In the 60's I used to do a jazz show on on a 1570 Khz radio daytimer
station in Golden Valley, MN which is now KYCR. I remember a station
which claimed to be in Del Rio, Texas but actually had a super high
power AM station located across the border in Mexico.. I think the call
sign was XERF but the studios were located in Del Rio which was later
claimed to be a illegal cross boarder operation by the FCC. The
frequency 1570 was listed as a Mexico Clear Channel which had an awesome
skip signal that would just before sunset wipe out the show I was doing
in as close as 5 miles away. I think this was also the station used by
the infamous Dr. Brinkley to sell snake oil in the 30's and also the
home of Wolfman Jack...I posted a piece from Wiki on this
In the 1930s in Villa Acuña
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Acu%C3%B1a>, now Ciudad Acuña, the
border blaster <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_blaster> XERF-AM
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XERF-AM> made its home. The radio station
was built by Dr. John R. Brinkley
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Brinkley> from Kansas. Dr.
Brinkley claimed to be able to cure male virility deficiency with goat
gland transplants. Dr. Brinkley wanted to promote his male enhancement
operations and used the radio station for that purpose. Because of the
purpose of radio XER and what it promoted the station was closed in 1939
by the Mexican government.
In 1947 the government of Mexico licensed XER-AM
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XER-AM>, the super-power border blaster
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_blaster> run by Ramon D. Bosquez
on 100 kW. They used the old XERA facilities and sold its airtime to
American Evangelists broadcasting in English to the United States
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States>. In 1959, Ramon D. Bosquez
and Arturo Gonzalez formed the Inter-American Radio Advertising, Inc. in
Del Rio <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Rio,_Texas>, Texas
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas>. They ran the broadcasting in Del
Rio while the license rested in the hands of Mexican officials. They
boosted the power to 250 kW. This super station was where famous disc
jockey Wolfman Jack <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfman_Jack> between
1962 and 1964 became known. XERF-AM is currently under control of the
Instituto Mexicano de la Radio
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instituto_Mexicano_de_la_Radio> and plays
Spanish-language programs and music.
Any corrections on what I remember about XERF would be appreciated. I
also remember some old timers in Europe would listen on 1570 to see if
the propagation on topband would permit contacts to the Midwest.
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
On 9/15/2013 9:13 AM, Mike(W5UC) & Kathy (K5MWH) wrote:
On 9/12/2013 11:48 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
On 9/12/2013 4:06 PM, Herb Schoenbohm wrote:
the "nation's station" which was WLW for sure
Another interesting point -- WLW was a 50kW clear channel station,
and one of a handful that had their frequency to themselves at night
for all of North America, which is why the Commission might have
considered licensing them for 500kW. As I recall, the other might
have been WOAI, on 1200 kHz.
73, Jim K9YC
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Topband Reflector
Hi Jim:
For Years I have believed that WSM, 650, was in that category.
Goodness knows, We can't miss the GRAND OLE OPRY"
73,
Mike, W5UC
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Topband Reflector
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Topband Reflector
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