Remembering Bob Turner

Subject: Re: Bob Turner Comments

From: "Jeff March" <radarjeff@editpros.com>

Sent: 12/27/2020 21:16:11

To: "Jerry Burnham" <jerryburnham54@gmail.com>;

Jerry, that is wonderful testament to Bob as well as to you, and to your creativity and resourcefulness — as well as to your dedication — in making technological improvements at KEDC and keeping it all running. I’m quite certain that few people knew about, understood and appreciated all that the two of you and Chris did. Programming would have meant nothing without the requisite engineering to build the studio and transmitting facilities and keep it all operating within FCC guidelines.

I’m sure that Michelle will appreciate reading about this. The three of you guys were terrific at what you did.

Best regards, Jeff

On Dec 27, 2020, at 1:10 PM, Jeremy Burnham <jerryburnham54@gmail.com> wrote: Chris,

Attached is a list of Bob Turner memories. Since all this stuff happened over fifty years ago, there were certainly many more significant situations that have slipped my mind. Anyway, this covers his early years at the station and other people will have lots to say about Bob after I graduated.

Jerry

Here is a list of Bob Turner memories

Turner family contact began in 1965 when Jim Turner started working at KEDC-FM; a year later, his brother Bob joined our staff. It was probably the saddest day ever for the station staff when we got the word that Jim had just died in an automobile accident. This coupled with trying to console Bob who, probably in denial, wanted to keep working with his normal tasks. It was late afternoon when Bob said he needed to go home.

The first time I went to Bob's house on Weddington Street in Van Nuys, I noticed a huge tree that covered his entire front yard and more. Bob said as far as he knew, it was the biggest fruitless mulberry tree in the Valley. Soon a cat as big as a bobcat but with a long tail exited his front door. I commented on the size of the cat and Bob explained that his parents would not let him have a dog, so he adopted the biggest cat he could find. It was then I realized that Bob loved big things, including hamburgers and desserts.

When we were getting ready to raise the power of the station from ten watts to three hundred fifteen watts, we needed a modulation and frequency monitor, something the station could not afford. Bob got in touch with Ed de la Pena, chief engineer of KHJ with whom Bob's father had worked, who said he knew there was such an instrument sitting on a storage shelf at KHJ-TV Channel 9. Bob and I went to Mt. Wilson to retrieve it. It was a dark blue G.E. unit that was in perfect condition but on the wrong frequency. I was surprised upon calling G.E. technical help for assistance when they told me they actually had an 88.5 crystal for that monitor in stock for a mere eighty dollars. Fifty years later while going through old files at KFI, I discovered that the monitor had originally belonged to KFI-FM back in the days when they also had KFI-TV on Channel 9. The same trip also yielded a Langevin limiter/compressor, which we installed in the studio that made the station considerably louder and now controlled the modulation.

At the first Christmas Banquet we attended, we snuck in a loudspeaker fed by a 15 KHz oscillator and hid it under our table. When certain staff members for up to speak, we would turn it on briefly to annoy them and then watch them try to find the source of the sound. Our guest of honor was Ed de la Pena who thought the whole thing was very funny.

Always searching for donated equipment, we went to KFAC and came back with a load of equipment. The major items were two record-cutting lathes dating back to the era of recording commercials and PSAs on “ETs” prior to the availability of tape recorders. With the lathes came a large metal container of acetate threads that resulted from the cutting of grooves on blank record discs. Thinking on how historically, acetate films would catch fire and burn down theaters, Bob thought it would be a good idea to experiment with this. Around midnight one night, we went to the empty parking lot to the west of the Speech-Drama building and put all the shavings in a pile. Bob lit the pile with a match and barely got out of the way when there was a big flash and a whooping sound as the acetate vanished in about a second.

Similar excursions were made to KHJ where they donated our first cart recorder and players and CBS where we got a lot of rack-mount items and video monitors for future use in the college’s TV studio.

At this time, Valley State had both Football and basketball teams in the CCAA Conference. KEDC carried all he home games and as many of the road games as we could. We could patch the press box in the gym through to the studio within the campus through several buildings for basketball and we had a permanent program line through the phone company from Birmingham High School Stadium where the football team played its home games. For road games at places like Fullerton or Fresno State, we would order an unequalized circuit through the phone company thanks to Granny and the Granny Girls shaking down students in the cafeteria for the $200 or so we needed for that. Bob handled the remote engineering duties for all these events.

