The End of KWXY-FM Palm Springs

[ednixon]

Don Wardell at work on KWXY, 7pm - midnight Saturday & Sunday

Saturday evening Dr. Kramhoff and I visited the historic "Broadcast Centere" of KWXY on Dinah Shore Drive in Cathedral City to see it
before it is absorbed into KDES on Feburary 2. KWXY is truly a real life time capsule, seemingly frozen at some point before digital audio (except for compact discs)well into the last century. Much of KWXY's "Beautiful Music" has originated from analog open reel tape and vinyl,
but this all comes to an end next week. Like most broadcast clusters, the "beautiful" format will be nothing but
a blinking hard drive activity LED, indicating a stream fed to the old 1340 AM, starting Tuesday after next.
Two of the staff will survive the transition from 98.5 FM to 1340 AM. For this last week prior to February 2, I have set up a live audio stream where you can hear the last days of this format, should such nostalgia bemuse you. In the snapshots from last night's visit you can see the old standby RAYTHEON AM 1340kHz 500W transmitter, and the STANDARD BROADCAST FM transmitter, both tube type transmitters from the early 1960's.

Comments

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

What power output tubes is it using? I'm amazed at how homemade my kilowatt looks similar. Using surplus coils and variable caps...hey it's similar!

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

I recognized the lower power 807's. But my mind's fuzzy on 803's.

For me, I went the more modern route with 8-6LQ6's.

Just to light them up took 20 Amps. You shouldda seen the house lights dim on modulation peaks.

[ednixon.livejournal.com]

oops, I meant 807, not 803.
Then there is the 813s there, and some glass and metal tube that Dr. Kramhoff is holding for the Standard Broadcast FM final.

[broduke2000.livejournal.com]

Just think: If this were a telephone discussion, Homeland Insecurity would be wondering if we were plotting something dastardly.

Whenever I talk to Bob, my radio partner, I always preface the conversation with: "Nothing to worry about guys, we're talking about old, moldy vacuum tubes"

[ednixon.livejournal.com]

I enlarged the pic and read the tube numbers.
Those are 810's in the output, with the side mounted connector, as well as
the anode cap. Google "810 Vacuum Tube" on ebay and they come up for $50.
The 803's are the modulator in the old Raytheon 1340KHz rig.

[(Anonymous)]

the elevators of my life will never be the same

[ednixon.livejournal.com]

Don Wardell refers to the KWXY day parts that are NOT part of his show, which he personally programs with his own records, as "Elevator Music from Hell". This is especially appropriate when it is playing on a broken warbly wow & flutter filled tape deck.

[alohawolf.livejournal.com]

Gahh!

I feel awful I missed the signoff, thanks for the aircheck though, made me smile, many memories of time with my grandparents were tied to this station, not to mention, I like the music they played quite a bit.

I would always tell my friends to listen, as it was a living piece of history and the production quality was impeccable.

[ednixon.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked the airchecks. I believe Don Wardell may still be in the employ of KDES, now that they own the KWXY calls and moved them to AM 1340, programming much of the KWXY AM stream. It's almost completely canned, not the same, really, as the old KWXY FM was with Don or whomever
playing their own records and commentary live. Some sponsored shows, like the Canadian newscast and market report survive.

[alohawolf.livejournal.com]

The on-air sound is much the same, although without the same warmth and softness..

I could tell it was an analog chain just on how it sounded, having grown up in the Los Angeles, it was just one of those thing about visiting Palm Springs (well that and visiting Hadley's on the way in for a Banana Date Shake).

The on-air sound was so unique, I've never heard anything quite like it, from the station ID's to everything.