Lowell Burch - 07/19/99 07:53:32 My Email:J9z1b95@AOL,com Location: Magic Circle Favorite Tulsa TV show: UFF Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Teddy Jack Eddy Stupidest local commercial: Bust Stop
Comments: Lowell Burch - 07/19/99 03:16:38 My Email:J9z1b95@aol.com Location: Hiway 66 Favorite Tulsa TV show: Cy Tuma News Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Gusty and Lionel Stupidest local commercial: I thought he was your son! (UFF&CM)
Comments: Mike (stop with antennae!) Bruchas - 07/18/99 21:13:15 Location: Up a tower somewhere.... Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Jim Hill Stupidest local commercial: Reasor's - at times
Comments: I vaguely remember either on the Philtower or BOK (or whatever bank it is NOW)there was an antenna. I heard it was for a long defunct radio station then someone tried to tell me it was for KOTV. Does anyone know about this - I think it was taken down. There was another story that BOK had an executive dining room up top of the building and a transmitter shack had one time been up there, but my memories are murky. Still another rumor I heard was talk of folks wanting to put an antenna on top of the then new Williams Building - as it was the tallest in Tulsa, but the FAA had cause to object -- I bet they have pager/radio repeater short stick antennae there now though. Look up to the heights, folks, you might be surprised what you see! A lot of these towers Eric refers to may be either cel phone repeaters -or- relay or microwave towers for areas without fiber optic paths or over the highest hills in town. Think of AMOCO and how high tech they can be - now multiply this by a lot of businesses you know NOTHING about - in the data biz. Like Sabre - American Airline's data division.
Teligent may be coming your way - they are based here and move videoconferencing,
internet and data via these little weird looking building-to-building microwaves
and packet signals that bypass telco/cable tv lines for service. The "spectrum"
of signal waves is getting ever fuller! Erick - 07/18/99 17:01:11 My Email:ericktul@webtv.net Location: Tulsa
Comments: Spec Hart...he spoke in front of a tech class I took in school. Very bright man. I remember he was wearing some strrrrrong cologne or soap. We were asking questions not even related to engineering, and he was happy to answer them. Even "swiped a tube from a camera" and let us put our grubby paw prints all over it. He wasn't looking good then, and this was about 9 years ago. Is he still with us? Bob Allen....the man's misadventures seem laughable at times. In around 1990, he purchased then-Fox affiliate KAUT, and turned it into KTLC "The Learning Channel". This was basically a more adult-friendly PBS station, and their big promotion was that they carried Sesame Street in primetime and Charlie Rose at night. KOKH switched over to Fox from being Ind when this happened. KTLC lasted nearly 9 years...much longer than I expected. I think the gov't was going to stop making funds available for KTLC for some reason, so Allen held a series of auctions in the KTLC studios to fund the station. Where else can you get a scratched up armoir for $550? This obviously didn't work, because the station began airing UPN programming in primetime (KOCB went WB almost 2 years ago), and now the calls are again KAUT, and they are owned by the Paramount Stations Group, although I think some of the PBS morning kids programming still airs.
Speaking of sticks, does anyone know what's up with the one on the hill on
61st east of Sheridan? I've wondered if that was a city thing or if a radio
station runs on that. Mike (stop answerin' questions) Bruchas - 07/18/99 15:25:18
Comments: I had a job interview there with KTVY legend Zoli Vajda who was production manager at the new 25 after 25 went commercial at the old studios. The tech area had all RCA antique gear except for a used video cart machine that the new owneys brought in for spot playback. The new building hadn't been built yet but plans were underway as the antenna went up across from 9 and OETA. KOKH (Keep Our Kids Happy was the tie to the call-letters) somehow had tech space in the school for a period - don't know how much they paid OKC Public Schools for the station but it probably was a pittance compared to what 25 would sell for later. Zoli left 25 to produce spots and pro rodeo programming - he was a great director at 4 and ultra creative. I later got to know and love 4 & 25 TV legend chief engineer Spec Hart - who was one of the most decent and sharpest chiefs I have known in my career. I think KOKH was a forward thinking idea of the 50's or 60's for TV classrooms that was underfunded. Someone had good concept - ahead of it's time but couldn't fathom what it costs to run a station. The Catholic Church in many larger cities runs MMDS or low tower microwave transmitted programming to parochial schools all day long. Maybe if KOKH had gone this route before cable hit - it would have survived on a different scale.