It was quite a project one time when Bob and I climbed the long ladder behind the stage in the Speech-Drama building to reach the roof and replace a broken insulator associated with the transmitting antenna. We could not have picked a windier day.

One afternoon, the Gates transmitter would not go on the air. The swinging choke in its high-voltage power supply had shorted out internally. Bob rewired the power supply using the smoothing choke in its place until a replacement choke could be acquired from Gates. Not long after, the high-voltage power transformer failed, probably related to the originally shorted choke. Luckily, Apex Electronics in Sun Valley had a used transformer that would work temporarily. It was the right voltage but physically much bigger and heavier than the original. With no elevator in the building, we were in the process of hauling it up the stairs when it got away and rolled back down to the ground floor, chipping away at the stairs in the process. The second try was successful and we managed to get it up to the control room. It was too big to go inside the transmitter so it sat on the floor behind it, hooked up with lengths of high-voltage cable. The transmitter came to life and we were back on the air. Eventually, we got a proper replacement transformer from Gates that Bob installed.

This really just scratches the surface of al the things Bob Turner was involved in with the radio station but what a learning experience it was for all of us. It meant being very creative in keeping everything working considering we had practically no funds for parts and supplies in those pre-NPR years. Bob had the intellect and creativity to make it all happen.

Subject: Re: Bob at the Rock

From: "Jeff March" <radarjeff@editpros.com>

Sent: 12/27/2020 20:57:03

To: "Michelle Turner" <mmturner582@gmail.com>;

CC: "T Sullivan" <mail4t_s@yahoo.com>; "Mark Miller" <mark@blackswanassoc.com>; "Chris" <chris@chrishays.com>;

That’s a nice photo of Bob. Is that Morro Rock? Best regards,

Jeff

On Dec 26, 2020, at 11:32 AM, Michelle Turner <mmturner582@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for the support, ‘all. Besos,

Sent from my iPhone

Subject: [KEDC-KCSN] Comments about Bob Turner on Facebook

From: "Jeff March" <radarjeff@editpros.com>

Sent: 12/24/2020 12:17:34

To: "KEDC-KCSN Google group" <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>; Hi, my KEDC and KCSN friends,

On December 19, I posted a message on three Facebook feeds about the passing of Bob

Turner. One was my feed, one was to a group called “Old radio DJs” and the third was to a group called “I loved AM radio.” My post consisted of announcing the news about Bob, and then his own witty autobiographical summary of his 30-year-career leading up to the reunion in Bakersfield.

Several people who knew Bob made comments in testament to him. Here are screen shots that I took of their remarks on Facebook (5 images total).

I forwarded those screen shots to Bob’s wife, Michelle. Chris Hays said that he is collating remarks about Bob from our KEDC radio email group, which he will email to Michelle, so I won’t duplicate his work on that project.

I hope that all of you stay well and remain of good cheer to the extent possible. All my best,

