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We got WLS (Chicago) in NE Oklahoma to listen to the latest/most popular music.
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Speaking of Oklahoma, one of the great radio stations for in their earlier years was 1520 KOMA out of Oklahoma City. As popular music found their way to FM radio with its different genres of music, they went to the Oldies format. For a long time they avoided Clear Channel and Jacor's idea of oldies music format, which would be the top 100, the bottom 100 and the middle hundred to be the same 100, they would take it a step further.
On early Sunday morning longtime dj Larry Neal would turn back the wayback machine to a few decades back and play the top 50 from a specific week, month, and year. And a lot of those songs haven't been played by other stations in years, most likely decades. Neal was very knowledgable, providing commentary with certain songs.
KOMA had a booming signal, 50,000 watts. I live 16 miles from the Utah border and late at night I can pull in the station on my little bedroom radio. Over 800 miles away and I could pick it up! Great days! Several years ago KOKC replaced the am format in 2003 but KOMA still is on the FM dial, still a great station!
People had radios all over the house because you didn't have to sit in front of it to enjoy it. There might be a small radio in the kitchen, a small radio in the bedroom, and a large floor style radio in the living room.
During the day there would be programs like sit coms or soap operas that people would tune into. People had their favorite programs that they followed. In the afternoon or evening there would be the Lone Ranger for the kids. Gene Autry, the singing cowboy, had a radio show too. Saturday mornings had kid's shows like Big John and Sparky.
There were stations that played hit songs too. I remember my grandfather getting his newspaper and setting into his favorite chair in the late afternoon to hear "Tops in Pops."
We could get loads of local stations but at night when those went off, we could get distant stations. KDKA in Pittsburgh PA, stations in NY, I don't remember what else. It depended upon the weather a lot.
We could use shortwave to hear Radio Moscow propaganda--I used to get a kick out of that. Lots of Americans wrote to them to play rock'n'roll (which was banned in the USSR) and I remember how, finally, they caved and played "Rock around the Clock."
We got the Voice of America, and stations all over Europe. I think that's how I learned capitol cities of Europe. Radio Brussels, Radio Switzerland, etc.
It was better than tv because you could do other things at the same time instead of staring at the tube and there seemed to be millions of stations so you could always find something good. I almost forgot--transistor radios that we coveted in the late '50s--they seemed like a miracle because they didn't have to be plugged in and we could carry them around with us and they were so small you could keep your own little radio right in your pocket. Heaven was lying on a blanket at the beach listening to the top 40 on your transistor radio! Just don't get caught listening to it in school.
AM radio used to rule. Top 40, country, you name it. In the old days, even comedies and drama. And at night, as some mentioned, skip. FM didn't develop for a long time. Of course, channels under 92 were reserved for noncommercial use. The audience of some stationswas so small you could buy 30 seconds of advertising time for 50 cents.
Last edited by pvande55; 01-13-2019 at 11:12 AM..
Reason: Speling
People had radios all over the house because you didn't have to sit in front of it to enjoy it. There might be a small radio in the kitchen, a small radio in the bedroom, and a large floor style radio in the living room.
During the day there would be programs like sit coms or soap operas that people would tune into. People had their favorite programs that they followed. In the afternoon or evening there would be the Lone Ranger for the kids. Gene Autry, the singing cowboy, had a radio show too. Saturday mornings had kid's shows like Big John and Sparky.
There were stations that played hit songs too. I remember my grandfather getting his newspaper and setting into his favorite chair in the late afternoon to hear "Tops in Pops."
We could get loads of local stations but at night when those went off, we could get distant stations. KDKA in Pittsburgh PA, stations in NY, I don't remember what else. It depended upon the weather a lot.
We could use shortwave to hear Radio Moscow propaganda--I used to get a kick out of that. Lots of Americans wrote to them to play rock'n'roll (which was banned in the USSR) and I remember how, finally, they caved and played "Rock around the Clock."
