Just wondering how far thier AM singal goes out? with a 5,000 watts daytime? I can bearly hear them on around Tallahassee and Big Bend but its seem weak unless your on the eastside of Tallahassee u may get it alittle bit better since Madison County (east of Tallahassee) may get it alittle bit better since there station is in Vasdosta Ga.
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WJEM AM 1150
- Thread starter Louis_009
- Start date
WJEM has a 'lazy' DA pattern, it is slightly pulled in to the north to protect a co-channel 1150 in Perry GA, or Ft Valley---one of those two. If I remember right, its pretty much due north that they have to protect.
The DA reduces the radiation in that direction to the equivalent of about 1kW. (WJEM was 1kW NDA, back before they went 5kW DA in 1982 or 83. They had a 500W PSA authorization as well.)
There are not any deep nulls in the pattern. It used to walk down into North Florida pretty well--Jennings/Jasper/Live Oak.
Ahhhh---WJEM the stories that building could tell....
The DA reduces the radiation in that direction to the equivalent of about 1kW. (WJEM was 1kW NDA, back before they went 5kW DA in 1982 or 83. They had a 500W PSA authorization as well.)
There are not any deep nulls in the pattern. It used to walk down into North Florida pretty well--Jennings/Jasper/Live Oak.
Ahhhh---WJEM the stories that building could tell....
I'd love to hear some WJEM stories...since I am the current contract engineer. Ya'll radio history enthusiasts might get a kick out of some of the old reel-to-reel tapes I found in the closets. Maybe I'll dub one off and upload it.
As for the building, it's mostly gutted now...just the transmitter and DA equipment are left, the studio is located downtown.
As for the building, it's mostly gutted now...just the transmitter and DA equipment are left, the studio is located downtown.
Pre-consolidation, I worked there and had three different "owners" in a few short weeks. I was hired there after Vernon had left I think he went over to do something at the <then> new Channel 44. JC turned over everything to Mike Howard. Mike ran it for a while, and we hardly ever heard from JC. Then one day a few months later, Mike was gone, and JC was running the place. A few days later, here came Vernon, and he bought the place and ran it for several years. It got LMA'd to the guy over at 96 and WVLD. That went on a few months. The LMA fell apart, and then JC had Cedric running it, Playing a black gospel format I guess he ran it up until a few years ago.
My favorite memory from the place: They had a remote van. It had an automatic transmission in it, but you could START the thing with it in drive. Whomever drove it before me left it in drive. I had a remote to do, so went out, put the key in the ignition and turned it. The starter motor propelled the van thru the station's water pump and out the other side of the lean-too garage. A geyser of water erupted from behind the station. Lessons learned: Check to make sure the vehicle was in PARK before starting, also place foot FIRMLY on brake before turning the key.
Your first stop after you were hired was to drive down to South Georgia Communications and have a two way radio installed in your car. Miss Bee would then dispatch you to wrecks around the Azalea City, you would then do a report on air---which was of course sponsored. One time I was sent out on on of these and I judged it to be to minor to report on the air. A few minutes later I was summoned back to the studios for a meeting with Vernon. No matter how "minor" the incident, I had to do a report---It was sponsored you know.....Lesson learned, Its commerce not art.
The other great thing about WJEM, I worked the "afternoon shift" on this daytimer. During the summer months I was on from 5 until 830 or there abouts. In the winter, I came on at 5, read the news played some spots and then ran the National Anthem, because sign off was at 5:15pm. I loved the cold dark south Georgia winter!
My favorite memory from the place: They had a remote van. It had an automatic transmission in it, but you could START the thing with it in drive. Whomever drove it before me left it in drive. I had a remote to do, so went out, put the key in the ignition and turned it. The starter motor propelled the van thru the station's water pump and out the other side of the lean-too garage. A geyser of water erupted from behind the station. Lessons learned: Check to make sure the vehicle was in PARK before starting, also place foot FIRMLY on brake before turning the key.