Jeff

~~~~~ Jeff March

radarjeff@editpros.com 2946 Boathouse Ave.

Davis, CA 95616-5637

Home: 530-758-9539

Mobile: 530-574-9099

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/radarjeff EditPros on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EditPros

"chris@chrishays.com" <chris@chrishays.com>;

CC: "mmturner582@gmail.com" <mmturner582@gmail.com>; "jamesturner42@yahoo.com" <jamesturner42@yahoo.com>;

Hi all,

A Bob Turner memory came flowing back......... and out of the back of my closet!.

In the time frame of 1970-72, the all student staff of KEDC admired Bob's professionalism and dedication to our little non-comm. Bob seemed to always be in the right place at the right time with sage guidance. There emerged an admiring "fan club" of sorts as we were all in this thing together. That led one of the student engineers/operators to come up with the below hand made lapel buttons. We all wore 'em for fun. And, of course, Bob had one that just said "TURNER." He just quietly tolerated the praise.

Douglas Brown

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Subject: SPAM? Re: [KEDC-KCSN] Bob

From: "prettyslik via KEDC-KCSN alumni" <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>

Sent: 12/19/2020 14:58:41

To: "chris@chrishays.com" <chris@chrishays.com>; "kedc-kcsn- alumni@googlegroups.com" <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>;

One of the radio adventures I shared with Bob was this. Saul Levine had donated the 3kw xmtr amp for the signal upgrade of 88.5. This was 1970. The catch was the unit was on Mt. Wilson and we had to go get it if we wanted it. Of course, we did. Bob recruited me and off we went to the mountain. It turned out to be in Saul's very small concrete block shed (for lack of better term) full of cobwebs, spiders and the dirt of ages. The two of us "young bucks" manhandled the heavy thing onto the truck bed.

Then, it was off to SFVSC. We had to get the thing UPSTAIRS in the Speech-Drama building to the station. No elevator. No dolly. We just put our youthful energy into lifting it up one stair at time with no students around. All the while saying out loud "So, this is show business!!"

A few years ago Lauretta and I were back on campus going to a concert. We ventured into the old Speech-Drama building. I looked down at the stairs and could still see the scrapes and dings Bob and I delivered to those steps all those years ago.

The follow up was, a few days later the 3kw was on the air late one night for "testing." Bob and I jumped in his Roadrunner and made a huge loop around the entire San Fernando Valley listening for the signal. What a thrill. And Bob's unmitigated enthusiasm and humor was just THE BEST!

Little did I know that Bob, Chris Hays and I would all end up on the engineering staff of KHJ just 5 years later. This was Bob's doing. If it was not for Bob, my career would have taken an entirely different path for which I will always be thankful.

The 3kw upgrade (as recalled by Chris Hays).

I have to take issue with Doug’s “a few days later.” It was more like many WEEKS later!

Bob and I spent many hours getting the 3kw amplifier (yes it was JUST the amplifier, not a complete transmitter: it was driven by the existing Gates FM-250) into operating condition after you guys dragged it up the stairs. Bob and I made a return trip to the hill, because the screen supply had been removed so we had to go fetch it. This amplifier had been out of service for years, and had been cannibalized here and there. When we got it to the point where we could power it on, there was much excitement when Bob threw the switch on the wall and the blowers started. Everyone started cheering and applauding, but before I could get out the words “WAIT! The blower should not be running,” there was a whoosh and a stream of acrid smoke streamed out the back of it sending everyone out into the corridor coughing and gasping for air! When the smoke cleared, we found that the incorrect spacers were on that screen supply, and the solder end of the barrier strip was touching the cabinet, shorting the whole thing out. It was mounted to the side in a way that we could not see the problem. The only casualty was a small step down transformer. Once that was replaced and the correct spacers fitted, we were able to get a smoke-free turn on.

The next challenge was the frequency change. The thing was originally tuned to 105.1. We needed it on 88.5. This should have been easy enough, but the design of the beast (Teletronix) was unusual as it used a “trombone” slider to tune the grids. Bob and I fussed with that for days and could not get the thing to tune up. I finally got out the calculator and measuring tape and determined it would not tune low enough as it was built: the trombone wasn’t long enough. Well, we lacked the machine shop (and the skills, for that matter) to construct a new one. I came up with the idea (I had been a Ham since age 12) to load the ends with a small inductance to “stretch” the line. I discussed this with Jim Lawrence, the manufacturer and he insisted it would not work. I was pretty sure it would, and fortunately, it did.