On another side note - I do remember OETA's Bob Allen rubbing his hands in
glee after learning he was getting $200-300,000 of US Dept of Education funds
normally destined to the old KOKH and he would supposedly spend on 1" tape
machines for OETA. . Mike Bruchas - 07/18/99 14:49:51 Location: Stuck in OK of the 70's.
Comments: I loved driving that way up the back roads to Sperry or Skiatook - I presume it is all mega homes out that way now. Before 75 was improved and all the turnpikes built - I used to drive to Winfield KS by way of Osage County (hello, Jump's Roller Rink - often mentioned on KTUL but they never bought any air-time!). It will always be a magical place in OK for all the funky little towns. When someone from 8 went into Hub's Shop in Barnsdall (a daily KTUL TuffNut co-op spot advertiser) - we were treated like royalty. I used to also remember to look where Barnsdall's night cop always parked (or slept) - so as to NOT get a ticket. I seem to remember driving several times thru Pawhuska when "Saturday Night Fever" packed folks in all Summer the year it was released - at the drive-in. Which was funny 'cause movies usually only lasted 2-3 weeks at a pop during the season. Thought it hilarious - the town of Ben Johnson and his rodeo - havin' so many disco fans. Then again maybe a lot of those folks WEREN'T watching the movie! I wonder if it is still there? Anyone know? I was last in PawHuskie 6-7 years ago and downtown was dying. The classic hotel that Bob Gregory mentioned so often in the "Oil in Oklahoma" series had had a bad fire and I guess a newer less historic part was all that remained. Funny at one time Pawhuska had more millionaires than Tulsa - had they all stayed there - this might be Pawhuska TV Memories! Bob Gregory's work instilled in a lot of us - interest in all the old boomtowns and the sense of history.
Not to drift off TV but does the Saba Grotto Shriners clubhouse still live
up in No. Tulsa? Many years ago Jack Hobson of 8 and I were trolling around
up there after hitting Gilcrease and found this neat old mansion. It had
belonged to some big-time doctor who willed or gave it to this Shriners chapter.
A member took us thru the public areas one weekday afternoon - it IS classic
Tulsa architecture of the 1920's! I get the feeling they were looking for
prospective new members but never gave us a sales pitch - just were very
proud of the place! Always wondered if the members moved elsewhere - it was
pretty remote up there! Mike Bruchas - 07/18/99 14:19:10 My Email:jmbruchas@juno.com Location: Hot place on da East Coast
Comments: What about Dean Kelly (from KELI)? Or former KTUL announcer Dick Ralston? Former KWGS announcer J. Lee Ready (also known as weekend DJ Buford Montaigne on KVOO almost 20 years ago) is out of the biz at last note - working as a hotel auditor. He was a Tulsan who went to the UK and spent time knocking around there as a researcher/producer on several projects including D-Day Anniversary TV shows. Came back home to Tulsa and is still looking to get back in the biz. Randy Kindy - from KELI and KRMG - was at the JAYCEES for years and (sadly, after losing his wife a year or so ago) is now free-lancing in Tulsa as a producer/writer as a gun for hire. Beautiful music station voice Dave DeForest (from KWGS/TU) worked in PA after graduating and had a long stint at WGAY-FM in DC as the afternoon newsman/announcer. Changes in formats/ownership - after a long haul here - put him back in the free-lance arena. He is working some broadcast relief work and some USIA projects but has a had a stint of tough times in recent years. Seeing the old pic of Mark Giles at KFMJ - who was also a talented shooter - has me wondering if he is still in the business.
A lot of good folks passed thru station doors in Tulsa and found other callings
- but we still remember them here! Lowell Burch - 07/18/99 03:12:17 My Email:J9z1b95@aol.com Location: Tulsa Favorite Tulsa TV show: UFF&CM Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Dr. Pompazoidi Stupidest local commercial: IN (snap) Muskogee! How did you find TTM?: Right here
Comments: Jim Back - 07/17/99 21:25:26 My Email:jback@mmcable.com Location: Edmond Stupidest local commercial: "Andy Ewing Toyota {finger snap} in Muskogee"
Comments:
All that from a little chicken dinner! After I ate the TV dinner (not bad), I scanned the box and stuck it out there. You know, the idea that Swanson had a connection to Tulsa's Swanson Broadcasting did flit across my mind, but then I thought, "Nah". Thanks for the background, Jim!
