KPLS
830 kHz
Orange, CA
 

I Was There:
1993-2001

Station Information:
Freq: 830 kHz
Power: 2,500 Watts Day/1,000 Watts Night (now 30,000 Watts Day/20,000 Watts Night)
Height/DA: DA-N
City Of License: Orange, CA
TX Site: Oak Flat, Santa Ana Mountains
Format: Childrens, then Talk

Owner: 1: Orange County Broadcasting Co. (Danny Villanueva, President), 2: Childrens Broadcasting (Chris Dahl), then 3: Catholic Radio Network
GMs: Greg Schoenbaum, Dale Rideau, Charles Whaley,
CE: Paul Sakrison/Mike Duffy (Radio Services Group)
PD: Bruce Barker, Gary Crovo, Gary Landis,
SM: Mitch Seigal, Nancy Powell, Stephanine Curtin,
Engineers: Charlie Hecht, Larry Morton, Shannon Murdoch, Charlie Rohde (Nat'l DOE), Dave Ernewein,
Talent: Bruce Barker, Rita Pardue, Joel-Steven, Captain Ron Baker (Fish Talk), Holly McClure, Bob Dornan, Jon Zackula,
Sales Geeks:
Others: Jim Glogowski, Michael J, Charlie Rohde, Bob the Generator Guy, Jim Thibideaux, Sheri McWatters (Controller), Gary Landis (Nat'l Programming), R. David Ridgeway, Norma Carrasco, Gabrielle Johnson,
Vehicles: 2 Nissan Pathfinders, Ford Econoline Van

 KPLS-AM came on the air in early 1992 as a Spanish News station which failed less than two years later. It then switched to a satellite-fed childrens programming network, Radio Aahs out of Minneapolis. Shortly thereafter, in November 1993, Radio Services Group (Mike Duffy and myself) contracted to provide KPLS engineering services.
 

KPLS' Rita Pardue
entertains hundreds of kids at the Junior League of orange County Christmas Company event.


KPLS Radio Aahs Nissan Pathfinder
There were two of these at one time. They were originally used in the station's previous incarnation as La Voz, a Spanish News operation.


KPLS DX-50 Transmitter
to the left and power panels. SX-2.5A and equipment racks are to right.


SX-2.5A Transmitter and Equipment Racks
including Antenna Monitor, Remote Control, AM stereo system and microwave radios.


Tower 2 Base/Tuning House
as seen from Transmitter Building. Taken on a rainy night. Driving to this mountaintop AM site was treacherous in bad weather.
KPLS had three employees when we started there: Bruce Barker, Operations Manager; Rita Pardue, On-air/Public Affairs/ Office Person; and Johanna Flores, Traffic Manager.

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