One of the things Bob showed me years later from his “trophy” collection was a copy of the original construction permit for the 3kw upgrade. You had to include the cost for the proposed system. It was $350! That 350 dollars is what the university plant operations people charged us to get three-phase power into the room for the new amplifier. The rest was Saul Levine’s donations and a lot of volunteer sweat and toil!

But it was one heck of a learning experience!

Chris Hays

-----Original Message-----

From: Chris <chris@chrishays.com>

To: kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com Sent: Sat, Dec 19, 2020 1:33 pm

Subject: [KEDC-KCSN] Bob

Subject: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] Bob Turner

From: "Steven Heller" <stevenbheller@gmail.com>

Sent: 12/19/2020 12:47:51

To: kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com; Sorry to hear about Bob.

Send email to kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com to post a message to the entire group.

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Subject: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] Bob Turner

From: "Robert Maslen" <bobmaslen581@gmail.com>

Sent: 12/19/2020 11:54:43

To: "KEDC-KCSN alumni" <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>;

So very sad to hear about Bob Turner. I remember when I started at Valley State Radio and TV, falI, 1968, I had an FCC 3rd class license. After a quick training session, Bob had me running the board on KEDC. Such a great group to work with then.

RIP Bob

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most recently a project in Hilo, Hawaii (hear that Elmer). [Note to Dave: I did all of Mount Wilson's expansion projects in the Bay Area, Monterey, the Costa Mesa/Tijuana epic as well as that building at 1500 Cotner. Bailed in ’98, so I missed you by a year ... we can tell "Saul" stories.] [Keep in mind it was Saul that donated the 3 kilowatt transmitter to the Mighty 88.5. I believe Chris can weigh in on that fine piece of hardware].

Bought a stand-alone AM in Bakersfield in the late ’90s just to see how much money I could lose in three years.

Did some part-time teaching at SFVSC (excuse me, CSUN) and Pepperdine. One of my students at Pepperdine turned out to be my wife, Michelle. Married in 1980 (don't feel alone Al). No college age kids here. Just James and Rachael (10 and 13 in that order), plus 27 pounds of cats.

And Tom Sullivan has been at CBS for thirty years. That's it boys and girls. See you sometime soon. rft

[Boy, was that cathartic!]

Classic Bob Turner, all the way. I will miss him, but I will always remember him — fondly.

Michelle,

Some memories from radio people. Jerry Burnham KEDC, early '60s:

Thanks Doug for keeping us in the loop in this sad situation. There are so many good times to remember about Bob Turner such as maintaining KEDC's transmitter and other technical stuff together, climbing the antenna tower on top of the speech-drama building to change guy-wire insulators and burning a pile of acetate shavings at midnight in the west parking lot from record-cutting lathes that KFAC had donated to the college. (There was a huge flash, a "whoosh" sound and everything was gone!) Bob, who threw in the burning match, barely got out of the way. Then years later, hearing him tell zany stories on how, when doing consulting engineering, he found some radio facilities in unbelievable disrepair because of either years of no maintenance or just enough patch work to keep something on the air by bypassing all safety circuits. It was such a pleasure to know Bob and he will be sorely missed.

Subject: SPAM? Re: [KEDC-KCSN] Bob Turner

From: "Jeremy Burnham" <jerryburnham54@gmail.com>

Sent: 12/18/2020 16:42:52

To: "Robert Maslen" <bobmaslen581@gmail.com>;

CC: voicespot@gmail.com; "prettyslik" <prettyslik@aol.com>; "KEDC-KCSN alumni"

<kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>;

