The Camas F.M. Pre-History

Feedback.pdxradio.com message board: Portland Radio History: The Camas F.M. Pre-History
Author: Craigadams
Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 9:18 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

While researching the KNRK Public File for the date KMUZ-FM was APAed to Apogee, for the 92.3 history (currently underway). Ran across a great deal of information on the beginnings of the Camas station. This data will most likely be destroyed in the next few years to make way for more current info. as the FCC time limit elapses on the earlier files. This data was so plentiful and interesting my thought was to present it here as a pre-history, meaning this story ends at KMUZ-FM's final steps to operation. When presenting a regular history, early station plans that never materialized are not given. Not so with pre-histories. A smaller time frame means more attention can be taken. So with that, here's "The Camas FM Pre-History".

On March 10, 1988 KMAS Broadcasting Corp. applied for a C.P. (Contruction Permit) on 94.7MHz. (3KW) for Camas WA. Ownership consisted of: "Dick" Richard L. Schwary, President & Treasurer; Winford A. Fletcher, Vice-President; Kerry Pettyjohn, Secretary; Duane P. Wilson, James Hambleton, Alberto C. Angelo, Jr. & Richard N. Bolton. Mr. Schwary & Mr. Fletcher were brothers-in-law. Mr. Schwary owned a TV & Appliance store in Camas. Five of the six businessmen once held the TV license to operate channel 49 Vancouver as KLRK Broadcasting Corp. which was formed in 1979. The firm sold their license to Columbia River Television, Inc. in 1985.

KMAS Broadcasting Corp. was not affiliated with station KMAS Shelton WA. but you could surmise that Mr. Schwary desired the KMAS calls to reflect "CaMAS". The transmitter site would be located on Woodburn Hill, three miles east of Camas. The tower would be 880 feet high. The station will "present a mixture of news, contemporary pop music and public service programs designed to fit the needs and wishes of it's Camas-area listeners."

On April 4, 1988 the other applicants were revealed: Servent Management Group, Inc.; John S. Sherman, President; with wife: Dorothy Sherman, Secretary-Treasurer; James Goecks, Dean Johnson, James Thurman, Deborah Mellon & David MacGregor. KCCR (Camas Christian Radio) would "beam it's religious-oriented programs to Camas-Washougal area listeners." Transmitter site also Woodburn Hill.

Camas Broadcasting Co.; Linda C. Battles; William H. Battles, Jr.; Robin Tompkins & Raveesh K. Kumra. On June 28, 1990 Camas Broadcasting Co. agreed to dismiss it's application. In return KMAS Broadcasting Corp. agreed to pay Camas Broadcasting Co. $20,000. when KMAS Broadcasting Corp. application was granted. These were the last two remaining applicants for 94.7MHz.

On August 20, 1990 KMAS Broadcasting Corp. was granted a C.P. for 94.7MHz. with 3KW of power. On October 30, 1990 the calls KWQM were assigned. Sometime between 1988 and 1990 the proposed transmitter site on Woodburn Hill was rejected.

On January 11, 1991 KWQM proposed locating it's tramsmitter site on Prune Hill (3308 S.E. McKever Rd., 150 feet east of the Upper Prune Hill Water Reservoir). McClanathan & Associates, Inc. (Robert A. McClanathan, P.E.) would build the site. A 3.5KW transmitter would be installed with a new 125 foot guyed steel tower (93.0 meters). The antenna would be side mounted at the 91.2 meter level, employing circular polarization. Work would begin on June 1, 1991 and finish on September 1, 1991. The proposel was not acted upon.

On March 25, 1991 the KWQM calls were changed to KMUZ. Target date for KMUZ operation was set for May 1992. In January 1992 KMUZ's license was transfered to Pacific Northwest Broadcasting Corp. for $80,000. Dick Schwary became CEO & Board Chairman, owning 62.5% of the corporation. William F. King, President & General Manager.

On February 24, 1992 the Camas City Council denied a conditional use permit to build a transmission tower on Prune Hill, by a 4 to 3 vote. This was a reversal from an earlier recommendation. Letters were received in opposition of the tower from Hewlett-Packard, Sharp Microelectronics & Cellular One. Each party claimed the tower and radio waves presented the potential of disrupting their current operations.

On March 3, 1992 KMUZ announced a proposal of changing it's transmitter location to Pepper Mountain, (2,137 feet) two miles south of Bridel Veil OR. The tower would be 145 feet high. On March 17, 1992 Pacific Northwest Broadcasting Corp. purchased KKGR 1230kHz. Gresham OR for $82,000. KKGR had been dark since Spring 1991. On April 1, 1992 KKGR signed back on the air. On May 11, 1992 KKGR became KMUZ and KMUZ(FM) became KMUZ-FM.

On June 23, 1992 the appointed Gorge Commission voted to oppose the building of the KMUZ-FM tower on Pepper Mountain. Five Corbett residents and a "Friends of The Gorge" representative spoke in opposition to the proposal. The Forest Service had tentatively approved the application in a draft response.

