March 31

Airwaves: March 31, 2006

Mail Bag

We've got mail ... way too much to waste time yackin'.

• Bob Orabona, Gardena: "I am interested in old (early 1970s) on air tapes from KLOS and KMET as well as a few others. Are they available, and if so, how do I go about getting them?"

Normally, reelradio.com is the place for airchecks, as on air recordings are called, but that site focusses on top-40. A quick check yielded just four for KMET and none for KLOS.

So where do you turn? Try California Aircheck, at californiaaircheck.com or (619) 460-6104. Owner George Junak has been selling tapes of stations across the country for the past 26 years. If it isn't in his catalog, he can probably find it.

If worse comes to worse, search for traders on the net through by using the search string "KMET aircheck," replacing KMET with whatever station you hope to find. And if any other readers have any tapes themselves, hopefully they'll let me know.

• Betty Copher, Harbor City: "Two years ago I moved to the South Bay from San Jacinto, CA. We had a local radio station KWRP that played 'The Music of Your Life.' Wink Martindale was one of the hosts. I found it here once, but could not remember the station and have not found it since. Could you help me please?"

I wish I could. The music itself can be found on the 1260/540 AM simulcast of KKGO, so that's good. But if you want the actual Music of Your Life format, you have to either move elsewhere or listen over the internet: MOYL isn't available on any local station any more. Interestingly, the last affiliate that you could pick up here was ... KWRP!

If you have a computer and an internet connection, you can hear the format right from the web site, www.musicofyourlife.com. Many affiliates also stream the music as well, so you can still feel "local."

• Carol Barker, San Pedro: "What's the big deal about the new digital radio broadcasts? Do I need to buy a new radio?"

Yes, you do, to receive the new multicast signals (extra channels sent along with the main one) on FM, or to hear supposed increased sound quality on AM.

Trouble is, the radios are hard to come by, and they are expensive: $299 for the cheapest I know of, and it's a table radio. I expect that within a year, both cost and availability shouldn't be as much of an issue.

The idea behind HD Radio, as it is known, is increased fidelity on both AM and FM, and extra channels on FM. Station owners hope the system will keep you from finding other entertainment sources. Personally, I don't think it will work until programmers realize one simple point: it's the programming.

People don't tune out of radio because they want digital; they tune out because radio doesn't offer them what they want. Satellite radio and iPods apparently do. but that's another story.

• Kay C., Rancho Palos Verdes: "What's new with Brad Chambers, formerly with The Fabulous 690?"

Nothing to report right now. He's working on getting the format somewhere, but has nothing to announce yet. I did notice on his website that a future link is to have a live feed of Martini in the Morning. Is an internet version of Fabulous on its way? Check out www.martiniinthemorning.com.

///

To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511