We got the Voice of America, and stations all over Europe. I think that's how I learned capitol cities of Europe. Radio Brussels, Radio Switzerland, etc.
It was better than tv because you could do other things at the same time instead of staring at the tube and there seemed to be millions of stations so you could always find something good. I almost forgot--transistor radios that we coveted in the late '50s--they seemed like a miracle because they didn't have to be plugged in and we could carry them around with us and they were so small you could keep your own little radio right in your pocket. Heaven was lying on a blanket at the beach listening to the top 40 on your transistor radio! Just don't get caught listening to it in school.
I don't remember the radio station but we used to listen the "The Adventures of Chickenman". It was pretty funny.
I don't remember the radio station but we used to listen the "The Adventures of Chickenman". It was pretty funny.
I loved Chickenman, the Wonderful White Winged Weekend Warrior. We got it on Miami's WQAM, one of the two competing pop stations (the other was WFUN- The Fun Spot in Miami!") It was a send up of the TV Batman show, which of course was itself a send up of Batman in general.
I tape recorded a number of the Chickenman episodes, but alas they were all lost in a fire in 1974.
Your mention of it made me go looking, and I found a number of episodes online. Thank you for the reminder.
I don't remember the radio station but we used to listen the "The Adventures of Chickenman". It was pretty funny.
I remember Chickenman, but honesty it hadn't crossed my mind for 50 years. Seems to me I got it on one of the Chicago stations - either WCFL or WLS. They were both great back in the day.
Aaahhhh....a quick search confirms it was WCFL in 1966. Came in loud and clear in upstate NY.
I loved Chickenman, the Wonderful White Winged Weekend Warrior. We got it on Miami's WQAM, one of the two competing pop stations (the other was WFUN- The Fun Spot in Miami!") It was a send up of the TV Batman show, which of course was itself a send up of Batman in general.
I tape recorded a number of the Chickenman episodes, but alas they were all lost in a fire in 1974.
Your mention of it made me go looking, and I found a number of episodes online. Thank you for the reminder.
I remember Chickenman, but honesty it hadn't crossed my mind for 50 years. Seems to me I got it on one of the Chicago stations - either WCFL or WLS. They were both great back in the day.
Aaahhhh....a quick search confirms it was WCFL in 1966. Came in loud and clear in upstate NY.
I hope that this right forum. I read that on AM during the daylight hours there were a lot of low powered local stations that had to shut down from dusk to dawn. There were also a few high powered stations that would go around the clock. Someone from Texas could listen to a Detroit station and catch Tiger baseball.
Anyone have any personal memories of this?
I absolutely remember that era. In fact, the town I grew up in had 5 AM stations and no FM stations. There are still AM stations that have to reduce power at night, because of other stations on the same frequency that they would interfere with. Then there are "clear channel" stations that are the only ones that operate on a particular frequency at night. The frequence of AM radio is such that the signals bounce off the ionosphere at night, and therefore could travel extreme distances. FM radio doesn't do that.
US clear channel stations are limited to 50,000 watts. There were some stations in Mexico not under FCC regulations that would broadcast at a much higher power level. One in particular that I remember was XERF AM with, I believe, 250,000 watts.
I used to listen to WLS in Chicago, KDKA in Pittsburg, KAAY in Little Rock, and one in Indianapolis ... I think it was WOWO. Quality of sound on AM is much inferior to FM.
I hope that this right forum. I read that on AM during the daylight hours there were a lot of low powered local stations that had to shut down from dusk to dawn. There were also a few high powered stations that would go around the clock. Someone from Texas could listen to a Detroit station and catch Tiger baseball.
Anyone have any personal memories of this?
Oh yes. Radio stations were not always 24 hours. I could get Texas and Seattle AM radio stations on a crystal set at night from my home in northern Canada. The CS was not the way we usually listened to radio but I got one as a gift one year and played around with the dial on winter nights.
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