some ham calls on one of the logbooks. Remember the pre WGBF calls???

The reason the Fm wasn't rebuilt in Columbus was the AM. I know that it was on by 1960 when the tower fell. Rebuilt for the AM but not to 500 feet to include FM.

Thanks for the site link.
 
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