LIC..DATE...CALL.K.C...CITY.........OUTCOME
Apr 1916....7YS..1499.Lacey.......KGY in 1922
Sept 1920...7XC..1499.Seattle.....KJR in 1922
Dec 8, 21...KFC...833.Seattle.....Del. Jan 23, 23
Feb 2, 22...KDP...833.Seattle.....Temporary Calls
Feb 28, 22..KHQ...833.Seattle.....Spokane in 1925
Mar 9, 22...KJR...833.Seattle.....KOMO by 1946
Mar 23, 22..KFZ...833.Spokane.....Del. Sept 1923
Mar 23, 22..KQT...833.Yakima......Del. Oct 1922
Mar 25, 22..KFV...833.Yakima......Del. May 1923
Mar 30, 22..KGY...833.Lacey.......Olympia in 1933
Mar 30, 22..KMO...833.Tacoma......Began Apr 1, 22
........22..KDU...833.Yakima......Temporary Calls
April 1922..CL8...749.Vancouver...KFVL in 1925
Apr 8, 22...KGB...833.Tacoma......Del. Dec 11, 25
Apr 12, 22..KOE...833.Spokane.....Del. Oct 1922
Apr 20, 22..KZC...833.Seattle.....Del. April 1923
Apr 22, 22..KTW...833.Seattle.....KYAC by 1976
Apr 26, 22..KNT...833.Aberdeen....Alaska in Apr22
May 3, 22...KZV...833.Wenatchee...Del. June 1924
May 23, 22..KDZE..833.Seattle.....KFOA in 1924
May 26, 22..KDZI..833.Wenatchee...Del. July 1924
May 29, 22..KDZM..833.Centralia...Del. March 1923
May 31, 22..KDZR..833.Bellingham..Del. Dec 1924
Jun 2, 22...KDZT..833.Seattle.....Del. Dec 1923
Jun 12, 22..KDZZ..833.Everett.....Del. April 1923
Jun 21, 22..KFAE..833.Pullman.....KWSC in 1925
Aug 1922....KFBG..833.Tacoma......Del. Dec 1925
Aug 17, 22..KFBL..833.Everett.....KRKO in 1933
Oct 1922....KFCF..833.Walla Walla.KOWW in 1925
Oct 16, 22..KFDC..833.Spokane.....Del. Sept 1923
Nov 1922....KFEJ..833.Tacoma......Del. April 1924
Nov 1922....KFFD..833.Tacoma......Temporary Calls
Feb 1923....KFGF..833.Mt. Vernon..Del. May 1923
Mar 1923....KFHH..833.Neah Bay....Del. Sept 1924
Mar 1923....KFHR..833.Seattle.....Del. March 1925
May 22, 23..KFIO.1190.Spokane.....KLYK by 1959
May 1923....KFIQ.1340.Yakima......Del. Nov 1927
July 1923...KFIY.1270.Seattle.....Del. Jan 1924
July 1923...KFJC.1290.Seattle.....Del. Nov 1924
Jan 1924....KFOA..660.Seattle.....KOL in 1928
Feb 1924....KFPB.1340.Seattle.....Del. Aug 1924
Apr 1924....KFPP.1270.Olympia.....Del. Jan 1925
Apr 23, 24..KFPY.1060.Spokane.....KXLY in 1947
July 1924...KFQW.1210.North Bend..Seattle in 1926
July 1924...KFQX.1290.Seattle.....KTCL in 1925
Nov 1924....KFRW.1363.Olympia.....Del. Dec 1926
Nov 1924....KFRX.1380.Pullman.....Del. Nov 1925
Apr 1925....KFVL.1300.Vancouver...Del. Aug 1925
May 1925....KTCL..980.Seattle.....KOMO in 1926
Aug 1925....KWSC..860.Pullman.....KFAE in 1922
Oct 1925....KHQ..1100.Spokane.....Seattle in 1922
Dec 1925....KOWW.1170.Walla Walla.KFCF in 1922
Aug 1926....KOMO..980.Seattle.....KGFA in 1927
Sept 3, 26..KGCL.1300.Seattle.....KPQ in 1928
Oct 1926....KXRO.1249.Seattle.....Aberdeen in 27
Oct 1926....KFQW.1380.Seattle.....North Bend in24
Nov 1, 26...KRSC..600.Seattle.....KAYO by 1954
Nov 1926....KVOS..900.Seattle.....Bellingham in26
Nov 1926....KGEA..870.Seattle.....KUJ in 1926
Nov 1926....KGDI..720.Seattle.....Del. Feb 1927
Nov 24, 26..KVI..1240.Tacoma......Seattle by 1954
Dec 3, 26...KUJ..1240.Seattle.....Longview in 28
Dec 3, 26...KVOS..900.Bellingham..KGMI by 1963
Dec 1926....KFQX.1430.Seattle.....KXA in 1928
Dec 27, 26..KKP..1150.Seattle.....Del. by 1929
Jan 1927....KGFA..980.Seattle.....KOMO in 26 & 27
Jan 1927....KROX.1420.Seattle.....Del. July 1927
Jan 1927....KOMO..980.Seattle.....KJR by 1946
Jan 17, 27..KPCB.1300.Seattle.....KIRO in 35 or36
Feb 4, 27...KGA...880.Spokane.....Began Jan 31,27
Aug 15, 27..KXRO.1310.Aberdeen....Seattle in 1926
Jan 1, 28...KGBS.1480.Seattle.....Del. by 1929
Jan 1, 28...KVL..1480.Seattle.....KEVR 38,KING 54
Jan 1, 28...KXA...860.Seattle.....KFQX in 1926
May 1928....KUJ..1500.Longview....Walla Walla 31
Dec 1928....KPQ..1300.Seattle.....Wenatchee in 30
Dec 31, 28..KOL..1270.Seattle.....KFOA in 1924
Mar 22, 29..KIT..1370.Yakima......Began Apr 8, 29

