Where We’ve Been

Quartzsite, Arizona is a different world.  It’s home to (literally) countless RVs, vans and tents during the fall, winter and spring months.  Among these winter visitors are retirees seeking warmer weather, young and middle-age peddlers looking to make a buck and hippies young and old.  Outsiders might consider life in Quartzsite to be one level […]

I hate to say it, but it’s increasingly rare to hear a 20 plus minute long-form newscast on local radio in the middle of the day.  It’s also increasingly rare to find one that’s read live.  But this is standard operating practice for KVSV-AM/FM in Beloit, KS, along with Swap & Sell and other local […]

KNCK Radio sits on the west edge of Concordia, Kansas just like it did when it signed on in 1954.  As soon as I saw the original sign atop the building, I knew this was going to be a good one. Radio is important to those living in northcentral Kansas.  It’s a rural checkerboard of […]

Radio geeks know that Michell, South Dakota is the hometown of legendary Radioman Gary Owens, and when you drive through town and see the World’s Only Corn Palace and KORN-AM, one can only think, “Of course this is Gary Owens’ hometown.” You may know Owens from his time on Laugh In or long stint at […]

WNAX AM (and FM) in Yankton, SD is one of those stations with a far-reaching signal and far-reaching influence in the plains states.  Stop into any antique mall in South Dakota, and you’re liable to find some sort of WNAX paraphernalia, especially some “Your Neighbor Lady” cookbooks as I came across in Arlington, SD. WNAX […]

KJAM-AM/FM is not the first radio station in a former bank building I’ve seen – I’ve actually worked in one at KABI-AM in Abilene, KS.  Anyway, Madison, South Dakota is a very friendly town to visit and I thoroughly enjoyed my recent visit. I was greeted by Sports Director Carl Hauser as soon as I […]

Anyone who has visited Northern Minnesota has probably heard one of the KK Radio Network’s stations.  They’ve got quite a cluster of stations including KPRM-AM, KDKK-FM, KQKK-FM, KAKK-AM, KKWB-FM, KXKK-FM, KVKK-AM, KBKK-AM, and KSKK-AM.  Not to mention the various FM translators thrown in.  While De La Hunt Broadcasting has offices in Walker, Wadena and Bemidji, […]

The one-man-band operation is not uncommon in radio, but it’s not as common to find in a big market like Albuquerque, New Mexico. Enter Eddy Aragon, CEO of 93.7 FM/AM 1600 KIVA. Branded as “The Rock of Talk,” Eddy’s got everything from Sean Hannity to Fox News to his own afternoon drive-time talk show, which […]

Not all Radio Nomad visits involve radio stations. I had a grand time visiting my friend Brian Adams, who runs High Plains Broadcasting in Southwest Kansas. Brian has combined the strength of five low-power TV transmitters to cover the same area as one full-power station, branded as TV 23 KDGL. Five transmitter sites? Wouldn’t that […]

Dusty little Tucumcari is probably one of my favorite stops on Route 66. Home of the famous “Tucumcari Tonight” slogan, I always associate the town with classic American motels. People actually drive across the country to get a glimpse of Tucumcari’s famous neon. When I arrived in town, I unpacked the bike and went on […]