Years back, mid 1970s, WGUS had a ten pot Collins console used for the AM studio.
Does anyone happen to have any photos of the AM studio showing the console?
Does anyone happen to have any photos of the AM studio showing the console?
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WGUS, North Augusta - Collins console
- Thread starter RadioFan2J3
- Start date
Hey guy I have some pics somewhere I don't know if its of the board you're talking about but I'll look! What is your email?
Thanks for the offer.
[email protected]
The period I am looking for is 1974-1976, but probably earlier is fine. About the time WGUS had Dave Hensley, Wayne Roberts, Bruce Moyers and Gary Starr on the air.
[email protected]
The period I am looking for is 1974-1976, but probably earlier is fine. About the time WGUS had Dave Hensley, Wayne Roberts, Bruce Moyers and Gary Starr on the air.
Watch your e-mail for photo.
Jiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket said:Watch your e-mail for photo.
Jiminy Cricket
Thanks. You don't happen to have another photo showing the full console, left to right, do you?
Let me tell you why I am asking. For the longest time, I've always thought the WGUS console had ten pots, similar to the Collins 212A-1 series, but the 212A didn't look right, and the 212E was only 9 pots.
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/collins-sdo.htm
Per this web site photo, the 212A does seem to have 10 pots.
In looking at the WGUS console, looks like pot #5 is centered on the meters, four visible pots to the right, and probably four to the left. So it doesn't seem like it should have 10 pots, only nine. So, unless Collins managed to put 5 pots on the left, which would be an "interesting" layout, I guess I've always figured I was wrong, and that console is really only 9 pots. It has only been 35 years since I'd worked that console at WGUS and maybe I added one pot, similar to the number of years I've added since then. I always did like those up-down key switches. Seemed to me with the CR mike on the far left pot, moving it up felt so natural.
By 1974, the five-spot Spotmaster was on the other side, IIRC.
Great if you happen to have another photo, but none-the-less, thanks for sending that shot.
Yes, the WGUS Board does appear to have ten main pots. A photo with Dave Hensley operating is coming you way.
WGUS FM & AM were simulcasting when these photos were snapped in late 1973. I think they split the stations apart in early 1974 and changed the call of the FM and the format.
Jiminy Cricket
WGUS FM & AM were simulcasting when these photos were snapped in late 1973. I think they split the stations apart in early 1974 and changed the call of the FM and the format.
Jiminy Cricket
Looks like only nine pots in a photo with Martin Scott (night guy). Note that the five-spot has been moved in this snapshot which is on the way.
Ran that board for a year or so. Forgot about the cart machines being moved. Liked the sequencer where one could load all five bays and have them autostart through the sequence. First station I worked where it was set up that way.
Ran that board for a year or so. Forgot about the cart machines being moved. Liked the sequencer where one could load all five bays and have them autostart through the sequence. First station I worked where it was set up that way.
Jiminy Cricket said:Yes, the WGUS Board does appear to have ten main pots. A photo with Dave Hensley operating is coming you way.
WGUS FM & AM were simulcasting when these photos were snapped in late 1973. I think they split the stations apart in early 1974 and changed the call of the FM and the format.
Jiminy Cricket
I think it really is only a nine pot board. If you look at the red Dymo labels on the pots and compare the first photo you emailed me with the Dave photo, looks like only nine pots. For the life of me, I can't remember why I ever thought it had ten pots. Senility is tough at 63!
The FM went to an automated beautiful music operation. The automation system was back behind the FM transmitter, four or five racks, I can't remember exactly. There weren't a lot of those systems built. Some outfit in Texas was making them, and it used a PDP-11 computer to run things. Seems to me, and going way back in memory, the company that made the system also supplied the reel-to-reel music.
I don't fully remember the automation make-up, 3-5 Revox decks for the R-R music, 2-3 Carousel tape systems for all the spots and announcements, and ITC three decker, top one for the legal ID and I think one of the other two slots may have been the weather cart. I do know the first rack on the left had the PDP-11 and control system.
