Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Console Comments From Greg Fadick, a.k.a. "Hot Scott Fisher"

Bud,

First of all, I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying the posts on your trip through the KAAY transmitter site. While it’s really sad to see the condition of the facility, it’s also like visiting an old friend.

The picture of David B. with the Gates Yard console really brought back some memories. I have no idea where that was used at KAAY, as I never saw it there during my time, but I did spend many hours with my hands on one of those at other stations. Small, but a very sweet board.

The other console pictured (the one with David’s hand on top) is, if memory serves, an RCA 7A. It’s an early 60’s vintage board, but RCA continued to manufacture it through the 1980’s. We had a couple of those at KAAY during my tenure in ‘76-’77 at the Cottondale Lane studios. One was in the main KAAY control room, another in the large production studio, and maybe another one running around. Here’s a kind of interesting video of one actually working: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQNcuhgu7nQ

As I said, RCA continued to sell this board through the 80’s, and in fact, we used one in the main control room at KLAZ during that time.

Again, if memory serves, the console in use in the main KAAY control room on 7th street, up until the move to Cottondale, was a Collins 212E. Here’s a link to some pics of one: http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?217533-Collins-212e-Console

Note the telephone style switches next to the pots on the bottom row. These selected program or audition. What made them unique was they moved vertically, with the up position being audition and down being program. On most consoles of the day these switches moved horizontally, to the left being audition, to the right, program. Again, I believe this is what was in the 7th Street studios, hopefully David B. and/or Dave M. can confirm that.

Keep those posts comin’. I’m loving them.

Thanks,

Greg

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