Your first stop after you were hired was to drive down to South Georgia Communications and have a two way radio installed in your car. Miss Bee would then dispatch you to wrecks around the Azalea City, you would then do a report on air---which was of course sponsored. One time I was sent out on on of these and I judged it to be to minor to report on the air. A few minutes later I was summoned back to the studios for a meeting with Vernon. No matter how "minor" the incident, I had to do a report---It was sponsored you know.....Lesson learned, Its commerce not art.
The other great thing about WJEM, I worked the "afternoon shift" on this daytimer. During the summer months I was on from 5 until 830 or there abouts. In the winter, I came on at 5, read the news played some spots and then ran the National Anthem, because sign off was at 5:15pm. I loved the cold dark south Georgia winter!
I recall Mike Howard... I worked at what was then called Z97 in the summer of 1986, after working for a while at WAAC. Z97 was moving its studio from the shopping center on Northside Drive near the Deli Bar, to a two story brick building on Ashley Street (the lower floor; the top floor was occupied by a weekly shopper newspaper) and I had to help. Z97 was auto-assist, mainly. Chuck Bear (whom I worked with at WJAD) was working morning drive, Lisa Hoyle was PD. There was also a Hawaiian guy, and some girl named Ruby. I worked overnights.
From what I recall, Howard was borrowing money from his mom to keep the station afloat. When a desk calculator turned up missing, Howard threatened to make everyone get a polygraph test to find out who stole it (I don't recall if it ever was stolen). And I got fired after three months. Mike had Lisa do the firing instead of doing it himself. The excuse was that I didn't take out the trash every night; they acknowledged that I did a good job on the air. (Chuck told me he heard that Mike took a dislike to me because I looked at his girlfriend funny.) Lisa suggested I try to apply at WJEM; I didn't get a job there, and moved back to Bainbridge.
Channel 44... licensed to Valdosta, studio in Moultrie, and transmitter near Adel. The original owners were too cheap to install a STL and they put the master control in the transmitter building! When Gray bought what became WSWG, they had me work master control for several months (this was when I worked at WCTV) over in that transmitter building out in the boonies. This was in 2006... all commercials were recorded on 3/4 Umatic tapes played and cued manually! And many shows were recorded on consumer quality DVD recorders. A new transmitter and STL were installed, and 44 was controlled out of Tallahassee.
From what I recall, Howard was borrowing money from his mom to keep the station afloat. When a desk calculator turned up missing, Howard threatened to make everyone get a polygraph test to find out who stole it (I don't recall if it ever was stolen). And I got fired after three months. Mike had Lisa do the firing instead of doing it himself. The excuse was that I didn't take out the trash every night; they acknowledged that I did a good job on the air. (Chuck told me he heard that Mike took a dislike to me because I looked at his girlfriend funny.) Lisa suggested I try to apply at WJEM; I didn't get a job there, and moved back to Bainbridge.
Channel 44... licensed to Valdosta, studio in Moultrie, and transmitter near Adel. The original owners were too cheap to install a STL and they put the master control in the transmitter building! When Gray bought what became WSWG, they had me work master control for several months (this was when I worked at WCTV) over in that transmitter building out in the boonies. This was in 2006... all commercials were recorded on 3/4 Umatic tapes played and cued manually! And many shows were recorded on consumer quality DVD recorders. A new transmitter and STL were installed, and 44 was controlled out of Tallahassee.
Yes, Z97. They came on and made a good splash for a while. I recall moving Z97 etc a few times.....I kidded Mike, that we needed to just put wheels on everthing. Forgot that at one time, WJEM simulcast on 96.7---that did not last real long as I recall.
Mike's girlfriend was "Montana" or something like that.
Wonder where Lisa Hoyle is these days?
Mike's girlfriend was "Montana" or something like that.
Wonder where Lisa Hoyle is these days?
Is WJEM currently listed with a broker? There's a listing for a "Huge Daytime AM" in Valdosta, on 6 acres. Can't figure out if it's 810, 950, or 1150...
