KOAC: First Corvallis Station

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Author: Craigadams (63.110.90.130)
Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 10:05 am
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On Oct 7, 1922 Oregon Agricultural College's new broadcasting apparatus initiated it's first test program, an O.A.C Football Game, on 360 Meters(833kc). Other test programs proceeded in the weeks that followed. On Dec 7, 1922 O.A.C. College was assigned the government call sequence KFDJ and officially began operation on this date. It should be noted that even though the station was in Corvallis, Portland Newspapers always listed it's special programs for this areas listeners. Jacob Jordan was Chief Operator and also built the apparatus. Studio & transmitter were located at the Physics Department. In Nov 1924 KFDJ shifted to 1180kc. On Oct 2, 1925 KFDJ moved it's studio to the Admnistration Building. The transmitter & antenna, two self-supported 45 foot towers were installed on the roof of Apperson Hall. On Nov 4, 1925 KFDJ shifted to 1060kc. On Nov 11, 1925 KFDJ moved it's studio to a suite used by the College Music Department. On Dec 21, 1925 KFDJ became the first station in Oregon to change it's call letters. The government was now granting stations, if desired specific calls, symbolizing a name or slogan initialled in the call letters. KOAC, for: Oregon Agricultural College. Now Oregon's oldest existing calls on radio. Also on this date the station shifted to 1070kc. In early 1927 O.A.C. College became Oregon State Agricultural College. KOAC's license reflected this change. On June 15, 1927, the first major national frequency reallocation took pace by the new Federal Radio Commission(FRC took control 4-24-27), moving KOAC to 1110kc. By now KOAC was using the slogan: Science for service. On Nov 11, 1928 another major national frequency reallocation. KOAC was shifted to 560kc. On Nov 19, 1928 KOAC moved it's transmitter to the new Physics Building. Two 95 foot towers were placed atop the structure. On Dec 6, 1928 KOAC was shifted to 570kc. due to interference with other stations on 560kc. In early 1929 KOAC moved it's studio to the third floor of the Physics Building. On Oct 1, 1929 KOAC shifted to 550kc. In late 1938 KOAC's license was transfered to a new entity: The Oregon State System of Higher Education. In July 1942 KOAC moved it's transmitter site to Granger OR, five miles N.E. of Corvallis on U.S. 20(The Albany-Corvallis Hwy). A two tower directional antenna system was installed. On April 17, 1956 Oregon State Agricultural College became Oregon State College. In early 1961 studios were moved to 203 Covell Hall. On March 6, 1961 O.S.C became Oregon State University. In 1962 KOAC's license name changed to State of Oregon, Acting By & Through The State Board of Higher Education. KOAC's slogan: Oregon educational broadcasting radio. In 1971 KOAC became a member of NPR. Slogan: This is OEPBS, Oregon Educational & Public Broadcasting Service. By 1973 KOAC was broadcasting Classical & Jazz Music, in addition to educational features. In 1982 KOAC's license name changed to State of Oregon, Acting By & Through The Commission On Public Broadcasting. By 1986 most OPB programming was coming from sister KOAP-FM Portland. Slogan: Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio. In 1987 studios moved to 239 Covell Hall. In 1991 talk programming was added. On Sept 20, 1993 KOAC's license changed to Oregon Public Broadcasting. KOAC slogan: This is the news & information service of Oregon Public Broadcasting. 1996 OPB slogan: You're with OPB Radio. The contributors supported radio stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting, It's where you belong.

Author: Semoochie (24.4.255.70)
Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 10:52 am
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Do you know anything about the power levels?

Author: Craigadams (63.110.90.130)
Saturday, June 23, 2001 - 11:49 pm
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KOAC started with 50 watts. Late 1924 100 watts. Oct 2, 1925 500 watts. Dec 1928 1kw. July 1942 5kw day, 1kw night, both directional. Early 1947 night power raised to 5kw directional.

Author: Semoochie (24.4.255.70)
Monday, June 25, 2001 - 12:34 am
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Thanks Craig, I thought it would be interesting because of the dial location.

Author: Craigadams (63.110.90.132)
Monday, June 25, 2001 - 3:03 am
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I was a little afraid to put so much stuff up here, that it would not except so many words. I think this is my longest station history yet! I have another long one coming this week. I'm now to 1923. Can anyone guess which station it will be. It should be easy, there was only one that began in Portland in 1923.

Author: Broadway (4.54.82.204)
Monday, June 25, 2001 - 10:20 am
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Craig,

When you've got some extra time I would like to see you give some history for KORE. I've heard that they are one of the oldest stations in Oregon...or maybe the oldest calls. thanx...

Author: Randy_In_Eugene (24.9.191.9)
Monday, June 25, 2001 - 9:16 pm
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Broadway,

The Spring 1974 edition of the Lane County Historian is a great source of pre-WWII Eugene radio info. (I'll drop a photocopy by C/S when I have a chance.)

The Reader's Digest condensed version is as follows:

A license and some equipment were purchased from Portland's KLIT and brought to Eugene around 1927. The calls were changed to KGEH for the Eugene sign-on at 1490, and to KORE about a year later. KORE moved to 1500 that same year, to 1420 by 1930, and to 1450 in 1941. The station is now known as KKXO 1450. The present KORE 1050 signed on as KRGA in 1954, became KEED in '55, and swapped call letters and formats with the original KORE in '66.

Some of the above dates came from another great source of history and old FRC/FCC station lists at the following link:
http://members.aol.com/jeff560/jeff.html

Perhaps you can say KGW are still the oldest Oregon calls if you can ignore the fact they are now only assigned to the TV station, otherwise I guess the oldest radio calls would be KOAC. (See, I AM on-topic!)

Author: Craigadams (63.110.90.132)
Saturday, June 30, 2001 - 6:48 am
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Randy: You spoiled my KLIT History!! Oh Well... there are still some surprises you didn't mention. Randy, what do you know about the to earlier Eugene stations? I have very little on them and don't have the Calls with me here. I'll post what I know, if you want, it's not much.

Author: Craigadams (63.110.90.132)
Saturday, June 30, 2001 - 11:54 pm
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Top 10 Oldest Calls In Oregon (excluding TV) are: 1. KOAC, 2. KXL, 3. KMED, 4. KEX, 5. KWJJ, 6. KORE, 7. KOOS, 8. KBPS, 9. KSLM, 10. KAST. P.S. I forgot to mention that I will post all I have on KORE, when I do the KLIT History in the weeks to come. It not as long since the Portland Newspapers didn't cover the Eugene area.


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