KFXM and KMEN the Top 40 stations of the Inland Empire (San Bernardino/Riverside)in the 1960's. This site will bring you information and pictures from these two stations KFXM 590 and KMEN 1290. For other musical and miscellaneous interests take a look at.........................http://djsgone.blogspot.com/
Also known as........UNDERGROUND VAULT of Records, Music and all kinds of Stuff
Saturday, March 23, 2013
KFXM Over 60 Years Ago
Here's something a little different. Before KFXM played top 40/rock'n'roll, and before I was born. Notice the change in the frequency ? A little something from 1952.
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Yes ... That is a QSL card verifying the reception of KFXM by a radio geek (like me). We ham radio operators exchange verification cards (aks QSL cards) similar to this all the time. There are (were) many non-ham radio enthusiasts who used to stay up nights trying to pick up distant AM signals. When I lived in Riverside (1959-1965) I used to pick up WLS out of Chicago as they were one of the BEST Top-40 stations of the time. In recent years, reception of these really distant stations is considerably more difficult because the FCC has allowed many more stations to occupy the AM band. And yes...KFXM was originally on 1240 until sometime in the late 1940's I believe. Before WWII, it was on 1210, I believe. Nice Memory!
Thanks to Tom KR4BD for the nostalgic look back at the days -- well before the world hooked up with the Internet -- of ham radio and Short Wave (SW) hobbies. What fun times I had tuned-in nightly to my massive SW receiver picking up Ham operators from all over the planet along with national radio stations during the times of the Iron Curtain: Radio Peking, Moscow, Havana (Cuba); Swiss Radio International, All India Radio, Radio France/Equador/Canada, Deutche Welle (Germany), Italy, Australia, and of course, England's BBC. I also DX'd U.S. Medium-Wave (AM) radio stations from all over the continent including from Alaska and Hawaii. Like I said, there were nightly experiences of good listening and great station finds along the radio band back in the days before it all became corporatized and homogenized. And I also collected QSL cards from all of these American and international SW broadcasters... Now I sure wish I had kept them all intact instead of tossing it all out when it came time for me to move on. (but at least I have somehow managed to keep some of my old radio log sheets!)
KFXM built new studios on Colton Ave. (now Inland Center Drive) in 1940. This building still exists. In 1941 most radio stations changed frequencies due to an act called NARBA if I remember correctly and KFXM moved from 1210 to 1240 with 250 watts. On Wednesday nights they went silent to protect the signal of KPPC in Pasadena while that station broadcast Church Services. KFXM moved from 1240 to improved directional facilities at 590 and increased power to 1,000 watts in November, 1947. At that time 1240 became KRNO. So the card that was posted was a leftover from the old facility.
In addition to my above comment... Prior to 1940 KFXM broadcast with a long wire antenna above the California Hotel on "E" Street in San Bernardino with a power of 100 watts. The 1940 upgrade was a big deal.
The history lesson about KFXM's early broadcasting days centered around that QSL card is sincerely appreciated. Thank you to whom ever posted that valuable information!
Yeah, dittos to the guy who submitted the history of KFXM's pioneering days. I found it quite interesting. It's just too bad the KFXM calls were deleted in the 1980's by overzealous new owners who didn't care in the least about the hometown radio station's place in broadcasting annals!!!
Tullis and lawyer John P. Hearne purchased the station in 1957, whereupon, the programming format was abruptly changed to what was then known as a "popular music" or Top 60 "rock and roll" music format with board operating disk jockeys, ending KFXM's days under the old Don Lee Mutual Broadcasting System network. To say the least, the "Fabulous 59" made a tremendous splash with the up-and-coming baby boomers in the hometown listening area of that era!
Here's something a little different. Before KFXM played top 40/rock'n'roll, and before I was born. Notice the change in the frequency ? A little something from 1952.
9 comments:
Yes ... That is a QSL card verifying the reception of KFXM by a radio geek (like me). We ham radio operators exchange verification cards (aks QSL cards) similar to this all the time. There are (were) many non-ham radio enthusiasts who used to stay up nights trying to pick up distant AM signals. When I lived in Riverside (1959-1965) I used to pick up WLS out of Chicago as they were one of the BEST Top-40 stations of the time. In recent years, reception of these really distant stations is considerably more difficult because the FCC has allowed many more stations to occupy the AM band. And yes...KFXM was originally on 1240 until sometime in the late 1940's I believe. Before WWII, it was on 1210, I believe. Nice Memory!
Tom, Lexington, KY
Ham Radio Callsign KR4BD
Thanks to Tom KR4BD for the nostalgic look back at the days -- well before the world hooked up with the Internet -- of ham radio and Short Wave (SW) hobbies.
What fun times I had tuned-in nightly to my massive SW receiver picking up Ham operators from all over the planet along with national radio stations during the times of the Iron Curtain: Radio Peking, Moscow, Havana (Cuba); Swiss Radio International, All India Radio, Radio France/Equador/Canada, Deutche Welle (Germany), Italy, Australia, and of course, England's BBC. I also DX'd U.S. Medium-Wave (AM) radio stations from all over the continent including from Alaska and Hawaii. Like I said, there were nightly experiences of good listening and great station finds along the radio band back in the days before it all became corporatized and homogenized.
And I also collected QSL cards from all of these American and international SW broadcasters... Now I sure wish I had kept them all intact instead of tossing it all out when it came time for me to move on.
(but at least I have somehow managed to keep some of my old radio log sheets!)
KFXM built new studios on Colton Ave. (now Inland Center Drive) in 1940. This building still exists. In 1941 most radio stations changed frequencies due to an act called NARBA if I remember correctly and KFXM moved from 1210 to 1240 with 250 watts. On Wednesday nights they went silent to protect the signal of KPPC in Pasadena while that station broadcast Church Services.
KFXM moved from 1240 to improved directional facilities at 590 and increased power to 1,000 watts in November, 1947. At that time 1240 became KRNO.
So the card that was posted was a leftover from the old facility.
In addition to my above comment...
Prior to 1940 KFXM broadcast with a long wire antenna above the California Hotel on "E" Street in San Bernardino with a power of 100 watts.
The 1940 upgrade was a big deal.
The history lesson about KFXM's early broadcasting days centered around that QSL card is sincerely appreciated.
Thank you to whom ever posted that
valuable information!
Yeah, dittos to the guy who submitted the history of KFXM's pioneering days. I found it quite interesting. It's just too bad the KFXM calls were deleted in the 1980's by overzealous new owners who didn't care in the least about the hometown radio station's place in broadcasting annals!!!
Hey that's great info for us
KFXM junkies (fans).
So when did Tullis/Hearne buy
the Mighty 590?
Tullis and lawyer John P. Hearne purchased the station in 1957, whereupon, the programming format was abruptly changed to what was then known as a "popular music" or Top 60 "rock and roll" music format with board operating disk jockeys, ending KFXM's days under the old Don Lee Mutual Broadcasting System network. To say the least, the "Fabulous 59" made a tremendous splash with the up-and-coming baby boomers in the hometown listening area of that era!
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