The call stayed the same, WGUS-FM, but everything during the hour other than the station ID, it was 102G. I am thinking the AM was licensed to North Augusta, but the FM was licensed to Augusta.
Dave was looking kind of young in that 1973 era photo. Larry Sandlin was probably taking care of things at that point.
Thanks for the photos.
Jiminy Cricket said:Looks like only nine pots in a photo with Martin Scott (night guy). Note that the five-spot has been moved in this snapshot which is on the way.
Ran that board for a year or so. Forgot about the cart machines being moved. Liked the sequencer where one could load all five bays and have them autostart through the sequence. First station I worked where it was set up that way.
I was trying to remember the normal use of the nine pots. I do recall the Spotmaster had slots 1, 3 and 5 on one pot with 2 and 4 on the next pot over. CR mike was #1 and maybe the two turntables were the pots directly under the meters.
Again, thanks for the photos, it will help me try to figure out exactly what model console it was.
It was 102G on FM. When I left in December 1973, they were just getting ready to split the stations and change the FM call. They were doing C&W with simulcast until sundown and continuing C&W on FM until sign-off at 12:05AM
I remember WGAC starting C&W at night in October or November 1973. Possibly nudged WGUS operators to abandon country music after sundown and split the stations. WGUS FM/AM combo ruled the ratings for C&W format during 1973. WFNL 1600 and a C&W station in Aiken were competition but neither had much audience.
I think the legal ID during simulcast was WGUS North Augusta (SC) and WGUS Augusta (GA). For a while, it was followed by an explosion and "Dynamite In Dixie" voiced by Tony Scott.
I do remember that the five-spot cart machine fed two board channels. The two TT controls under the meters with CR mike and a remote input control to the left. Might have been another channel for the MARTI.
Good memories. I was assigned to Ft. Gordon. GIs in our company moonlighted at WGUS, WGAC and WBIA. Live announcers and little automation. WZZW-FM just up Carolina Springs Rd. from WGUS had automated Drake "hit parade."
I remember WGAC starting C&W at night in October or November 1973. Possibly nudged WGUS operators to abandon country music after sundown and split the stations. WGUS FM/AM combo ruled the ratings for C&W format during 1973. WFNL 1600 and a C&W station in Aiken were competition but neither had much audience.
I think the legal ID during simulcast was WGUS North Augusta (SC) and WGUS Augusta (GA). For a while, it was followed by an explosion and "Dynamite In Dixie" voiced by Tony Scott.
I do remember that the five-spot cart machine fed two board channels. The two TT controls under the meters with CR mike and a remote input control to the left. Might have been another channel for the MARTI.
Good memories. I was assigned to Ft. Gordon. GIs in our company moonlighted at WGUS, WGAC and WBIA. Live announcers and little automation. WZZW-FM just up Carolina Springs Rd. from WGUS had automated Drake "hit parade."
J
JOHN-GANTT
Guest
Hi Jiminy Cricket. Dave was an old friend of mine. Worked with him a while at WMTZ. recently heard of his passing a while back from another friend. I have been in Columbia, SC for some time and lost touch with a few old radio friends. Could you email me a pic of Dave at the console that you have please? for some reason I always thought that console was an RCA like the first one I worked at WCOS years ago. They almost looked the same. Thanks for the pic in advance if you don't mind. My email is [email protected]
I am sad to hear that Dave Hensley is no longer with us, Vapman.
He was a fun guy to be around and to work for. When I did the Sunday night shift at WGUS, Dave left me a taped one-hour segment called "For Lovers Only" or something to that effect. He did narrations with song clips interspersed. It ran from 11PM til midnight sign-off. The audience response on the phones was amazing.
Dave never let his severe physical handicap get him down and he was an inspiration to me and others at the station.
The photo is on the way. Great to hear from another who worked with Dave.