Del. = License Deleted

When KJR celebrated 60 years of broadcasting, both they and KKFX 1250 (KTW) made competing claims to be Seattle's first radio station.

Craig.....how long did it take for you to type in all that text. I am impressed.

I'm not a good typer. It took 3 hours! THANKS

Craig,

Nice job! Have a couple questions:

1. Maybe I'm not reading this right, but how is it that KJR and KOMO have entries showing that they both became the other, plus there is a KGFA shown as having become KOMO too? Is it because those calls have applied to more than one station over the years?

2. I thought KXRO was still in Aberdeen at 1300? Did they move to Seattle at some point and then return?

3. I was told that the reason KTW claimed to be the first Seattle station was that records show it was conducting experimental broadcasts as far back as August of 1920.

When I worked at KTW in high school in Seattle they claimed their 50th anniversary was in August of 1970 and did an on-air thing about it. Fishfan, I think it's unclear forever whether KTW or KJR was first in Seattle. KTW Chief Engineer Jim Ross, son of Seattle City Light's (& BPA's) J.D. Ross, died a few years ago and may have taken the truth of this heritage with him. And Craig, nice compilation!

Brooks Burford, KEX Anchor Guy

Fishfan: Yes KJR & KOMO switched frequenies around 1946. For less than a month KOMO became KGFA, then switched back to KOMO all in 1927 according to FRC/FCC records.

KXRO started in Seattle, then moved to Aberdeen.
It says in 1927 KXRO Aberdeen "Seattle in 26" which is a year earlier, referring to the original listing.

If KTW was on the air in 1920, it was not using an Experimental License. None of the Experimental Licenses matched ownership with KTW. They might have been using a Technical & Training License like 7YS Lacey and breaking the law, or a Special Amateur License. These I have not checked out because of this law. 7YS was known to have broadcast, so it's included. I will now check this out, and post what I find. THANKS!

I could not find a match for KTW, which signed on the air in 1922, as being owned by First Presbyterian Church. I don't know what else to say. I suppose it could have been a Pirate Station. What am a saying! A Church Pirate Station! I'm Going To HELL!!!

> A Church Pirate Station!
I don't know, it might be true now. I'm not intentionally trying to change subjects, but I was down in Salem a few weeks ago, jot down what I heard, and heard something religion-based on 102.9. Didn't hear any station id's. Got home, checked the FCC and radio-locator db's, and couldn't find anything on 102.9 in the area. Anyone know if it's an unlicensed station?

What part of town?

...or it could have been skip.

Craig,

Regarding KTW and their ownership and sign-on date, I found the following in a book that belongs to a friend of mine:

"KTW...founded by the well-known City Light president and engineer, James Delmage Ross, and installed under the domes of the old First Presbyterian Church building in 1922. It was licensed April 14 of that year, and began regular weekly (Sundays only) religious programming on May 14. The church's own records, however, indicate some trial broadcasts had been made there as far back as August 20, 1920. No further documentation of this claim has been discovered, and Ross' nephew recalls hearing that the earlier experiments were not very successful. The equipment only put out a few watts' power, and most of that never made it to the antenna, but was radiated uselessly inside the church's cavernous building. The station was unlicensed, and its audience--if any--limited to a few nearby neighbors."

