Established Feb 2007... Updated 13 Jan 2008

Welcome to Joe's Radio Air Check Page!

This is a fairly new page I have added, a reasonable amount of content is now in place (nearly 150 air checks) with more to come as time allows. Most of the air checks I have were made from the Springfield MA area (airchecks I have posted here cover mostly the east coast of the US). Many are ones from "direct" reception and there are also a number obtained during skip conditions. Most of my air checks are from the mid 1970s to the mid 1980s, with the exception of those from Kiss 95.7. I worked at that station from 1989-1996 and I have possibly the largest collection of Kiss 95.7 air checks that exists today (hundreds of 60 and 90 minute tapes). My earliest DX activities started in 1971, with a peak in the late 70s and early 80s. I did not get a tape recorder until 1974 so that is the year of my earliest air checks (and the quality of those is marginal due to the equipment I had at the time). During the peak of my activity I had two good tuners (a Nikko NT-850 and a Heathkit AJ-15), and four FM antennas (a five element yagi, two 10 element yagis [each on their own mast and rotor], and an omni). Basically each tuner had a 10 element yagi and one also had the FM omni (the five element yagi I had from March - June 1978, the 10 element yagi replaced it). I am not currently active in DX or air check activity today. I now live in a valley making reception (even with a yagi) marginal and today the FM dial is so crowded as compared to 25 years ago that it is difficult to find a clear channel to DX. In any event, the air checks I do have represent a good sampling of stations from the east coast. There are many air check web sites on the web, my site is meant to complement those sites and add to the on-line collection of air checks that exists today!

If you are curious…

as to some of my equipment and history in audio please take a look at this other page I have: A 1970's Teenager's Bedroom.

What exactly is an "Air Check"?

For those not familiar with the term, an "air check" is a recording of a radio "break". A break is basically when the DJ talks or a station ID runs. DJs often make air check tapes to listen to so they can go back and see how they sound, how they might improve, etc. A normal air check recording will include a short bit of music before the DJ starts talking, then the talking, and then a short segment of the music (or commercial) that starts after the talking is done.

Audio File Format for Air Checks

All of the air checks on my site are in mp3 format. The bit rate will depend on the quality of the cut, but will typically be between 96 and 128 kbps. These files should be compatible with virtually any iPod / mp3 player and multimedia software package available today. Some early recordings (mid 1970s) are not very good quality as all I had for recording equipment was a portable cassette recorder. Later air checks were made on high quality recorders (such as the TEAC A-650 cassette and TEAC A-2340 Reel to Reel recorders). Many of the air checks below are from stations that no longer exist.... enjoy!

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Air Checks!

The air checks below are arranged by station call letters (unidentified and miscellaneous stations are at the very bottom). Where known I will provide the date and time of the air check and the DJ, station location, etc. Click on the links and the audio should automatically download and play in whatever media player you have installed on your machine.

WALT, location unknown, May 1979

Not sure where this station is from, this is a skip reception.

WALT cut #1

WAQY, FM 102.1, Springfield MA

Here is one of the stations I grew up with. Unfortunately I have very few air checks of it! I do have a number of phone calls made to the station DJs, I will post them when I get a chance. For lots more on this station, please visit www.wacky102.com.

WAQY Backsell, summer 1976 Believe this is Bob Brooks from the days when WAQY was an automated station.
WAQY "Tracks of my Tears" back sell Believe this is Bob Brooks from the days when WAQY was an automated station. Recording from around Feb 1976.
WAQY "More More More" back sell recorded 31 May 1976.

WAYV, FM 95, Atlantic City, NJ

Here are some air checks of WAYV. Recorded from Groton CT (using a yagi antenna indoors) on 28 July 1983.

WAYV Cut 1 WAYV break into the "Fixx".
WAYV Cut 1 WAYV weather into spots.
WAYV Cut 1 WAYV Top of the Hour.

WBLS, New York, NY, 107.5 FM

Two short breaks from WBLS, 31 May 1983.

B100, Plattsburgh NY (?)

B100 break Recorded on 4 Sep 1981. Some static in this clip, reception was marginal. Call letters are probably WBTZ.

WCAU, FM 98.1, Philadelphia, PA (a "Hot Hits" format station)

For those who loved the "Hot Hits" format, the clips below will be a treat. All of the breaks below were recorded during a period of good skip (Philly was about 220 miles from where I was recording from in Western MA and not a station I could normally receive). All of these cuts are from the morning of 8 May 1982 (Saturday AM). Lots of snippets of early 80s superclassic hits in these also! Note: I have a complete 90 minute tape of this session (unedited, it contains all the songs and commercials uncut).