Thanks Doug for keeping us in the loop in this sad situation. There are so many good times to remember about Bob Turner such as maintaining KEDC's transmitter and other technical stuff together, climbing the antenna tower on top of the speech-drama building to change guy-wire insulators and burning a pile of acetate shavings at midnight in the west parking lot from record- cutting lathes that KFAC had donated to the college. (There was a huge flash, a "whoosh" sound and everything was gone!) Bob, who threw in the burning match, barely got out of the way. Then years later, hearing him tell zany stories on how, when doing consulting engineering, he found some radio facilities in unbelievable disrepair because of either years of no maintenance or just enough patchwook to keep something on the air by bypassing all safety circuits. It was such a pleasure to know Bob and he will be sorely missed.

Jerry Burnham, 1964-1968

On Wed, Dec 16, 2020 at 6:17 PM Robert Maslen <bobmaslen581@gmail.com> wrote: So sorry to hear this sad news. My heart goes out to Bob and his family.

On Wed, Dec 16, 2020 at 2:47 PM <voicespot@gmail.com> wrote:

group.

---

Subject: SPAM? Re: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] KEDC Flashback

From: "professor0517" <professor0517@gmail.com>

Sent: 11/1/2020 12:22:27

To: prettyslik@aol.com;

CC: "jerryburnham54@gmail.com" <jerryburnham54@gmail.com>; "chris@chrishays.com" <chris@chrishays.com>; "voicespot@gmail.com"

<voicespot@gmail.com>; "radarjeff@editpros.com" <radarjeff@editpros.com>; "kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com" <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>;

Thanks Doug for sharing. Like the song..."Those Were the Days." I miss it very much, along with all of you.

Alan

I do recall someone breaking the line to the newsroom in the J dept. on occasion. Douglas

-----Original Message-----

From: professor0517 <professor0517@gmail.com> To: Jeremy Burnham <jerryburnham54@gmail.com>

Cc: Chris <chris@chrishays.com>; voicespot@gmail.com; Jeff March <radarjeff@editpros.com>; KEDC-KCSN Google group <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Sun, Nov 1, 2020 11:59 am

Subject: Re: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] KEDC Flashback

Greetings,

Having more senior moments, but I remember the Altec in the newsroom. I did a news report from there, and there was no limiter. So when I hit a hard plosive, I knocked us off the air. By the way, when I started Valley State, I was little older than many of you; I'll be 77 next year.

Regards.... and be safe,

Alan

On Sun, Nov 1, 2020 at 2:36 PM Jeremy Burnham <jerryburnham54@gmail.com> wrote:

There was a third Altec console in the news studio in the Sundial journalism suite in Sierra Hall South. It had three VU meters for left, right and mono. It was used for live newscasts for a few semesters. I never did any work on that room as I recall there was only the console and an equipment rack with a patch bay there. When we broadcast Matador basketball games, we would patch the mixer into the patch bay in the press box to a tie line the rack in the Sundial newsroom, then to a tie line to a closet in the Fine Arts building, then a tie line to a rack in the equipment room next to the KEDC studio and finally a tie line to the KEDC control room.

Occassionally someone would have pulled one of the patch cords so we always checked the audio path in the afternoon before a game. What memories!

Jerry Burnham

On Sun, Nov 1, 2020, 9:54 AM Chris <chris@chrishays.com> wrote:

Yup! And it looks right at home with that rotary dial telephone!

Some of us did quite a bit of work on that thing. Jerry Burnham built an external power supply for it, because the power supply modules had a serious design flaw: the power supply capacitors were mounted above the 6X4 rectifier tubes, so all that tube heat floated up and roasted the capacitors making their periodic replacement necessary. The improved supply hung under the console on the right hand side. That was done before I arrived.

My main contribution was the cue volume control added to that sub panel on the right. Remember that old Bogen pa amplifier on top of the left rack that was the cue amplifier. Do you remember that when something cued was either way too loud or too soft? How many times did we get up, walk around the turntable pedistals to turn down that blasted thing. Then of course it was too low for somehing so the process repeated. At some point I decided I'd had enough of that and added the cue volume control where the operator could reach it without getting up.

I remember Bob and I added remote start buttons for the turntables and things, although technically that wasn't a modification to the console itself.

Remember those turntables? Rek-O-Cut 16" transcription players. Those were replaced at some point.

Something in my brain is telling me that Clark Ortone now has that console, and it is in use on his "parlor piano" web stream.

Chris

------ Original Message ------

From: voicespot@gmail.com

To: "Jeff March" <radarjeff@editpros.com>; "KEDC-KCSN Google group" <kedc-kcsn- alumni@googlegroups.com>

Sent: 10/30/2020 17:43:45

