WPLM AM & FM

[Mark Springer]

I'm new to the list...
Grew up in Plymouth lsitening to WPLM ("We Play Lousy Music") which
back in the 60's and 70's was owned by Jack Campbell and had a format
best described as adult easy listening...lots of big bands, smooth
stuff that drove us kids crazy.
I remember morning guy Gary Collard, listened to him for years and
finally one day when I was old enough and adventurous enough to make
the journey from Manomet to "Marconi Hill" on Rte. 3 to visit the
station I looked through the big studio window and was shcoked as heck
that the man looked nothing like the voice, LOL.
I eventually developed the usual "kid interested in radio"
relationship with the station that allowed me almost free run of the
place (the transmitter room seemed off limits cuz the Chief seemed so
scary!
WPLM FM ran a subcarrier- the Campbell Music Service- which had a lot
of big clients including the Boston Edison Nuclear Group offices.
I ran the "board" at Plymouth Town Meeting several times (what a
classic that thing was, like 3 pots, binding posts for the phone line,
and a separate transistor radio to monitor it on.
I also worked one Christmas season running the "Edaville tapes"-
Edaville Railroad was a CMS client and I guess they had a separate
Subcarrier because I would stop one of the big decks and play a few
Christmas songs to mix it up, the restart the deck.
Oh yeah- one morning I woke up and turned onthe radio and WPLM was
playing Smoke on the Water or something...I freaked out and called and
the younger, hipper engineer told me they were doing some station
upgrapdes and forgot the transmitter was on. That was hilarious.
A few of us in Plymouth-Carver High School started a "Radio Club" and
got some weekly airtime (72 or 73) for a show called "Getting to Know
Us". About that time some kids down on the Cape had a similar deal on
the fm station in Hyannis (I think).
I would be happy to share more reminiscences about WPLM with anyone
interested. I was also a big WMEX listener (I hated WRKO!) and every
night when John H or Bud Ballou (depending on when sunset was) would
say "Goodbye Cape Cod" as they phased, I would tune in WKBW which just
poured in!
de WL7BCT, Mark in Bethel, Alaska