Airchexx.com » Hartford

A "Happy" Christmas Night, WTIC 1080 Hartford | December 25, 1985

Steve West — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:00:53 +0000

Steve from Cape Cod has the knack of having his recorder on at *just* the right time. Here’s an aircheck that reminds us that sometimes automation isn’t ALWAYS bad… given the right circumstances.

Steve writes:

(Here is an) outtake of WTIC news reader Paul Reynolds, from Christmas night, 1985. It starts with the jingle intro to the news, followed by about 20 seconds of silence(apparently Reynolds was passed out in the newsroom). Then, talk host John Birchard scrambles to his mike, vamps for time, then hands it over to Paul…who does his thing.
About 30 seconds into the newscast the engineer realizes what’s happening and yanks Reynolds off the air.

…Christmas parties might have been scaled back a bit in 1986

A “Happy” Christmas Night, WTIC 1080 Hartford | December 25, 1985 is a post from: Airchexx.com

"1972 - Big D: 50 Years of Broadcasting History", WDRC Hartford | December 31, 1972

Steve West — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:10:55 +0000

Contributor Steve from Cape Cod sent this in in time for our New Year’s update, 2009. Produced for it’s 50th anniversary of broadcasting, this off-air recording (with some additions by your friendly webmaster) starts in 1922 and records many important events, including the Hindenburg Disaster, the bombing of Manilla (WW2), programming highlights including Big Band music shows and radio operas like The Lone Ranger… then it’s on to WDRC’s years as a Top 40 station up to then-current 1972.

The final portion of this is a recording made with a mic at a radio speaker at the stroke of midnight as Big D welcomed in 1973. This is an authentic original recording and we thank Steve for his contribution!

“1972 – Big D: 50 Years of Broadcasting History”, WDRC Hartford | December 31, 1972 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Jack Miller, WDRC Hartford | June 17, 1972

Steve West — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:10:52 +0000

…Sue, hello Sue – that was terrible!

Jack Miller did a weekly talent show on WDRC where listeners could call in and perform just about anything. It was, of course, all for entertainment, and some of the callers were truly awful. But, Jack Miller is the star of the show, and he DOES entertain. Shown here in this 14 minute original recording, Miller is a great host, who is much more than a disc jockey. His quick wit and ability to control this ‘talent’ show while playing along with the contestants, serves as a lesson to today’s radio people, that there’s far more to being a jock than playing non-stop music and talking like the kids in high school.

Courtesy of Steve from Cape Cod.

Jack Miller, WDRC Hartford | June 17, 1972 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Ken Gilbert, 1360 WDRC Hartford | January 1983

Steve West — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:10:06 +0000

I asked Mr. Gilbert what WDRC-AM sounded like before the flip to Oldies, and so here’s a 9 minute high-quality scope from 1983. While Ken didn’t say so, it sure seems like Buckley did more of a slow format turn towards oldies from Top 40 during ‘83. Listen to this, then the aircheck from later in 1983 to get a feel for where the station was going.

Ken Gilbert, 1360 WDRC Hartford | January 1983 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Ken Gilbert, WDRC-AM 1360 | July 1983

Steve West — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 04:10:42 +0000

Our friend Ken Gilbert sent in another goodie! WDRC (Big D, as it was affectionately known) was, by 1983, primarilly an Oldies station. This wasn’t some cheap imitation of an FM, however… as tape restorian Paul DiMarco (who provided the original copy to Ken Gilbert) wrote:

I know times have changed but this is (absurd) !!!
I’d listen to this type of radio before anything else on today’s dial….and it’s AM !!!
….not only is the DJ one of the best anywhere…..there’s some great commercial clips of other radio poineers like Friendly Floyd and Steve Skip.

The audio quality on this AM recording is fantastic. This really is a must-listen!

Ken Gilbert, WDRC-AM 1360 | July 1983 is a post from: Airchexx.com

The Greaseman, WPOP Hartford | March, 1975

Steve West — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:10:45 +0000

Thumbing through the vast unposted tape collection here at the Airchexx studios we stumbled upon this vintage scope of Doug Tract, AKA The Greaseman at WPOP Hartford toward the end of both his tenure and WPOP’s days as a music station before it became an all-news outlet. This is so rare, in fact, I think there is only one aircheck of Greaseman on WPOP on the web aside from this one.

This is a first generation tape which sounds very much like it came right out of the studio skimmer. The only editing done here is your webmaster took the silence out of where the skimmer stopped recording when the mic cut off and back on. The BAD part of this recording is that the first part of each word is cut off, probably due to a delay in the remote relay on the tape machine.

I will tell you that unless you were in Hartford and heard Greaseman in 1975 you will barely recognize him here, as this is not the irreverent guy one might remember from DC-101 or his syndicated program. Its very odd to hear him talking over intros, playing jingles or doing local radio… its really a WOW moment!

The Greaseman, WPOP Hartford | March, 1975 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Jerry Kristaffer returns to 102.9 WDRC-FM Hartford | January 18, 2008

Steve West — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:10:37 +0000

Part one of this four-part series starts in the 5 O’Clock hour as DRC-FM brings back a voice from the past! Jerry Kristaffer was the morning host at Big-D back in the early 80s, coming originally from WKCI KC-101… Kristaffer at that time had taken the reigns of morning drive from Brad Davis, who back in those days simulcast mornings on both 102.9 FM and 1360 AM. This time, Kristaffer is taking over for “Cadillac” John Saville.

Listen for two full newscasts, traffic, weather, cancellations (there’s snow and ice in the area on this day) and a wide variety of oldies (scoped) from the 60s – 80s.

Jerry Kristaffer returns to 102.9 WDRC-FM Hartford | January 18, 2008 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Sebastian Morning Show on 106.9 WCCC "The Rock" Hartford | July 23, 2007

Steve West — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:33:22 +0000

…”Good morning, what’s your addiction?”

We profile this Hartford CT morning show now, where the main topic is prescription drug addiction. The topic starter is steroid use in sports but moves on. Also, Harry Potter, and more.

It’s the only morning show featuring FAMILY VALUES (chuckle)… 106.9 WCCC – The Rock!

Aircheck by Steve West

Sebastian Morning Show on 106.9 WCCC “The Rock” Hartford | July 23, 2007 is a post from: Airchexx.com

Format Change: CHR 96 TIC-FM Becomes Hot AC 96-5 TIC-FM | June 15, 1994

Steve West — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 02:54:44 +0000

Program Director Paul Cannon launches this ‘new’ incarnation of WTIC-FM with a few words, and a produced history lesson. “The Rap is gone. Forever.”

Today, CBS Radio O&O WTIC-FM shares the same building with it’s AM counterpart, dinosaur WTIC AM 1080, Lite 100.5 WRCH and a few others. The station…. pretty much your typical Hot AC now, and FAR from it’s CHR glory days.

For those who remember (and even those who don’t or don’t care to), here’s what it sounded like over a dozen years ago from the Insurance Capital of the World….

Courtesy of Peter Q. George from Massachusetts. Thanks, Pete!

Format Change: CHR 96 TIC-FM Becomes Hot AC 96-5 TIC-FM | June 15, 1994 is a post from: Airchexx.com

More Bill Lenke on WTIC-FM Hartford | 1979

Steve West — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 23:59:58 +0000

We’re thinking of the world’s most rhyming DJ these days along with plenty of fans hoping Bill Lee as he is known on the air today find another radio home soon. Now, more from late-70s Hot Hits! ™ era WTIC-FM Hartford, courtesy of Steve McVie!

More Bill Lenke on WTIC-FM Hartford | 1979 is a post from: Airchexx.com