Subject: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] KEDC Flashback

Jeff, and all,

Thanks for the updates on Dave and Bob. So sorry to hear about Dave. Both Bob and Dave had a lot to do with the success of KEDC/KCSN. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

On a lighter note, my wife (Helene) and I were watching “The Amazing Mrs. Maisel” a few nights ago, and this scene popped up. Do you recognize her? No, not Jane Lynch…the console!

If you ever 'ran-the-board’ at the Mighty 88.5, you should know that console. It’s an Altec 250A, just like the one in the control room. I think there was an identical console downstairs in the other studio.

The Altec was still in service when I left CSUN in 1973. Someone probably remembers when the studio and transmitter were upgraded for stereo. (???) Fun Fact….the original Altec console from KEDC/KCSN still exists, but it’s not the one in the picture!

Just wanted to share a memory from KEDC/KCSN. This concludes our broadcast day… Gary Hamilton (1970-1973)

---

Hello Alan. Jerry and all,

Just for fun. see attached photo of the air CR with me and Steve Newman also Bob Turner on his way to the 3kw rig. The grand ol' rumbling 16 inch turntables there too.

I do recall someone breaking the line to the newsroom in the J dept. on occasion. Douglas------ Original Message ------

From: prettyslik@aol.com

To: "chris@chrishays.com" <chris@chrishays.com>; "kent.randles@gmail.com"

<kent.randles@gmail.com>; "barry@victorgroup.net" <barry@victorgroup.net> Sent: 2/27/2020 08:43:11

Subject: 1973 KCSN Transmitter

Hi Chris, Barry and Kent

Oh yes, I have the sound of the 3kw fans on some air checks of The Rock Program!

I recall the day, Turner and I drove up to Mt. Wilson to pick that up from Saul Levine's "building" which was more like a very small cinder block closet on the side of the hill. It was full of spiders and cobwebs. Then we drove it down to the Speech-Drama building and "dragged" it up the stairs. I think the scars on the stairs are still there!

The first time we fired it up in the middle of the night, Turner and I jumped in his Roadrunner and did a big loop drivin' around the entire Valley to see what we could hear. Now, that was an exciting time at the ol' 88.5.

Here's me, Steve Newman and rft in the CR with the Teletronix. Wish I had the Newmann M- 49 mic today!

Douglas

-----Original Message-----

From: professor0517 <professor0517@gmail.com> To: Jeremy Burnham <jerryburnham54@gmail.com>

Cc: Chris <chris@chrishays.com>; voicespot@gmail.com; Jeff March <radarjeff@editpros.com>; KEDC-KCSN Google group <kedc-kcsn-alumni@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Sun, Nov 1, 2020 11:59 am

Subject: Re: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] KEDC Flashback

Greetings,

Regards... and be safe,

Alan

On Sun, Nov 1, 2020 at 2:36 PM Jeremy Burnham <jerryburnham54@gmail.com> wrote:

Jerry Burnham

On Sun, Nov 1, 2020, 9:54 AM Chris <chris@chrishays.com> wrote: Yup! And it looks right at home with that rotary dial telephone!

------ Original Message ------

From: voicespot@gmail.com

To: "Jeff March" <radarjeff@editpros.com>; "KEDC-KCSN Google group" <kedc-kcsn- alumni@googlegroups.com>

Sent: 10/30/2020 17:43:45

Subject: SPAM? [KEDC-KCSN] KEDC Flashback

Jeff, and all,

Thanks for the updates on Dave and Bob. So sorry to hear about Dave. Both Bob and Dave had a lot to do with the success of KEDC/KCSN. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

On a lighter note, my wife (Helene) and I were watching “The Amazing Mrs. Maisel” a few nights ago, and this scene popped up. Do you recognize her? No, not Jane Lynch…the console!

Just wanted to share a memory from KEDC/KCSN. This concludes our broadcast day… Gary Hamilton (1970-1973)

On Sep 13, 2020, at 12:24 PM, Chris <chris@chrishays.com> wrote:

I do remember one night when Bob Turner and I went out to Santa Paula where Hafen was on the air at KQIQ. I believe it was a surprise visit! It was country then, of course, and clearly he was enjoying the experience and the money! Of course this was before FM took off and made for hard times at these peripheral 1kw AM stations.

Chris Hays

Subject: Re: 1973 KCSN Transmitter

From: "Chris" <chris@chrishays.com>

Sent: 2/27/2020 10:06:15

To: prettyslik@aol.com;

I've got some of those airchecks too with the "signature fan effect" in them. We contemplated a sound wall, but that was the era of no money. Actually, among FM transmitters, that one was pretty quiet. I'd forgotten all the tell tale signs of a prototype, like all the dymo labels on the controls! Ironically, today the public stations have money, and the commercials are going bankrupt.

