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KNAC (Now KBUE)
105.5 MHz Long Beach, CA |
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I Was There: |
KNAC gave me my start in radio, with a High School internship assisting Program Director Ron McCoy and, eventually, tormenting Chief Engineer "Ace" Simpson.. | ||
 KNAC Control Room Denise Westwood at the Gates Executive console. Sparta turntables, Teac tape decks and the lovely CBS Audimax are shown. An ITC stereo 3D cart machine was just out of sight to the right on top of the console. At the time, KNAC used dual (separate left/right) microphones.  KNAC Production Room utilizing a Gates Solid Statesman console, 2 Ampex AG-440C tape decks and dual mikes.  KNAC Antenna at Advanced Electronics tower on Signal Hill. This is at its modified position. It had been on a higherr 20-foot section, but the section broke off in a windstorm. The guy wires were also added to steady the tower, but adversely affected the antenna's signal pattern.  KNAC Transmitter Room included a 1kW Gates and 1kW Collins (Main).  KNAC Newsperson Mary Lyon and Traffic Mgr. Melissa at Control Room Guest Position.  KNAC PD Ron McCoy In Production Studio.  KNAC Inner Tube Crew participating in a contest at Disneyland's Jungle Cruise river lagoon. |
The station was owned at the time
by Jim and Claudia Harden. Jim had been a correspondent for NBC radio.
The operation would not be described as "overcapitalized". KNAC's
transmitter was on Signal Hill on the Advanced Electronics tower, which
resembled the mast of a sailing ship, with its horizontal arms. Without
any surrounding terrain, Signal Hill worked poorly with the FCC ERP-to-height
calculations, leaving it with 1,600 Watts. There were signal problems
to the east in Orange County, including the 22 Freeway even within sight
of Signal Hill. News was provided by Mary Lyon in the morning and News Director Bill Banks in the afternoon. The News console was a home-brew that was very flaky. They actually delivered the news in the Control Room at the Guest Mike position.
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