Al Kennedy

[Dan.Strassberg]

I would scarcely stake my life on it, especially now that two people
have pegged the power increase as having taken place during the summer
of 1968, but I still think that you've got the wrong year. I worked in
Framingham from November '68 until July or August (I'm not certain
about the month) '72. I can remember driving down Route 126 in Wayland
on my way to work listening to the big baritone voice of TJ Martin
(yes, Grace Metalius's lover from Peyton Place) doing AM drive as WMEX
tested its new day signal. In Wayland, it was somewhat of an
improvement over the old 5 kW, but it still wasn't great--especially
during critical hours. I had read that the increase was in the works
and I had listened for quite a while in anticipation of it and to get
a frame of reference on the signal for comparison before the new
DA-D/Tx were switched on. Anyhow, my recollection is that this took
place just as I was about to give notice on my job in Framingham,
which is how I placed the increase in '72. I suppose that it's
possible that it was in '68, but it would have had to be later than
October, because I left my previous job in Waltham on October 31 1968
and then immediately started on my new job in Framingham. (I am
positive about the dates; 10/31/'68 was the last day of the Waltham
company's fiscal year.)

-----
Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net)
eFax 1-707-215-6367

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <revdoug1@myfairpoint.net>
To: "=?utf-8?b??=" <kvahey@gmail.com>; "=?utf-8?b??="
<boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>; "=?utf-8?b??="
<revdoug1@myfairpoint.net>
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2010 9:37 AM
Subject: Re: Al Kennedy


>I neglected to mention that outing was in the summer of 1968.   -Doug
>
>
> Quoting revdoug1@myfairpoint.net:
>> When I was a junior in high school, we had a one-day summer outing
>> at Crane's
>> Beach in Ipswich.  WMEX was doing 50kw at that time, and I (who
>> always carried
>> my trusty GE portable radio with me) was in seventh heaven.
>> Living out near
>> Fitchburg, I could never get the station.  -D.D.
>>
>> Quoting Kevin Vahey <kvahey@gmail.com>:
>> > WMEX starting testing 50K daytime in the summer of 68. I remember
>> > Ron
>> > (Polcari) Robin telling Mac that the signal in Manchester was
>> > worse.
>> > Mac just wanted 50K on the rate cards and coverage maps he sent
>> > out.
>> > WRKO blindsided Mac as he just assumed he would hold his own as
>> > he did
>> > with WBZ.
>> > On 5/14/10, SteveOrdinetz <hykker@wildblue.net> wrote:
>> > > On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 8:06 PM, Dan.Strassberg
>> > > <dan.strassberg@att.net>wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> WMEX was owned and managed by people who pinched pennies until
>> > >> Lincoln
>> > >> howled in pain. The station had antiquated equipment and
>> > >> generally
>> > >> lousy facilities (and this time, I am not referring just to
>> > >> the
>> > >> signal, although that was terrible until the daytime power
>> > >> increase of
>> > >> 1972).
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Not sure of the exact chronology of WMEX's power increase, but
>> ISTR mentions
>> > > of being 50,000W as early as 1969.  I have several music
>> > > surveys
>> from 1971
>> > > that refer to the station as a "50,000 W Hitmaker".
>> >
>> > --
>> > Sent from my mobile device
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>