Radiored

Radiored...

Many thanks for clarifying KTW history for me. KTW was in a building on the property of Seattle's First Presbyterian Church at 710 Madison Street when I was board op-ing and announcing while at Queen Anne High School. I guess this means your research proves KJR WAS first in Seattle in 1922.

KTW was 1250khz 5kw, sharing night hours with KWSU, Pullman. When I was at Washington State University and working at KWSU, I'd sign-off the 5kw transmitter with my voice in Pullman, then listen to the air monitor to my recorded sign-on from KTW, Seattle on the same frequency every night @ 11:15pm... 300 miles away.

When I was at KTW it was owned by Norwood J. Patterson. When Mr. Patterson defaulted on payments and the stations were put into receivership... he went out to West Seattle and stole the finals right out of the transmitters! I was on the board at the time. Ol' Norwood did a couple of years in Club Fed for that. He didn't find the spare finals in the cabinets so we were back on the air in no time.

KTW was also @ 102.5FM, the frequency now rocked by KZOK.

...Brooks Burford, KEX Anchor Guy

Brooks,

I remember KTW changing to Religious programming
around early to mid-60's during my start of love
for radio...listening on West Nickerson Street and going to North Queen Anne Grade School!
...thus 2 stations in Seattle that were
Religious...KGDN (now KCIS) and KTW...which did
not last very long

KTW had beautiful music on basically weekdays and religion on the weekends in 1963 and early 1964 and then was sold along with the construction permit for 102.5 to a guy from Colorado. On midnight Aug 1, 1964, the new owner switched formats to Top 40 rock with dj's Tom, Dick, Harry and Sam. Get it..Tom, Dick and Harry.....that was the owners idea of a joke. Those names were assigned to the 4 jocks....full made-up names Tom Morgan, Dick Jones, Harry Smith and Sam Kelly. Dick, Harry and Sam all came to Seattle from KOPR, Butte, Montana. The original guy called Tom "Fabulous KTW" lied and said he came from KISN, Portland. He was fired in a few months and a new Tom Morgan was hired. KTW FM signed on just after Christmas or just around New Years 1965. The rock lasted 9 months and they switched to the "Nashville Sound" country.

You guys rock!

Is the Pullman station still ND from sunrise to 11:15 and then off the air or did they finally put in a DA? If this is the case, I would assume that the Seattle 1250 is still only directional from sunset until 11:15pm.

Semoochie, I just don't know. KTW and KWSU shared night hours. KWSU would go to a night pattern or lower power at sunset, then sign-off @ 11:15pm. KTW would sign-off at sunset, then power-up @ 11:15pm. Maybe things have changed since then.

...Brooks Burford (who's somewhat gratified that anyone is interested in this!)

Apparently, KWSU's part in all of this is unchanged. They are an ND2??? with 5kw both day and night but with diferent constants. Why different constants would make a difference in how a 5kw non-directional signal interfered or not, I have no clue.

Thanks "Radiored" You got me off the hook!

Great Stories "Brooksburford". So strange on hearing yourself 300 miles away on the same frequency. I wonder if you're the only one that has happened to in radio history.

Great Story "Kjunguy" I really liked the Kisn part!

Craig,

When you get a chance, you might share the story of Roy Olmstead, Seattle radio pioneer. Verrry interesting stuff!

Red

Radiored: I don't have access to Washington Microfilm, except for crossing the river to the Vancouver Library. They don't have Seattle Microfilm. So I can't do Washington Radio History. The Info. posted here came from the Internet. I did a google search and found Roy Olmstead owned KXRO Aberdeen at one time. You'll have to fill us in on what you know.

Craig,

Roy Olmstead was a lieutenant in the Seattle Police Department while running a station in Seattle (before KXRO, I think he was leasing the station). Anyway, Olmstead's wife (her name escapes me) used to do nightly on-air bedtime stories for the kiddies. Rumor had it that the bedtime stories contained coded messages for bootleggers letting them know where the police were going to be conducting raids. Olmstead, of course, had access to this info through his position with the SPD. Olmstead was eventually kicked off the force for his involvement with illegal liquor producers, so the rumors about the bedtime stories were probably true.

After getting kicked off the force, Olmstead and a crony started KXRO though, as I recall, he wasn't the actual license-holder initially (but the "RO" connection to "Roy Olmstead" was a little tough to miss). The station was eventually moved to Aberdeen where his wife continued to do her bedtime stories, although this time the coded messages were used to signal bootleggers off the coast, telling them when and where to drop off their deliveries.