He was a fun guy to be around and to work for. When I did the Sunday night shift at WGUS, Dave left me a taped one-hour segment called "For Lovers Only" or something to that effect. He did narrations with song clips interspersed. It ran from 11PM til midnight sign-off. The audience response on the phones was amazing.
Dave never let his severe physical handicap get him down and he was an inspiration to me and others at the station.
The photo is on the way. Great to hear from another who worked with Dave.
Count me as another Big Gus alumnus who'd love a copy of the pictures (I'll graciously accept any nostalgic radio photos). Send 'em to: [email protected].
I worked there in 1974. Wayne Roberts had been made PD, and Dave was music director. Dave did 6A-9A and I did the news. At 9A, I took the board 'till Noon. I do remember the Collins board (WBBQ had one that was identical), the Spotmaster 5-deck and the two Collins turntables. The AM transmitter was a Collins 20V-2. WGUS-FM (102-G) used a CCA transmitter.
I was Bob Walker, and Dave loved calling me "Skinny Bobby Walker". At the time, I didn't know who Skinny Bobby Harper was, but I played it to the hilt. It was natural - I was 6' 2" and weighed about 135.
Big Gus was very much in modern country mode. The jingles were acapellas from a PAMS Top-40 package. Dave had quite a few crossovers in hot rotation, including "If Not For You" from Olivia Newton-John, "When The Mornin' Comes" by Hoyt Axton and Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown".
See my (Jay Braswell) Facebook page for a big bunch of radio pictures, including a couple showing the front of the W-GUS studios on Carolina Springs Road and the W-GUS studio on wheels (in a VW micro-bus).
I left (after paychecks were several days late arriving from Nashville) to do the all-night country at WGAC. I hated 3 o'clock in the morning!
I worked there in 1974. Wayne Roberts had been made PD, and Dave was music director. Dave did 6A-9A and I did the news. At 9A, I took the board 'till Noon. I do remember the Collins board (WBBQ had one that was identical), the Spotmaster 5-deck and the two Collins turntables. The AM transmitter was a Collins 20V-2. WGUS-FM (102-G) used a CCA transmitter.
I was Bob Walker, and Dave loved calling me "Skinny Bobby Walker". At the time, I didn't know who Skinny Bobby Harper was, but I played it to the hilt. It was natural - I was 6' 2" and weighed about 135.
Big Gus was very much in modern country mode. The jingles were acapellas from a PAMS Top-40 package. Dave had quite a few crossovers in hot rotation, including "If Not For You" from Olivia Newton-John, "When The Mornin' Comes" by Hoyt Axton and Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown".
See my (Jay Braswell) Facebook page for a big bunch of radio pictures, including a couple showing the front of the W-GUS studios on Carolina Springs Road and the W-GUS studio on wheels (in a VW micro-bus).
I left (after paychecks were several days late arriving from Nashville) to do the all-night country at WGAC. I hated 3 o'clock in the morning!
jovialjay said:Count me as another Big Gus alumnus who'd love a copy of the pictures (I'll graciously accept any nostalgic radio photos). Send 'em to: [email protected].
I worked there in 1974. Wayne Roberts had been made PD, and Dave was music director. Dave did 6A-9A and I did the news. At 9A, I took the board 'till Noon. I do remember the Collins board (WBBQ had one that was identical), the Spotmaster 5-deck and the two Collins turntables. The AM transmitter was a Collins 20V-2. WGUS-FM (102-G) used a CCA transmitter.
I was Bob Walker, and Dave loved calling me "Skinny Bobby Walker". At the time, I didn't know who Skinny Bobby Harper was, but I played it to the hilt. It was natural - I was 6' 2" and weighed about 135.
Big Gus was very much in modern country mode. The jingles were acapellas from a PAMS Top-40 package. Dave had quite a few crossovers in hot rotation, including "If Not For You" from Olivia Newton-John, "When The Mornin' Comes" by Hoyt Axton and Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown".