On August 25, 1992 KMUZ-FM proposed to locate it's transmitter on Mount Scott, mounting it's antenna on the PGE Tower with K16CD(TV) at 9790 S.E. East View Drive in Happy Valley OR. On October 23, 1992 KMUZ-FM was granted a modification of it's C.P. and the long tower site journey was over. Now came the installation of the transmitter equipment and finally the operation day, but that's another story.

Author: Outsider
Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 10:58 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

I remember listening to KMUZ when they were testing, by running easy listening. I liked it and was sorry to see it fail eventually.

Author: Radioxpert
Monday, February 28, 2005 - 12:47 am
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

"KMUZ-FM, Camas...Conducting Engineering Tests."

Author: Washnotore2
Monday, February 28, 2005 - 2:10 am
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Prune Hill had been the longtime location for the cable system head end that served Camas/Washougal since the 1950's. The location was in line of sight of the west hills. Since Camas/Washougal sat due east of Prune Hill's shadow. During the 1990's the cable head was taken out of service. And all Cable TV feeds were being served out of the Vancouver.

Author: Csb
Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 12:53 am
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

I remember that whole issue with trying to find a place to put up a transmitter and the gorge thing. There is a tower on top of Prune Hill. What is that for now?

Author: Craigadams
Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 1:18 am
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Winfield Wireless

http://www.4cs.net/Cover-Prune.htm

Author: Waynes_world
Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 4:11 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Didn't 1480 used to broadcast from there?

Author: Craigadams
Tuesday, March 01, 2005 - 9:34 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Camas yes, Prune Hill no.

Author: Andy_brown
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 4:39 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

94.7 MHz. was a result of Docket 80-90, and was the last new Portland metro station to be decided by a comparative hearing, a process which was eliminated by the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996.

Author: Washnotore2
Wednesday, April 09, 2008 - 8:26 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Winfield Wireless

Updated URL

http://www.winfieldwireless.com/Cover-Prune.htm

Author: Semoochie
Friday, April 11, 2008 - 9:18 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Wouldn't 105.9 qualify as going through a comparative hearing?

Author: Andy_brown
Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 2:40 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

We started out that way (1989), but they froze the hearing after the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. The hearing remained frozen until the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1997 provided a mechanism to resolve approximately 120 hearings in progress around the country.
The case was settled out of court for 21.5 million bucks. Although there were 28 original applicants, only 10 had survived and were on the docket when the case was frozen and were therefore eligible to participate in the settlement talks.
Not all cases around the country took advantage of the mechanism for settlement amongst applicants of record and eventually were scheduled for public auction. The key advantage to settling before the deadline of one year provided by the BRA of 1997 was that the each applicant received a piece of the pie whereas in the public auctions which is now the rule, the high bid is paid by the applicant to the government. In the case of 105.9, the settlement provided all applicants of record with an amount as well as an 8 million dollar payment to Entercom whom had control of one of the applications even though relinquishing control of one's application was clearly against the rules of the process, vacated by the TRA, so most of the attorneys left that unchallenged in the interest of settlement ... and the other 13 million went to the 10 applicants on the docket none of whom ever held the construction permit. The CP being issued directly to Jacor who "owned" the technically surviving applicant whom had not won the initial decision (rarely the final deciding factor in comparative hearings historically speaking which almost always went to one or two levels of appeals, especially in cases with large dockets).

Author: Semoochie
Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 9:05 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

I understood that somewhere during the proceedings, Florinda Weagant was in a position to win but something happened and I can't remember what it was. I know she made some money off the deal.

Author: Andy_brown
Sunday, April 13, 2008 - 10:27 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

She had won the initial decision, but the case was immediately frozen and the rights of appeal along with them, and procedurally the litigation never resumed. She accepted a cash settlement from Jacor like everyone else. I doubt, based on the facts in evidence and facts not yet in evidence that she could have survived the next round of litigation had the case continued, but that is speculative on my part. The applicant through which Jacor obtained the CP got the most. Weagant, us and I think 2 others all got the second highest amount and the rest all got slightly less.

Author: Semoochie
Monday, April 14, 2008 - 12:47 am
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

Thanks, Andy!

Author: Thedocster
Friday, August 15, 2008 - 3:04 pm
Top of pageBottom of page Link to this message

View profile or send e-mail Edit this post

The Clark County 911 System also has a microwave tower up on Prune Hill, one of 6 simulcast radio towers in the Clark County Emergency Services system. I also believe Portland 911 also has a presence there, as I've seen their utility trucks within the compound.


Topics Profile Last Day Last Week Search Tree View Log Out     Administration
Topics Profile Last Day Last Week Search Tree View Log Out   Administration
Welcome to Feedback.pdxradio.com message board
For assistance, read the instructions or contact us.
Powered by Discus Pro
http://www.discusware.com