Red

WOW! I knew nothing about that! What other Washington Station Stories do you know?

There's a book that used to and may still be in the main Vancouver Library that talks about Seattle and Washington State radio history. I don't remember the title right now but I'm pretty sure that your story is in there. It was quite a fascinating book!

Craig,

Another of my favorite Seattle radio stories isn't about the "old days" but it is still a great story.

In about 1985 or 1986, KCMS radio in Seattle bought a big hot air balloon that was shaped like a blimp and had the call letters on the side. The balloon had the standard hot air balloon basket beneath it for a "pilot" but also had a engine with a propeller so it could be "driven" rather than just float along in the breeze. The plan was to fly this at local events and so forth.

The very first time they used it, they launched it from a football field not far from the station. It soared up into the sky, and all was well, until the engine conked out. The pilot was busy trying to get the engine re-started, but without the engine and propeller, the "blimp" became just a regular hot-air balloon at that point, floating in the breeze.

Unfortunately, the blimp/balloon floated directly into the AM tower, and became snagged at the very top of the tower. The blimp quickly started to deflate, with the pilot hanging on inside the basket. The fire department was called to come rescue the guy out of the basket.

In the meantime, in the shadow of this AM tower is a nursing home. The fire department ordered the nursing home evacuated because they were concerned that the weight of the now-deflated hot air balloon would cause the tower to collapse onto the nursing home. So, picture if you will, dozens of elderly men and women being wheeled out of the nursing home buildings in wheelchairs and gurneys, hooked up to their oxygen tanks and IV bags, while the fire department is climbing the tower to rescue the pilot out of the balloon basket, and while everyone is worried that the tower is going to collapse.

In the end, the fire department rescued the pilot, the tower stayed upright, and the balloon was cut down in sections, a total loss. Both the FCC and FAA investigated the whole thing. And you thought these things only happened on WKRP.

Semoochie, I think I know the book to which you are referring. Yes, it was fascinating, especially the old pictures (if it's the same one I remember seeing).

Red

Well you said it, as I was thinking it: W.K.R.P! All that needs changing on this story for TV. It was KCMS's tower.

I need to resume the discussion about KTW. I grew up in Seattle, and I sure don't have any memory about KTW AM 1250 ever being Top 40 or KTW-FM 102.5 being country or rock in the mid-1960s. But then, I didn't really start paying attention to local radio until I was about 11 years old, in 1966.

All I remember about KTW AM-FM that it was STILL owned by First Presbyterian Church in the 1970s, about the time that I was in college, and then they were purchased by Sterling Broadcasting, a division of the Sterling Theater chain.

Is there any chance that ownership of KTW reverted to the church, perhaps after one of those other short-term owners were unable to make things work financially?

Sterling took KTW-AM to a newstalk format, which is where I first heard Wayne Cody do a sports talk show before he moved to KIRO radio and then TV. And Sterling changed KTW-FM to KZOK (initially calling it "OK 102 and a half") with an album rock format.

As was mentioned above, I remember that KTW had to sign off at sunset and then returned to the air at 11:15 p.m. after KWSU signed off. That obviously made things difficult for Sterling. Apparently plans were underway to move KTW to 1590 AM, which was then occupied by KUUU, and continue the news-talk format there. But for some reason, while Sterling did indeed purchase 1590, the news-talk format was abandoned, as were the KTW call letters. I remember being disappointed, as I thought KTW had a pretty good format with the news-talk.

So many things to add!

1-First of all, great resource for more Seattle radio history can be found at www.psrba.org under history. Including a bootlegger story on the origins of KXA, now KTTH!

2-Brooks Burford; the KOMO TV Seattle reporter I remember watching years ago?

3-KTW (also known as KYAC?, KKFX, now KKDZ) still does the directional thing sunset-12a. But what the HECK does ND2 mean, for KWSU??!! I mean help me!

Peter

Ptaak: Thanks! That's a great webite. I don't have a "Broadcasting Yearbook" with me, but I believe ND means Non-Directional. I can't remember what 2 means.

PUGET SOUNDS is the name of the book that recounts all the early Seattle & Puget Sound radio history...including the saga of Roy Olmstead. The book is by David Richardson. I have a copy that my radio pal Michael O'Brien gave me the last time I saw him. O'Brien has an Antiques Mall in Port Orchard, Washington and restores antique radios. Check him out at
www.theradionut.net .

Robin Mitchell