Time sharing on AM BC band.

[k4kyv]

To-night on 160 I worked a station in IL, just across the river from St. Louis, MO.  His QTH is about 2 miles from the transmitter site of WEW.  That is a real  historic station, dating back to the early 1920's, truly a broadcasting pioneer.  The last time I was in St. Louis, they were running an oldies format, playing 1930's music.  The symmetrical callsign (WEW) reminds me of the dial on a 1930-era broadcast receiver.

They identify as being located in St. Louis, but since the xmtr is located on the eastern shore of the river, they have a W prefix instead of K.  I have passed by and seen their set-up; it is nothing spectacular, just a typical 200' or so single tower vertical and small transmitter bldg, like hundreds of other small AMBC stations you see along the countryside.

The fellow I was talking to mentioned that WEW time-shares the channel with another station, which runs a Spanish-speaking format.  He wasn't sure if both stations use the same transmitter site or if they run completely separate stations.

I know that two or more stations time-sharing a single broadcast channel was common from the '20's up through WW2, but I didn't know it was still done to-day.

Wonder if any other AMBC stations around the country are still time-sharing?

[W2PFY]

Back in 1960 when I was at Ft Hood, Texas Dallas and Ft. Worth shared a station on the same frequency and would switch back and fourth during the day with different call letters. I forgot the call sign but I would like to know if anyone else ever heard what I heard?

   

[Ed KB1HVS]

 

I love these old radidiio ads and a qsl card

[Bill, KD0HG]

How about THREE stations sharing 1240 in Chicago when I was growing up there.
WEDC, WSBC and WCRW. Their formats were generally ethnic programming, Greek, Polish, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Sunday morning polka shows... Some of those same ethnic DJs were employed at the same station for 40-odd years. I found this reference on the web for grins:
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About 1988 WCRW, was purchased by WEDC (who sold them both to WSBC). The 3 time share stations oprated on 1240 on the am dial from the mid-1920's until WCRW's owner Mrs. Josephine White died.

These were 3 separate complete stations 7 days a week, 24/7. 12-6 WEDC 6-8 WSBC 8-11 WEDC 11-2 WCRW 2-4 WSBC 4-5 WEDC 5-8 WCRW 8-12 WSBC. The 3 stations on 1240  operated from 3 different locations with 3 separate transmitter sites, 1kw days, 250 nights.

This is how it worked; (other station "empties” the frequency by shutting off). WCRW; (flip on the transmitter) "Thank You WSBC, this is WCRW, the Gold Coast Station returning to the air at ( ) o'clock. Portions of our programming is pre-recorded."

Pat Sajack got his start on WEDC. WSBC was originally started by the Standard Battery Company.
WEDC comes from Emil Denemark Cadillac, Mr. Denemark made his dough selling cars and bought into radio broadcasting as a way to plug his dealership.
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That was the situation ca. 1980 when I last listened. Since then, there's been so many changes in ownership that I don't know who owns and operates what there any more, Don.