Lowell Burch - 07/17/99 04:30:17 My Email:J9z1b95@aol.com Location: Magic Empire Favorite Tulsa TV show: Longhorn Barn Dance Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Don Woods, too. Stupidest local commercial: UCFF&CM How did you find TTM?: Computer
Comments:
On radio, yeah, I loved the rock guys (the Keli's, Scooter, etc.) and U-Need-um,
but how about Chuck Adams? No offense, Erling, but really hated to see that
guy go. He was great! Darrell Neale - 07/17/99 02:47:59 My Email:drn@intellex.com Location: Stilwell, OK Favorite Tulsa TV show: Tulsa TeenTown Topics Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Sherman Oakes Stupidest local commercial: Cinderella Bootery How did you find TTM?: via Channel 2 news
Comments: Scooter B was from 3 til 6 pm, Captain Fantastic from 6 until 10 pm, Denver Foxx, 10 til 2 am, Don Cook, 2 till 6 am, Mike "Morning Mouth" McCarthy, 6 am till 9 am, Gary Ono Stevens, 9 am till noon and Charlie Derick noon till 3 pm. On the tv side, I've got one of those old "Wanted" Posters of Bob Hower, Susan Silver, Don Woods and Chris Lincoln floating around here somewhere.
One of the best live specials was Channel 8's Kanchi, which ran after the
10 o'clock news in the 1970's. The TV people would loosen up and show more
of their real personalities as the clock got closer to midnight. Once again,
thanks for all the memories you have brought through your web site. Cinderella Bootery...hadn't remembered that in awhile.
Jim Back - 07/16/99 22:07:09 My Email:jback@mmcable.com Location: Edmond
Comments: Scott "Scooter B" Segraves - 07/16/99 20:36:41 My URL:http://www.kxkc.com My Email:hawg@kxkc.com Location: Lafayette, LA Favorite Tulsa TV show: Uncanny Phlegm Fester Favorite Tulsa TV personality: "Young" John Chick Stupidest local commercial: Lynda Sundered-Turkey How did you find TTM?: Truly bad kharma
Comments: How do I find all the RADIO GB's?
If you're ever down in The Valley of The Crawfish, check me out "on the way
home" (3-7PM, just like always) on Hot Country 99.1 KXKC. We have a Big 30 KAKC listing from your era on the Tulsa Radio page. In fact, what you just said is on it, too. Mike Miller...we have several pictures of him on the Newsmen page, but no luck so far locating him on the internet. There are no specific Tulsa Radio guestbooks, but there have been lots of comments about it.
Please write as often as you would like. I bet some of the readers out
there have questions for you, too. A.N.Tennaman (aka Mike Bruchas) - 07/16/99 15:45:49 My Email:bruchasm@atlanticvideo.net
Comments: I think the tower at 2 was an architectural thingie. Doesn't 2 use it for 2 way radios and a radome? Rain fade can affect a microwave I guess if you were in a tornado or somethin' (especially if wind is blowing 50mph and hitting an antique 6-10' dish mounted on a tripod or tower - but in my experience satellite dishes are MORE affected (duh since they point up to a degree) by weather. Where I work we get trouble calls from all over the US. If we can see the signal fine here in DC on a "return" - we know we are transmitting fine. If someone calls from Utah or the VI - we ask what the weather is like there -- knowing it may be rain/snow fade. Satellite downlinks can also suffer from TI or terrestrial interference. Our cable system affiliate in Indianapolis was formerly near Ft. Benjamin Harrison (hello DINFOS!) which is the Army Payroll Center. Often 2-3 times a week GoodLife TV's signal was disrupted from about 9pm-3am. We figured out the satellite data uplinks were fired up at the Payroll Center only on certain nights and the proximity of the cable company's downlink dishes to the Fort was a factor via terrestrial interference to the signal. Supposedly when the cable system moved their "dish farm" to another part of town - this went away mysteriously.... Dumb designs - Frank Rees and Assoc. of OKC do great TV plant designs - they started with hospitals and did several innovative stations in OKC. But they don't understand antennas overhanging areas. The problem at KOCO is that the employee parking lot is partially under the stick and in icy season - cars have been known to get damaged by stuff falling from several hundred feet up. I remember former KOCO Chief Engineer Ted Newcomb having folks (one season) park on the driveway because of falling ice. He was afraid of "death from above" - that someone would be killed by falling ice while parking their car one winter - we had so much icefall! Speaking of towers and cables - 3 years ago in June or July - Smithsonian magazine had a great article on guys who erect and maintain tall towers. I can remember when 34 went on air in OKC and the tower was under construction - these guys would ride/rappel down the guy-wires from hundreds of feet up when it was Miller-time.