WCAU Cut 1 WCAU sweeper into "Circles" by Atlantic Starr.
WCAU Cut 2 WCAU Billy Burke break.
WCAU Cut 3 WCAU backsell of "Soup for One"
WCAU Cut 4 WCAU Philly Forecast by Billy Burke, sweep into "Hang Fire".
WCAU Cut 5 WCAU Billy Burke intro of "Without You".
WCAU Cut 6 WCAU Billy Burke backsell of "Without You".
WCAU Cut 7 WCAU Billy Burke talk out of "867-5309".
WCAU Cut 8 WCAU Billy Burke backsell of "Ebony and Ivory".
WCAU Cut 9 WCAU Philly Forecast by Billy Burke, sweep into "Let it Whip".
WCAU Cut 10 WCAU Billy Burke backsell of "Let it Whip", sweep into Barry Manilow.
WCAU Cut 11 WCAU Billy Burke, sweep into "Murphy’s Law".
WCAU Cut 12 WCAU Billy Burke talk out of "Murphy's Law", sweep into spots.
WCAU Cut 13 WCAU Philly Forecast by Billy Burke, sweep into "We Got the Beat".
WCAU Cut 14 WCAU sweep into "Early in the Morning".
WCAU Cut 15 WCAU talk out of Gap Band, station ID into "Don't Talk to Strangers".
WCAU Cut 16 WCAU Glen Kalina sweep into Beatles medley.
WCAU Cut 17 WCAU sweep into "Open Arms".
WCAU Cut 18 WCAU sweep into spots.
WCAU Cut 19 WCAU Philly Forecast by Glen Kalina, sweep into "Forget Me Nots".
WCAU Cut 20 WCAU Glen Kalina, sweep into "Goin' Down".
WCAU Cut 21 WCAU Glen Kalina talk, sweep into "Make a Move On Me".
WCAU Cut 22 WCAU Glen Kalina backsell of Olivia Newton John, sweep into spots.
WCAU Cut 23 WCAU PSA, Glen Kalina forecast, sweep/talk into "Without You".
WCAU Cut 24 WCAU backsell of "Without You", talk, sweep into "Circles".
WCAU Cut 25 WCAU Glen Kalina talk out of Atlantic Star, station ID into "65 Love Affair".
WCAU Cut 26 WCAU Glen Kalina talk, sweep into "Empty Garden".
WCAU Cut 27 WCAU Glen Kalina talk, sweep into spots.
WCAU Cut 28 WCAU Philly Forecast, sweep into "Ebony and Ivory".

WCGY, FM 93.7, Lawrence, MA

WCGY was one of my favorite stations during the late 1970s. There was another station in Hartford CT on the same frequency, so even with a Yagi antenna I could only get WCGY clearly after the Hartford station signed off at midnight.

Stephanie Mason break The very sexy voice of Stephanie Mason doing overnights, recorded early 1981.
"The Rock Garden" out of Michael Jackson into Supertramp, 31 May 1983.

WCTO, FM 94.3, Smithtown Long Island NY

These receptions were received in the spring of 1983 from Groton CT. Reception is not great as I lived in an apartment at the time (ground floor). I had a 10 element yagi but it was INSIDE the apartment in the living room. Better than a dipole for sure but nothing like having it out on the roof! In any case, these air checks represent a part of the now defunct "Beautiful Music" era.

WCTO cut 1 Automated break into spots.
WCTO cut 2 Out of spots into music.
WCTO cut 3 Automated break into spots.
WCTO cut 4 Out of spots into music.
WCTO cut 5 This one is from 25 May 1983.

WDRC, FM 102.9, Hartford, CT

Here's an air check of AT-40 (with the theme song) recorded in August 1977.

WDRC AT 40 top of the hour, August 1977.

WEXM, Virginia?, 1979

A short snippet from WEXM, 25 May 1983.

WEXM cut #1

WEZF, FM 93 Burlington VT, "Beautiful Music"

WEZF Beautiful Music break FM 92.9. Recorded on 4 Sep 1981.

WFMF, Baton Rouge LA, 1979

A 1000+ mile reception on this station!.

WFMF cut #1

WFOG, Norfolk, VA, 25 May 1983

Lots of static (a weak skip reception) on these breaks from a "Beautiful Music" station.