See my (Jay Braswell) Facebook page for a big bunch of radio pictures, including a couple showing the front of the W-GUS studios on Carolina Springs Road and the W-GUS studio on wheels (in a VW micro-bus).
I left (after paychecks were several days late arriving from Nashville) to do the all-night country at WGAC. I hated 3 o'clock in the morning!
I never worried too much about the checks from WGUS being a day or two late, but I did have one pay check from WGUS that bounced. Seems the folks in Nashville who did the banking apparently did not deposit enough in the payroll account to cover all the checks. Since I still banked at an out-of-town bank, I mailed my checks for deposit, and naturally, mine was the last one to go against the account. I got a note from my bank telling me about this issue. The check was replaced, and I had no further problems with WGUS pay checks.
One minor technical note about that Collins 20V-2 AM transmitter. Collins put one interesting feature in the control circuitry. Since it was a tube type transmitter, there was a delay between the fililament on and plate on functions. I found that if you started the transmitter from the plate on button, the filaments came on and when the time delay timed out, the plate voltage came on and the transmitter was on the air - one button starting.
As Dave Hensley was the morning guy, I am sure Dave liked that one-button start.
I am little hazy on the day lineup. Dave was sign-on, but I can't remember the order, was it Wayne and then Bruce Moyers, or the opposite? I think at three, it was "The Shepard" Ronald F. Montgomery and then Gary Starr until sign-off.
Jiminy Cricket said:Watch your e-mail for photo.
Jiminy Cricket
In the photo with Martin Scott, under the speaker to Martin's right, a small box with either some buttons and/or some indicator lights. Any idea what that was? I don't remember it being there late 1974.
Jay, do you remember it and what it was for?
Very good on working at WGUS, Jay. I'll send you some photos later this weekend. I was at Big Gus while in the Army at Ft. Gordon in 1973. Did weekends at first and then PM drive under the Army's "project transition" program. Got out of the military and left Augusta in January 1974. A guy who went by "Jim Beam" replaced me.
Yes, the jingles were a cut above average. Interesting about the music mix during your time at WGUS. Tony Scott tried to broaden out the music by adding older rock standards and a few non-country currents. Billed it as "American Music" and used the "Dynamite in Dixie" slogan.
Some of the long-time sales guys were against anything but basic C&W. Higher-ups backed Tony for several months but then all of a sudden, he was gone. Dave Hensley followed as Program Director. Tony wound up a month or so later as PD at WAUG.
When I left Augusta, WGAC had just started doing some C&W at night. Just as I was leaving, WGUS split the FM dropping C&W except for the AM daytimer. Puzzling at the time but guess they must have seen their days were numbered with WGAC starting to switch to country.
Yes, the jingles were a cut above average. Interesting about the music mix during your time at WGUS. Tony Scott tried to broaden out the music by adding older rock standards and a few non-country currents. Billed it as "American Music" and used the "Dynamite in Dixie" slogan.
Some of the long-time sales guys were against anything but basic C&W. Higher-ups backed Tony for several months but then all of a sudden, he was gone. Dave Hensley followed as Program Director. Tony wound up a month or so later as PD at WAUG.
When I left Augusta, WGAC had just started doing some C&W at night. Just as I was leaving, WGUS split the FM dropping C&W except for the AM daytimer. Puzzling at the time but guess they must have seen their days were numbered with WGAC starting to switch to country.
U
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Big GUS
I work at GUS in the mid to late 80's 6 to midnite. (Rob Randall) It was a blast. Dan Green mornings, Ron Jones mid day. BA, Brian Ansley afternoon drive, me and Roland Harkins at midnight.
I work at GUS in the mid to late 80's 6 to midnite. (Rob Randall) It was a blast. Dan Green mornings, Ron Jones mid day. BA, Brian Ansley afternoon drive, me and Roland Harkins at midnight.
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