The down-side of this job is if in Winter and a tower needs maintenance (they
AREN'T erected in Winter though) they have to go up in bonechilling cold
and wind. Not fun at changing tower lights to meet FAA requirements at 800'!
AND TV stations HAVE to report to the FAA any lights out - as a navigational
hazard. Mick Fine - 07/16/99 05:52:49 My URL:http://www.angelfire.com/ok/froghair/index.html My Email:froghair@busprod.com Location: Back Bedroom Favorite Tulsa TV show: All - ok, UFF&CM & Oom-a-gog Favorite Tulsa TV personality: All - ok, Mazeppa & Lee Woodward & Cy Tuma & John Chick Stupidest local commercial: Riverside Chevy How did you find TTM?: Warned to stay away by David Bagsby
Comments: A year or so after Oertle's, I was crushed - I remember it like yesterday - Dad and I were in his '62 Delta 88 about to climb the hill westbound from 21st and Sheridan (the brand-new McDonalds on our left) when the news came over KRMG's half-hour news break: "Police report that the home of Gailard Sartain was burglarized last night..." Gee, wasn't it great when common burglaries made the big-time radio news? Anyway, I wasn't an entirely stupid kid (at least Mom said I wasn't) and I knew Mazeppa's true identity, (it wasn't hard to figure out when every other scrolling 'credit' after the UFF&CM read, "Gailard Sartain...") but my little world sorta shifted in that moment. I guess part of growing up is realizing that even your heroes (ok, maybe that's a stretch) are really just mortals too. Of course, I was always impressed by my Dad's careful use of 'swear-words' to force that old maroon Olds over the crest of "21st Street Hill" one more time as well. Now that I think of it, with all the cursing, it might have been someone else's home that was robbed - in which case, never mind.
-Mick (froghair@busprod.com) Jim Back - 07/16/99 03:10:35 My Email:jimback@mmcable.com Location: Edmond
Comments: Just wondering, though. Could part of that antenna rig at KJRH be left over from when KVOO radio was there?
Also, Denny Delk used to work at KRMG in the early '70s. Talk about your
rekindled memories... John Hillis - 07/16/99 01:40:50 Location: Not really a microwave expert, but can make popcorn
Comments: Don't know about KOKH, but I read a report that during last week's East Coast heat wave, a Fort Smith FM was being received in central New Jersey like a local. The atmosphere sometimes makes ducts that are literally tubes of air hundreds of miles long. Signals just bounce around the tubes like they were enclosed by metal.
Heat inversions are famously weird for this kind of effect. Mark H. - 07/16/99 01:05:34 My Email:mjh5364@compuserve.com Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Beth Rengel
Comments: Erick - 07/15/99 23:29:29 My Email:ericktul@webtv.net Location: Tulsa
Comments: I lied...I have one more question...
I remember KOKH used to have their antenna atop the Arco (?) building in
downtown OKC shortly after they were sold by the school system, and reception
was horrendous at best during the heat of the afternoon. Not sure if that
was a reason. John Hillis - 07/15/99 21:15:29 Favorite Tulsa TV show: Channel 6 News at 10, sponsored by Coors, Mid-America Savings, Oklahoma's Pride, and Looboyle Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Jan Berry Scott
Comments: Audio on channel 6 shows up at the bottom of the FM dial. I've seen one (WBRC, Birmingham) promote it as a car radio service, which I thought was pretty creative. Other 6's probably do the same as well.
And, yes, towers are supposed to be segmented to fall down onto themselves,
though as the people at KTUL can tell you, they leave very large holes in
the ground when they do. Owners also tend to buy or lease at least enough
land that if it falls to one side or the other, it's not landing on somebody
else's property. For a 2,000-foot tower, that's an absolute minimum 289 acre
circle. Ice is the major enemy, particularly on the guy wires, as the sticks
are generally designed to withstand 100+ mph winds. Ice forms uneven loads,
and if the balance is upset, down comes the tower. Same thing if a guy wire
is compromised or snaps. It's a particularly unnerving feeling if you're
standing at the base of the tower looking straight up and that thought suddenly
pops into your head. Mike Bruchas (Mr. Antenna?) - 07/15/99 21:06:19 Location: That damned East Coast still... Favorite Tulsa TV show: Teen Town Topics Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Was it Dr. Jan or Dr.Judy????
