I was listening to an old aircheck of 1520 KYMN from 1965. The jock on the tape was Joe Allen. Is that the same Joe Allen who was the engineer at the old KYTE 970?

That would be the same guy. Also CE at a number of other stations, including KLIQ. There, he pioneered the race broadcasts at PIR, wiring the entire place and placing a team of announcers (including the incomperable Gordon Scott) around the track. The upteenth incarnation of that team still works out there.

I can still hear Joe, broadcasting from his position at Turn 1, screaming "Oh, My God!" over and over instead of letting us know what actually happened out there.

A multi-talented guy who WAS one of a kind!

Joe was the engineer at KOHI in 1973 and 1974 when I worked there. He did magic with very antiquated equipment. I turned the transmitter on and off with a broom handle.

On my last airshift (before heading off to college), I looked up from the board to see a huge ball of fire inside the transmitter. I felt much smarter about having never touched the thing, but sad, as both of my listeners were cheated out of the final hours of my sure to be stunning final show.

I think that one took several days to fix, and certainly some frustration on Joe's part.

Andy, is that the same aircheck posted on this website? http://www.pdxradio.com/pdxhist.htm (Scroll down to "Archive #4.")

If so, it's purported to be from October 1964. Joe himself aired this aircheck during a format change stunt on 101.1 called "People's Radio Week" in December 1989.

I worked with Joe at KYTE.....an incredibly nice guy....it was a long time before I knew he had done on air....I only knew him as an engineer for his first year or so at KYTE. Once someone suggested he would be good in a commercial.....and of course he was awesome....at some point that day I realized there was another side to him.... Whenever I pass by the building he is one of the people I immediately think of....even 20 years later.

When Joe passed away there was a huge crowd at his funeral. He was not only a known figure in Portland radio but well liked. He had some great stories, too.

I had a friend who worked for Joe. At the time he was CE for Cascade broadcast. Cascade owned a station in San Jose , KEGL, thats where Mike went for a year or so. Joe was a nice guy and very knowledgeable and unlike a number of engineers ( believe me I know ) he got along with just about anybody.