WRKO transmitter Re: Passing of Joe Kruger

[Alan Tolz]

WRKO used "Metrotech" recorders and reels of thin ply tape to record each 
day's programming when I was there in the early '80s.  The recorders moved 
quite slowly and each reel held 24 hours on each side of the tape.  They 
kept the tapes for 30 days and then recycled them.

The recorders - two of them, as I recall - were in a room across from the 
engineering office at 3 Fenway Plaza.

I have no idea where those tapes are today.

Alan Tolz
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@comcast.net>
To: "chris2526" <chris2526@comcast.net>
Cc: "boston Radio Interest" <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 3:59 AM
Subject: WRKO transmitter Re: Passing of Joe Kruger


> Chris
>
> I know in the early 70's that WRKO had a system that recorded
> everything on the station in very long play vinal. These disks could
> store 12-24 hours of programming. The transmitter was still manned
> then and one of the few tasks the tech did was reload the recorder.
>
> Any idea of what might have happened to them?
> I would guess the quality was not to great but it would be something
> if they still exist today.
>
> On 12/30/08, chris2526 <chris2526@comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hi Laurence, though not necessarily very organized there were many file
>> cabinets in Medford. These contained every document and even Western 
>> Union
>> telegraphs to and from the FCC from planning stages of WIBL on 1540 and
>> starting with the application process of the 107.9 Medford allocation.
>>
>> I had the original WISK-FM construction permit, telegram giving program 
>> test
>> authority and license granted under the WISK-FM call letters.
>>
>> I agree they were not in use very long before being changed to
>> WHIL-FM I remember to this day one of my best friends parents had just
>> purchased a new Magnavox console stereo and he wanted to play a record 
>> for
>> me by a new musical rising star....Wayne Newton of all people.
>>
>> When I saw that it had an AM-FM tuner I went nuts....he said what the 
>> hell
>> is that?
>> That day was the one and only time I ever heard WUPY-FM 105.3
>> licensed to Lynn broadcasting from Peabody, from then on I begged him
>> to let me check out the FM stations, one of these sessions hearing
>>  WISK-FM, Medford at 107.9 a one shot deal. I cannot remember what
>> type of music was being played.
>> Somewhere amongst my treasures I may have some thing with
>> the WISK-FM call letters, possibly promotional material.
>>
>> In my younger days going through all the stuff in those file cabinets
>> were what I imagined heaven must be like so with every one
>> of the original participants long gone I am by default have the most
>> knowledge person of the 1430 and 107.9 frequencies still alive.
>> Though Arnie Ginsburg was around for quite a while, even in those
>> days if it was something he was involved with or interested him,
>> his memory was only fair to good.  He never had much interest in
>> details involving things of this nature.....the kind of useless stuff
>> we all live for.
>>
>> In the 90's while working at CBS as the defacto transmitter engineer
>> while doing much of the upgrading of the WRKO and WHDH transmitter
>> sites I had an equally thrilling time going through a half century of
>> RKO General (AM-FM and also TV moved to RKO upon the sale
>> of channel 7) and paperwork of WHDH AM-FM-TV all stored
>> at the AM transmitter.
>> I had to throw away many 30 yard dumpsters keeping a few
>> things here and there.
>> Now a days history and tradition are totally disposable like the
>> WHDH call letters
>>
>> Happy New Year,
>>
>> Chris
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Laurence Glavin" <lglavin@mail.com>
>> To: "A. Joseph Ross" <joe@attorneyross.com>; "chris2526"
>> <chris2526@comcast.net>
>> Cc: "boston Radio Interest" 
>> <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 3:20 PM
>> Subject: Re: Passing of Joe Kruger
>>
>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "A. Joseph Ross"
>>>To: chris2526
>>>Cc: "boston Radio Interest"
>>>Subject: Re: Passing of Joe Kruger
>>>Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:31:58 -0500
>>
>>>On 29 Dec 2008 at 23:33, chris2526 wrote:
>>
>>> and in 1960 obtained Bostons last open FM allocation 107.9 Mhz WISK-FM
>>> WHIL-FM
>>> WWEL-FM
>>
>>>WISK-FM? What was that?
>>
>>>107.9 started as WHIL-FM.
>>
>> For at least one issue, the Vane A. Jones North American Radio-TV Log
>> gave the call letters WISK for the 107.9 operation in Medford.  I have
>> no recollection of ever hearing those calls, though.  I believe that
>> by the time I became aware of a weak FM at 107.9 transmitting from a 
>> valley,
>> the call letters in use were WHIL-FM.
>>
>> --
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>>
>