Again… it’s temporary
December 30, 2018For those keeping score, KQV (1410) is on the air from Ross Township. But again, it’s only temporary in order to “reset the clock” on the authority to remain silent period so that Broadcast Educational Communications can comfortably build out the diplex on WEDO’s tower by mid-to-late summer. (The previous reset happened in May and ended in early June.) In case you haven’t heard, KQV was relicensed as non-commercial in November which allows it to simulcast sister WKGO (88.1 Murrysville) while the clock is reset. By the way, the playlist is by your’s truly and is operating from a basic desktop computer… hence the gaps between songs… but again, it’s temporary. (I’m sure the Voy Forum critics will have a lot to say.)
I’ve been looking at the 5-tower array all my life, so when I was offered the opportunity to go beyond the gate with my employer, I overrode the Parkinson’s-induced aches and pains and went right over! (We had to install a unit to get our programming to the towers.) Our host was Bill Dickey who continues to overlook and maintain the site as required by FCC law.
The site in Ross – at 71 years – predates most of McKnight Road’s development including North Hills Village immediately in front of the site. (See above.)
Originally, KQV was diplexed with WJAS in Banksville Park (near where WSHH and WJAS studios were later located along Crane Avenue from 1976-1997). But in the mid-1940s, KQV had the opportunity to put its site in Ross getting a 5000 watt directional signal day and night. Three towers by day; five by night. But ask someone living in Coraopolis if they could hear the station at night and they’d say they couldn’t despite being able to see the towers. Still though, the largest part of the station’s broadcast history came from this site and its five Blaw-Knox towers.
After installing our equipment, we all walked out to the towers while Mr. Dickey checked on the “doghouses” under the towers. I don’t know if it was RF or just excitement, but the aches and pains I had been experiencing weren’t there! Phones poised, IT engineer and co-worker, Ted, and I got really giddy with our cameras.
Standing under Tower 5 while Tower 4 photobombs. 
Standing at the “Singing Tower” #4 (4 receives the signal and disperses it to the others) looking at towers 3, 2, and 1. McKnight Road is below on the right. 
PBRTV’s Eric O’Brien basks in the RF 
Eric at Tower 3 
Back at the lower level of the transmitter building.
While we did get pictures inside for business purposes, PBRTV respects that station equipment is proprietary unless given permission to display it.
12:00 midnight on December 31 will mark 1 year since all-news KQV went off the air, but the station will be back to life in 2019! Stay tuned.
Sounds to me like you’re having a ball putting that once great signal into action, Eric. If you feel ambitious, there’s a program called “Play It Live!” that emulates the greatness of radio automation -and can fill in those “gaps” If you google it you’ll find the website and downloads. Thanks for helping to keep keep it going.
lucky dog getting to see the transmitter and walk the antenna site.
Thanks for the info and the photos. I have always been fascinated by AM directional arrays, having worked at AM 970 (WWSW) and its 8 tower array.
Thanks for the cool pictures! It’s a shame my dad is not around to hear the easy listening format on KQV. He would have loved it. I do believe I detect a vinyl hiss and pop on some of the tracks.
Sounds like the music that I played on WKJF during a short on the air vacation fill in stint in 1971. Anyone remember WKJF … then the short lived WKOI, then WJOI?
Grew up real close to the WKJF tower. We could hear them on our toaster.
Color me jealous! So I take it that once KQV is diplexed with WEDO that this 5 tower array will be torn down? 🙁
Finally I can hear WKGO over here in the West Hills, via 1410, this is cool! Sounds okay, there’s some ‘intermod’ distortion on bassy tracks, perhaps a limiter release set too fast, though the familiar music makes anything sound better.. 🙂
My mom would have been listening to this, she chilled out to WLOA, JOI and then WSHH and WEZE when they were the only ones left standing with the format. After so long she would love the return. EZ is part of the music I heard, even when I thought it was music that just parents would like.
To think that all the open reels and cartridge automation that filed a whole desk area can be reduced to a desktop computer nowadays. I don’t mind the spaces between songs that the other caller mentioned, it’s the way Beautiful Music stations used to do it back then!
Boomer
Spent a lot of time in the transmitter building as well as the “doghouses” when I first went to work for KQV. At that time (early 70’s) the transmitter was manned two shifts a day. We used to calibrate the studio remote readings with the true transmitter readings twice a day. Once shortly after the switch to daytime operation and once shortly after switch to nighttime operation. I usually had the evening shift which required a visit to all five doghouses to take base current readings.
You sure got your exercise!
A good friend of mine was the engineer there for many years until he retired, he kept the station on line and the property maintained, unfortunately once he left, ground wires were exposed, trees grew past the fence, all which effected the signal, the place really went downhill. I hope taft broadcasting knew what they lost when Alvin left…a great guy.
KGO Murrysville is not really a legal station break is it? Should be WKGO.
The “W” only needs to be there at the top of the hour.
OK, but I thought I heard it at six minutes before. the top of the hour.. Maybe the automation clock was off time.
It does go astray due to the program we use. I reset it every other day or so. I theoretically could be sitting at it 24/7