WHOM, "Beautiful Music" from Mt. Washington, FM 95

WHOM Beautiful Music break Recorded on 4 Sep 1981.

WHYN, AM 560, Springfield MA

WHYN AM is the station that “got me started” in radio. I got my first radio in December 1970 and I used to listen to WHYN for hours. Unfortunately I do not have too many air checks of this station (I got my first tape recorder in March 1974 and many of the early recordings of this station were recorded over). For lots more info on the history of this station visit www.big56.com!

WHYN News Sounder and news by Len Nadeau, April 1976 WHYN's classic news sounder!.
WHYN News Broadcasts from the Blizzard of 1978, cut 1 Al Baker talks about the "Big Blizzard of 78"!
WHYN News Broadcasts from the Blizzard of 1978, cut 2 Al Baker giving the weather.
WHYN News Broadcasts from the Blizzard of 1978, cut 3 Ron Russell kicking off the news.
Jackson Hill dedication break, early 1976 Cheryl from Ludlow sending out "Boogie Fever" to some kid named Danny. This break was recorded during a star party so there is some faint talking in the background.
Jackson Hill break, early 1976 a high energy break out of "Money Honey" into "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet". This break was recorded during a star party so there is some faint talking in the background.
Tommy Mack talks into a spot for a Kiss Concert, then talk into Eric Carmen Imagine going to a major concert and tickets are only $6.50!!! This was recorded in my room so there is some background noise present (but better than no clip at all)! Recorded March 1976.
Tommy Mack talks into Cupid Recorded March 1976.
Tommy Mack talks out of Eric Carmen Some background noise; Recorded March 1976.
Tommy Mack talks out of Salsoul Orchestra Recorded March 1976.
Tommy Mack talks out of spots into "Devil Woman" Recorded 3 September 1976.

WJRZ, FM 100.1, "The Shore Connection", Manahawkin, NJ

One air check from this station. Recorded from Groton CT (using a yagi antenna indoors) on 28 July 1983.

WJRZ 28 July 1983.

WKSS, “Kiss 95.7”, FM 95.7, Hartford CT

The first batch (of hugely more to come) of air checks offered below is when Gary Craig made his debut on Kiss 95.7 (WTIC fired him, an event that history will show as possibly one of the stupidest moves ever made by a major radio station). Gary eventually went back to work for WTIC.

Kiss Club Air Checks!

Below are air checks from the Kiss Club. The Kiss Club was a broadcast that originated from various nightclubs around the Hartford/New Haven area. Chris Walsh and a host (any one of a number of the Kiss 95.7 DJs) would do the show from the club; the audio was sent to the station's mixing board via special phone lines. A board tech at the station (often me) would add sweepers, play spots, take phone calls, etc. The Kiss Club started out as a Saturday night show, but then expanded to also include Friday nights as well. It aired from 9pm - 1am. Below are the air checks that I have available to date. I have a large number (over 100) tapes of Kiss Club air checks so it will take some time to digitize and upload all of them. Files below are arranged in date order. Note: Kiss Club air checks are BIG files, they will be painfully slow to download if you do not have a high speed connection!

Kiss Club at Rockwells in Rocky Hill, 01 September 1989. Hear an early Robin King Kiss Club! Also hear Chris and Robin talking about Chris' new show "Kiss Club Classics"! Mike Jamrock is the board tech. (13 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length: 4:47)
The intro hour prior to the Kiss Club at Katies Nightclub in Enfield, CT, 01 June 1990. Hear lots of old Kiss 95.7 classic jingles, sweepers and shouts! Remember the "Dollar Bill Game"? Robin King was actually on her way to the Kiss Club during this hour of the show. Robin pre-taped the voice cuts (on a cart) and the hour was actually run by a board tech (fairly often the board tech was Joe Roberts). People used to ask "How does Robin get down to the club so fast?" Apparently they never knew about the taped breaks. (5.2 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length: 5:37)
The Kiss Club at Katies Nightclub in Enfield, CT, 01 June 1990 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Robin King (Joe Roberts is board tech). Hear station IDs, party checks, sweepers and mixes by Chris Walsh! (14 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 14:57)
The intro hour prior to the Kiss Club at Nightlife Cafe in Waterbury, CT, 10 August 1990. (4.9 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length: 4:47)
Kiss Club at Nightlife Cafe in Waterbury, CT, 10 August 1990 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Robin King (Joe Roberts is board tech). John McMann and Jeremy Savage make guest appearances too! Hear station IDs, party checks, sweepers and mixes by Chris Walsh! (20 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 21:28)
The Kiss Club at Rumors Nightclub in Bristol, CT, 14 Dec 1990 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Robin King (Joe Roberts is board tech). Hear station IDs, party checks, sweepers and mixes by Chris Walsh! (23 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 25:28)
Kiss Club at Rumors Nightclub in Bristol, CT, 02 August 1991 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Robin King (Joe Roberts is board tech). (19 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 20:50)
Kiss Club at Rumors Nightclub in Bristol, CT, 20 September 1991 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Robin King (Joe Roberts is board tech). (19 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 20:12)
The Kiss Club at Club Safari in Waterbury, CT, 17 April 1992 Hosted by Chris Walsh and Michael Maze (Joe Roberts is board tech). Hear station IDs, party checks, sweepers and mixes by Chris Walsh! Also hear a goof by Maze, when he sighs off he calls the club 'Club Mirage' instead of Club Safari! (14 MB mp3 file, coded at 128mbps, length 15:03)