I check to see if I can pick up WJEM today and I got nothing in north florida. I used to pick them up before unless they change thier daytime patten or something. On their facebook page some people in the Vadosta area are saying are u guys on the air? So at some point something happen to thier radio tower a few weeks ago.
level42 said:
As was my normal procedure in those days, upon being fired/let go from wherever I was working (in this case, WCLA in Claxton), in early 1975, I was on the road, going from town to town, tower to tower, looking for a job ("Y'all don't need nobody, do you?"). Coming in from the east, WJEM was my first stop in Valdosta. Miss Bee directed me to Vernon, who greeted me with his 50,000 watt, Uncle Vern smile. He was on crutches, with a cast on his right leg. He hired me on the spot - $100.00 a week + 10% commission. He told me I would come in at 5:00 AM, assemble the news and be the newscaster between 6:00 & 8:00 AM. Then, I'd be on the air between 8:00 & 10:00 AM, after which I'd sell for the rest of the day. One day a week, I'd be on news call duty for 24 hours. It took him all of three minutes to tell me that, then he asked for my car keys. Yep, they took my 1972 Nova down to the radio shop to install a two-way radio. In less than 3 hours, I was officially official. While they were working on my car, Vernon took me to lunch (in his canary yellow Cadillac Coupe DeVille). By the way, Vernon was ‘apart’ from his wife and was living in the apartment that was in the left side of the building.
The news shift and air shift were no big deal, and it passed fast each day. The selling was another story. I think pretty much everybody there was in sales and, when adding all them to everyone else in town knockin’ on doors, the pickings were slim.
Oh, on the sponsored “on the scene” news. There were several intros (one for wrecks, one for fires, etc…each with a specific sponsor). The one I still remember began with Vernon emphatically stating (with echo) “BULLETIN-BULLETIN-BULLETIN”. It might seem funny today, but Big Jem was hot and happening then.
The control board was an 8-channel Sparta. As best I recall, the turntables were old 12” Collins. I also seem to recall a 5-deck Spotmaster cart machine. The production room had a complete Sparta “portable” unit, with a 5-channel Sparta board, two Sparta turntables and a single Spotmaster record/play cart machine. I want to say the reel to reel machines were ‘suitcase’ Roberts.
WJEM was 1kw-D (500w PSA), with twin Collins 20-V3 transmitters, plus the original 1955 Collins 20V. In the corner of the transmitter room, were shelves filled to the brim with country 78s…no telling how much those would be worth today.
From somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall the remote van being a Chevrolet Corvan…a Corvair van. Chevrolet also made a Corvair pickup. I don’t know that I ever drove it.
One day, I was sick (truthfully, I was sick of beating the streets and making no sales) and called in. About 8:30, there was a knock on my door. There stood Vernon with a paper sack with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and that ear to ear grin. I got the pink stuff and a lecture on how Big Jem Country Gentlemen didn’t let illness or injury (pointing at the cast on his leg) keep them from putting in a full days’ work.
I couldn’t live on the $100.00 a week, so, hearing of an opening at WNGA in Nashville, I rode up and Duane Tucker hired me to work afternoons from 3 ‘till sign-off (for $100.00 a week). In my tiny mind, I thought the nearly 30 mile distance and WNGA’s limited signal (1kw at 1600) wouldn’t be a conflict, so I could still do my morning thing at ‘JEM, make a sales call or two, then slide on up to ‘NGA and nobody would know. Especially since I was Jay Braswell in Valdosta and Bob Walker in Nashville. On my second day at ‘NGA, the phone rang, I answered and the voice on the other end said “HELLooooooo Bob Walker”. Yep, it was Vernon. He wanted to know if I was having fun in Nashville. I mumbled a feeble yes, and he said “Well that’s good, ‘cause you don’t work here anymore”. He instructed me to wait and come in at 8:30 the next day, so the two-way radio could be de-installed from the Nova. The job at ‘NGA lasted a month or two.
