1981 AM scan

[billohno@gmail.com]

Discovered this AM scan from December 1981. Sounds like the guy was based in the Fitchburg area. 

Another reminiscence for me as it drops just after my arrival at WCAP (980 Lowell). Heard are two old radio buds of mine. Joe Corcoran was the PD then in his upper 20s, just in from WLKW Providence, who hired me and (patiently) taught this know-it-all college radio kid MUCH about commercial radio, full service A/C, live remotes, spot production, hitting the post (and how not to try to hit the post), and hitting the top of hour tone without potting-down an element to do it. In the WCAP newsroom (yes, an actual room, two booths, lots of FT reporter/anchors, 24/7 live news, just ask Scott Fybush) was Bill Smith, an amazing radio news man (now a Haverhill attorney) who'd go on to news at WROR (98.5 Boston) after rising to WCAP News Director. 

Technically, what strikes me in this audio is the massive 5 kW signal and wall of sound out of the CRL that WCAP pushed at that time. The positives would have been painted on at around 115% even in this wide-ranging one hit wonder from the band, Sneaker (negatives at 99%...) 

WCAP had recently flipped from its 1 kW D stick on Loon Hill Road in Dracut over to its current (yet now neglected) on Totman Road in Lowell. The 5 kW DA-2 cranked from 2 towers by day and 3 by night. At AM pattern change I often said, "So long, Cape Cod [2 second pause] Hello Manchester" and vice-versa at PM. 

Having seen the tower farm practically under water (beavers + environmentalist overreach) and in trying to get the signal when I'm in the area, I cannot help but wonder if all towers are operating properly and if the 1 kW back-up is on the air regularly. Very unfortunate. 

I was blessed over 20 years affiliated with WCAP to be welcomed by the late Ike Cohen (who put WCAP on the Erin 1951) and his brother, Maurice, to visit the XMTR site countless times. I was also blessed to have hopped on board at the stand alone AM just at the right time, before the denouement of local radio, replete with enough full time employees to have a second string on the softball team.

https://youtu.be/Y_pZnH87v7Q

Bill O'Neill