Comments: The stick at 8 may have been for KCEB-TV the defunct UHF and was used for 8's 2 way radios when I was there - probably is used for news microwave service. A microwave dish fed to Coweta. As for 2's design - isn't their radar in that tower - it would be too short for any kind of coverage outside of Brookside. KETA in OKC was on the the KWTV tower though not a true candelabra - as was the OETA station in Tulsa at 6's plant though not sure if it was on the same stick.
You want height, brother AND power to kick that signal out! Erick - 07/15/99 20:28:56 My Email:ericktul@webtv.net Location: Tulsa
Comments: For some reason, I thought OETA (13) in OKC had their transmitter on KWTV's huge tower. I'm not sure if this is true.
6's audio is available at 87.7 fm. They use this to their advantage as a
means for people to get severe weather info during power outages. I must
admit that this service has come in quite handy to me on more than one occasion.
This past May 3rd is a prime example. Mike Bruchas - 07/15/99 19:23:07
Comments: In Tulsa since 6 and 2 were first - they picked out Sand Springs on a high hill. KTUL was the late bloomer - remember Coweta was about half way between Tulsa and Muskogee and I am sure land was cheap there too. The other stations move to Oneta was to give them less trouble with antenna height restrictions in Sand Springs which has houses around all now but also to counter channel switchers to 8. See previous note on the Radio Shack Tulsa antenna. Don't know if 2,6, OETA are on a "candelabra" stick or not - can anyone tell us? KOTV's sister station in Sacramento and KRON in SFO both were pioneers in putting up 1 big stick and having several TV and radio stations transmit from antennas up top the candelabra. More stations going HD or DTV and still keeping an analog system up may do this. It's also cheaper where land can be very expensive - to share the costs. Interference is usually not a problem.
Hey - can you still get KOTV on the low end of the FM radio band in Tulsa?
Always thought THAT was neat - didn't know of any TV stations in any other
markets "peaking in" on FM! Erick - 07/15/99 19:07:11 My Email:ericktul@webtv.net Location: Tulsa
Comments: M. Ransom - 07/15/99 17:22:05 Location: The Big Town Favorite Tulsa TV show: Webmasters on Parade Favorite Tulsa TV personality: Karen Keith
Comments: Erick - 07/15/99 16:02:00 My Email:ericktul@webtv.net Location: Tulsa
Comments: Let's see...KTUL's tower collapsed during the major ice storm in 1987. Did they try to broadcast from their stick on Lookout Mtn? I remember during that time, a couple of the OKC stations would send engineers up their towers with hairdryers to keep them from collapsing. I remember taking a tour of KWTV when I was in high school. They have a huge 1600 foot tower, and there are some houses in the area, and I was curious about the implications of a tower collapse (BTW, the wires holding that thing up are nearly 2 inches thick!). I was told that the tower is designed to collapse in on itself. I wonder if this was the case with the WKY radio tower which collapsed during the OKC tornado outbreak of '98. It fell over, but I think it was REALLY old. I always thought it odd that OKC stations have their towers located with the studios in far NE OKC, and their coverage area includes all of western Oklahoma except for the panhandle (Amarillo's area). Of course, OKC covered a lot of this area with LP stations.
Okay, I think I've talked enough! ;) We have begun Guestbook 15. Erick continues a thread to which John Hillis contributed today...see Guestbook 14 to get up to speed. John also gave us more background on the "exploding dog" story. We heard from both The Rev. Dr. Menleaux Park and Hoss Chopwright (aka G.Ailard S.Artain)...Ken Broo answered a burning question posed by Mark (answer: Denny Delk). More new voices: Lowell Burch, who contributed some great comments and remembrances, as well as 2 new G.Ailard S.Artain pictures... Alan Lambert, who worked as news director at KVOO radio for 20 years, and also at TV Channel 2, where he was the star of "Captain Alan and Oom-A-Gog" in 1966-67. Regulars Mike Bruchas, Jim Back, Mitch Schauer and John Boydston contributed more good stuff. If you just arrived, be sure to go back and check out Guestbook 14 (and 13 and 12...) Remember that you can use the search engine to find specific people or shows on the site.
We also added the Channel 2 photo album, courtesy of Alan Douglas and
Jack Frank of KJRH.
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