Topband: and KDKA

[Herb Schoenbohm]

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
>> _________________
>> 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
> _________________
> Topband Reflector