I remember having to return to Mt Wilson to retrieve the screen supply, which had been removed and canibalized.

Without my Ham Radio experience, it might have never gotten on the air, since as built, it couldn't tune all the way down to 88.5!

There were three of these besides this one which was the prototype. All were in southern California. One was at 93.5 KAPP Redondo Beach and Later KKOP when the station was sold to Copley newspapers. Another was at 107.1 KMAX Sierra Madre. And a third I didn't know about until recently, KBOB- FM West Covina which was a simulcast of KGRB both owned by Bob Burdette back in the day (guess where the FM call came from).

KAPP was the first radio station I actually ever saw close up. Originally, it was one of those store front class A's. It was located in the South Bay Shopping Center. There was a tower in the parking lot, maybe 100 ft tall, that it transmitted from. The glass front of the station allowed one to view the DJ (it was MOR music) as well as the equipment rack behind, which includedthe Teletronix transmitter. There was a Gates exciter to drive it. I was in high school or maybe junior high.

Disclosure: I didn't really remember all the details. Google helped! Chris

-----Original Message-----

From: Chris <chris@chrishays.com>

To: DOUG BROWN (prettyslik@aol.com) <prettyslik@aol.com> Sent: Wed, Feb 26, 2020 2:35 pm

Subject: Fw: SPAM? 1973 KCSN Transmitter Blast from the past courtesy of Kent Randles. Chris

---- Forwarded Message ------

From: "Kent Randles" <kent.randles@gmail.com> To: "Chris Hays AB6QK" <chris@chrishays.com> Cc: "Barry Victor" <barry@victorgroup.net>

Sent: 2/26/2020 13:50:19

Subject: SPAM? 1973 KCSN Transmitter

Found the attached picture of the KCSN transmitter from 1973.

I turned it on and off many times. I remember having to wait for the mercury-vapor rectifiers to warm up when I did a morning show. When I was signing off, I always played Albatross by Fleetwood Mac, which is an instrumental, lowered the screen voltage during the song, and turned off the plate when it was done. I assumed this made it sound like it was fading into the ether.

Was the Gates to the left the driver? I don't remember having to do anything with it.

Thanks!

Kent

Subject: Re: [KEDCalumni] How I spent my summer, 1968

From: "Glen Martin glen423@gmail.com [KEDCalumni]"

<KEDCalumni@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: 1/15/2015 15:42:28

To: KEDCalumni@yahoogroups.com;

Same exact story with Don Martin in July/July, 1969. There were three of us for those 6 weeks: Me, Byron Larry Paul and a Mike(?) (Mike Brown?) - all CSUN/Valley State-ers. Still have (somewhere in a box) my blue 3rd, blue 1st and yellow "general" - the latter of which I though didn't ever actually expire. Cheers all.

On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 3:22 PM, Jeff March radarjeff@editpros.com [KEDCalumni]

<KEDCalumni@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

[Attachment(s) from Jeff March included below]

For "Throwback Thursday" on Facebook, I described how I spent my summer in 1968 (between my junior and senior years at Valley State College):

I enrolled in the FCC test preparation course at Don Martin School of Broadcasting in Hollywood and spent that summer at the corner of Cherokee Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard learning electronics theory. The instructor for my class was a retired military officer -- I think his name was Major Moon. He didn't just teach "to the test." He drilled that electronics theory into his students, so we thoroughly understood the subject matter sufficiently to pass any of the tests the FCC might throw at us. At the end of the course, one August day, I sat in a stifling examination room at the FCC offices in downtown L.A., and passed the test on the first try. Here's the resultant license, with a "Ship Radar Endorsement" (authorizing control of microwave transmission equipment. (The cancellation was stamped when I received a renewal license in 1973.)

Carson Schreiber, Steve Hafen and Dave Kleinbart also studied at Don Martin for their tickets -- probably others, too.

In the "Old Radio DJs" Facebook group, my friend Dann Shively asked if I have kept up with license renewals. No, I haven't. When the FCC abolished its number-grade operator licensing system and replaced that in August 1981 with the General Radiotelephone Operator License, I was done. I received a yellow General Phone license in the mail, but I just filed it away in a drawer and intentionally let it lapse.

Tried to turn the picture upright.... but here we are producing an episode of People,

My dear friends,

Douglas,

Thanks Doug for sharing. Like the song..."Those Were the Days." I miss it very much, along with all of you.

Greetings,

Greetings,