I ran into Vernon a time or three over the years…no harm, no foul. In 1990, I was self-employed as a yellow pages consultant (great money, but it wasn’t radio and I hated it). I was working in Valdosta and stopped by for a visit and to get up to speed on the changes. In 1983, Vernon and Janiz had bought the remaining 75% from J.C. (Vernon had 25% for many years). In the year and change that Vernon was doing TV, J.C. had increased power to 5kw and remodeled. The control board was a Harris Executive and for a while, they’d run live assist using 4 ITC reel-to-reel machines with a modern country format from William B. Tanner. They’d bought the Tanner “OK Country” jingle package, which had dressed the station up a bit. By the time of my visit, Vernon had put the station on satellite, but had the satellite morning guy throwing to him for news, features and such. First I’d heard anyone doing that.
The power increase to 5kw had finally come in 1982. Vernon told me they sold the company condo in Panama City to pay for the additional tower, ground system, phasor and new Nautel transmitter. Vernon left WJEM in 1981, but came back in ’83 and he and J.C. applied for 96.7. After a while spent sorting through the several applicants, the Commission awarded the permit to another applicant. After losing the FM, J.C. sold his interest in WJEM to Vernon. A couple years later, Vernon “bet the children’s inheritance” on applying for 107.7. When that fell through, He “let J.C. have the station back” and headed for WPGA in Perry in 1991, then on to WRCC in Warner Robins in ‘92. J.C. called it a day and sold out in 1992.
One thing more. Earlier in this newscast, I mentioned calling in sick while working at WJEM, and a visit paid to me by Vernon to see if I needed emergency medical care. Well sir, in 1993, Vernon had to have bypass surgery after suffering a mild heart attack. When I went to visit him after the surgery, I brought him a gift. It was a paper sack with a bottle of Pepto-Bismol inside. Ohhhhhh yes I did. He who laughs last, laughs best. I had to leave quickly, ‘cause he was laughing and crying at the same time. One shouldn’t laugh when one has stitches and staples holding one together after surgery. No matter what, he’ll always be my (and your) Uncle Vern.
A final one thing more (or more): WJEM’s call sign came from J.E. Massey from Palatka, Florida, owner of WWPF there. He and a partner had built WJEM in 1955. J.C. Johnson worked for the Rivers at WGOV for many years. Even those (of a certain age) that never knew him, knew him. He was the host of the Bonnie Lou & Buster TV Show, sponsored by Jim Walter Homes. For years on the TV show (and on radio, too), J.C. was the one who told you that “A dollar and a deed is all you need” to get yourself a Jim Walter Home.
J.C. Johnson died on March 5th, 2011. He was 77. Harvey Vernon Arnold is still kicking his heels high. He and Janiz are retired and living in Thomas County.
jovialjay said:
Seriously Jay, you need to consider writing all these stories down and start looking for a publisher.
Glad to know Uncle Vernon is doing well. I did not know about JC passing.
WJEM was <at the time> REAL RADIO.....I think I was about the only one that worked there that did not SELL regularly. I recall getting one commission check that was for $2.52. That was the largest commission check I made while there. I was back in the prod room doing spec spots for everyone else, That seemed to make Unlcle Vernon happy, I would also set up remotes for them when ever the van was not appropriate.
Fun times.
WJEM was <at the time> REAL RADIO.....I think I was about the only one that worked there that did not SELL regularly. I recall getting one commission check that was for $2.52. That was the largest commission check I made while there. I was back in the prod room doing spec spots for everyone else, That seemed to make Unlcle Vernon happy, I would also set up remotes for them when ever the van was not appropriate.
Fun times.
stereolane said:
Six Acres would be about right for WJEM. Cant remember the size of the lot that 810 is on. I doubt that The Rivereses are trying to sell 950. But you never know. Scott, who has been running WJEM had a translator with it as well. Is that translator off? It would be a tough row to hoe to make a living on any of those AM signals now.
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