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WSLM 1220 being heard in Memphis right now

F

foreverchanges1975

Guest
I'm getting Indiana Hoosier basketball right now (it's 6:51 pm CST in Memphis, TN) on AM 1220. A google search says the only way that's possible is I'm getting WSLM fro Salem, Indiana. It's not super strong, but quite listenable. Radio-locator lists them at 82 watts at night going straight east-west. Even if they're on day power of 5kw, the pattern is still straight east-west.
 
Have you ever seen the pictures of WSLM floating around on the internet and may be still on this site, its amazing its on the air at all.
 
Seems strange as in Cleveland, Ohio there is WHKW (formerly WGAR-AM) with 50,000 watts day and night with a directional signal that looks to me like it's primarily north-south.
 
yeah, most nights here 1220 is a mess. I don't think I've ever recieved WHKW.
 
WSLM is one of may favorite stations, and most days they deliver a weak but usually listenable (by DXer standards) signal to my location here in SW Ohio.

At night, WHKW in Cleveland takes charge, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but most always there.

Maybe the conditions were right, and you heard a 35 watt WSLM, or maybe the the Indiana basketball rule was in effect, and as a courtesy to its listeners, WSLM reamained on day power till the game ended. Either way, it was a great catch.

A couple of us have written about WSLM before. Without a doubt WSLM's singing time checks, swap shop, birthday shoutouts and other daily segments are what "local" radio used to be about; not to mention the Eddie Gilstrap Motors ads. Still owned by the same family.
 
I had heard WSLM in Northwest Indiana near Lafayette during a high school game, sounds like "sports temporary authority" was in play. Also have heard WHON 930 Richmond, IN in Tennessee during a Pacers game
 
Icangelp said:
A couple of us have written about WSLM before.
Click to expand...

somone posted a series of photos of the facilities a few years ago: I thought I saved 'em...wrong.
any idea where they might be found? priceless.
 
I love the singing timecheck jingles. I first heard them while attending Vincennes U in 90-91 (WSLM was still simulcasting on 98.9). My roommate was from Salem, but being 18 and not a radio junkie, he didn't share my amusement for WSLM. He did tell me the station was pretty messy outside, and like many here saw the pictures that were posted online a few years back.

Whenever we drive up to Indy on I-65 and pass near Salem, I always dial up 1220 or 97.9 just before the top of the hour to get a listen. Stations like this and the former Shepherd stations in Missouri (KWIX/KRES/KAAN) are a throwback to an earlier day, but seem to make money anyway
 
KWIX/KRES had something like 20 people in their telemarketing dept. and used to give seminars for other radio stations to do what they did. They sold literally every...i mean EVERY..programming element. "This hour's soil temperature is brought to you by Ed's Feed Shop" May have even included the National Anthem at sign off
 
Sounds like this is a station I'd like to actually hear sometime! The only singing time checks I've ever heard are on a 1964 aircheck of WING. My favorite goes "Time keeps marching forward....it's now 5:41" Love it.
 
Haven't heard anyone do that (sell pattern change), who did they sell it to? I have heard announcements like "we'll say goodbye to our south side listeners) but never a sponsored pattern change.
 
As I recall, the pattern change was "sponsored" by a stockbroker. There was a two-part spot that they put together, I'm a little foggy on this but I believe the first part was an announcement that the station would be switching to the FCC-required night pattern. The studio operator would punch the remote button for night pattern, carrier would drop briefly, and then would play the second half of the spot...which said something like "Are you hearing a lot of silence from your broker? Time to change to" etc.

We had a sticky RF contactor at one of the towers that would hang up on occasion, and the transmitter would not come back up in night mode. I guess at those times you were hearing quite a bit of silence from your broker :p
 
The great WSLM picture gallery has dissappeared from the internet, I found the site Bob and Tanyas but nothing comes up, if they are around, this time I'll print them out.
 
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