Tucson's KTKT had many good-but-uncommon No. 1 songs

Greg T.

The Jizz Slinger
Extremely interesting read, Bill. I grew up listening to AM and have some very fond memories of KDKA, WOWO, WLS, and few more. I can remember going to sleep as a kid with Dick Biondi yelling in the background. Later on while traveling in the band we would be sailing down I 75 at 4:30 or so in the morning listening to Beaker Street theater and a few others that now escape me. What a wonderful time that was with the AM days. Days that will be soon forgotten.
 

MI2AZ

Active Member
Interesting read.
I grew up in Detroit so I remember WKNR (Keener 13) 1300 and CKLW 800 on the AM dial.
 

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
Extremely interesting read, Bill. I grew up listening to AM and have some very fond memories of KDKA, WOWO, WLS, and few more. I can remember going to sleep as a kid with Dick Biondi yelling in the background. Later on while traveling in the band we would be sailing down I 75 at 4:30 or so in the morning listening to Beaker Street theater and a few others that now escape me. What a wonderful time that was with the AM days. Days that will be soon forgotten.
Dear Greg T:

I got hooked on Top 40 radio the first time I heard KOMA in Oklahoma City, soon after that station switched to the rock 'n' roll format in the late '50s. Even though I lived in Boulder City, Nev., KOMA came in loud and clear all night long, and even when I moved to Casper, Wyo., KOMA came in as clear as the local stations.

Wyoming had to be one of the greatest radio-listening areas of the Top 40 era, because among the many stations that came in clearly were WLS (Chicago), KAAY (Little Rock), KIMN (Denver), WHB (Kansas City), WDGY (Minneapolis), and many others. And indeed, people such as you and I have to agree that those days will soon be forgotten.
 

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
Dear Greg T:

Without a doubt, Dick Biondi was one of the best -- if not THE best -- of the Top 40 DJs of the era. And believe it or not, he is still doing DJ work on a regular basis on WLS-FM in Chicago at the age of 82.
 

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
WOWO Ft Wayne, IN will always be my all time favorite from the 70s.
Dear REVerse:

I, too, used to listen to WOWO while living in different parts of the country, even though my all-time favorite was KOMA in Oklahoma City. WOWO used to have a 50,000-watt blowtorch signal on 1190, but now, in order to "protect" WLIB in the New York City area, its night power is way down to 9,800 watts, diminishing its night reach substantially.
 

REVerse °

Addicted Member
Dear REVerse:

I, too, used to listen to WOWO while living in different parts of the country, even though my all-time favorite was KOMA in Oklahoma City. WOWO used to have a 50,000-watt blowtorch signal on 1190, but now, in order to "protect" WLIB in the New York City area, its night power is way down to 9,800 watts, diminishing its night reach substantially.
That's why! Darnit! 9,800 watts is not good enough here anymore.

I miss the Ron Gregory show.
 

AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
That's why! Darnit! 9,800 watts is not good enough here anymore.

I miss the Ron Gregory show.
Dear REVerse:

What actually happened is that 1190 in New York City (WLIB) wanted to increase its night power, and the owners of WLIB purchased WOWO and immediately filed with the FCC to lower the power to 9,800 watts to enable to WLIB power boost. So whereas WOWO still broadcasts with maximum power during daytime hours, it's night coverage pattern is far reduced. WOWO used to come strongly into Florida, but now we can't get a trace of it down here. Of course, the format isn't the same now, anyway.
 

REVerse °

Addicted Member
Never mind. I went to the website.

Not my style. :rolleyes:

Gonna send them an email requesting they air "The Mark Levin Show" :Roflmao:
 
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AlwaysWrite

Addicted Member
Dear REVerse:

WLIB is a now a gospel station ... and here's how Wikipedia explains what I told you earlier ...

The station's nighttime power was increased to 30,000 watts in the early 2000s, in a swap with WOWO in Fort Wayne, Ind., which also broadcasts on 1190 AM. Prior to the power increase WLIB operated during daytime hours (sunrise to sunset) only, deferring at night to WOWO's 50,000-watt clear-channel signal. Inner City Broadcasting purchased the Fort Wayne station in 1994 for the sole purpose of lowering its power in order to increase WLIB's, setting the stage for WLIB to eventually begin broadcasting around the clock. After gaining Federal Communications Commission approval for 24-hour broadcasting, it would still be a few years before WLIB would actually begin nighttime programming. In the meantime Inner City sold WOWO, whose nighttime signal is now greatly reduced.
 
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