[BC] What brought me into radio

[Mike Vanhooser novaelec@sbcglobal.net.INVALID]

I have a first edition, mine is autographed by Wolfman (who used to fly into Dallas on Saturday nights to do an oldies show on Scott Ginsburg's station), Arturo Gonzales (the concessionaire of XERF from the 40's through the 70's, that's LMA in today-speak) and Reverend J.C. Bishop (whom I had as a dear friend in his final days), probably the most famous and ethical of the motley stable.  Between Border Radio and Have Mercy is a collection of the greatest stories in radio.  Border Radio also explains the origins of the phrase "The Devil lives at the base of a half-wave tower", though you don't hear that as a direct explanation, you figure it out from the corona story.  I had two separate deals I was working in the late 90's to rebuild either XERF or XEROK (formerly XELO) to full power, but could never get cooperation from the respective owners (the Mexican government in XERF, a flaky owner in XEROK).  In the end it may have been a good thing, satellite radio was just over the horizon, and the nighttime noise floor was starting to climb.  But it would have been the ultimate rush to push the button on a 250kw modern Franklin flamethrower.  You think 32 Amps of plate current was extreme, imagine 71 Amps of antenna current.

From: James Potter <jpotter at jpotter.com>

And you heard the Wolfman on XERF!  Lucky dude.  Have you read "Border Radio" by Gene Fowler & Bill Crawford, with forward by Wolfman Jack?  If not -- get it!  Available in eBay (and wherever fine books are sold).  It's a priceless classic I think you will love.