WKXW, FM 101.5, Trenton, NJ

Here are two air checks from "Kix 101 and a half". Recorded from Groton CT (using a yagi antenna indoors) on 28 July 1983. A DX reception, some static:

WKXW cut 1 Talk and weather out of Elton John, recorded summer 1983.
WKXW cut 2 Talk into Boz Scaggs, summer 1983.

Here are two more from "Kix 101 and a half". Recorded on 31 May 1983. A DX reception, some static:

WKXW, 31 May 1983 cut 1 talk out of music into spots.
WKXW, 31 May 1983 Slightly chopped top of the hour into "Too Shy".

WLAD, Danbury CT, May 1979

A short snippet from a now defunct "Beautiful Music" station.

WLAD FM break

WMDC, Hazlehurst MS, 24 June 1978

Here is one of my earliest taped air checks (recorded on 24 June 1978). These were received from nearly 1000 miles away using a Heathkit AJ-15 tuner and a 10 element Yagi antenna. They were taped on a TEAC A2340 4 track reel to reel machine.

Top of the Hour with Dave Keenan.

WNBR, "Stereo 1"

This is probably 100.7 FM from Wildwood, NJ. Recorded from Groton CT (using a yagi antenna indoors) on 28 July 1983.

WNBR Talk out of music, a DX reception 28 July 1983. This station is probably the same as WZXL today based on info from http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/piratejim/njfmhistory7.html.

WNOR "FM 99", Norfolk, VA, 25 May 1983

Good skip allowed this 500 mile reception...

WNOR talk out of Bryan Adams...

WNVZ, FM 104, Norfolk, VA, "Z-104"

Here are several air checks received during conditions of good skip. Most are from 28 July 1983, they have that classic "80s" sound! Recorded from Groton CT (using a yagi antenna indoors) on 28 July 1983.

Z-104 cut 1 Bob Cannel (sp?) break.
Z-104 cut 2 Z-104'cast.
Z-104 cut 3 Talk into "The Fixx".
Z-104 cut 4 Z-104 sweeper.
Z-104 cut 5 Another Z-104'cast.
Z-104 top of the hour recorded spring 1983.

Several more Z-104 air checks received during conditions of good skip. All are from 25 May 1983.

WOKJ "K100" FM, Jackson MS, 24 June 1978

Here are some of my earliest taped air checks (recorded on 24 June 1978). These were received from nearly 1000 miles away using a Heathkit AJ-15 tuner and a 10 element Yagi antenna. They were taped on a TEAC A2340 4 track reel to reel machine.

K100 cut #1 24 June 1978
K100 cut #2 24 June 1978

WORJ, Mount Dora FL, 24 June 1978

Another of my oldest air checks... This was received from nearly 1000 miles away using a Heathkit AJ-15 tuner and a 10 element Yagi antenna. Taped on a TEAC A2340 4 track reel to reel machine.

WORJ talk into a song 24 June 1978.

WRFM, New York, NY, "Stereo 105", 31 May 1983

A lone break from a "Beautiful Music" station.

WRFM cut #1 31 May 1983

WSHE, Miami FL, 24 June 1978

Here are more of my earliest taped air checks (recorded on 24 June 1978). These were received from nearly 1000 miles away using a Heathkit AJ-15 tuner and a 10 element Yagi antenna. They were taped on a TEAC A2340 4 track reel to reel machine.

WSHE cut #1 Promo for "Wake up Song".
WSHE cut #2 "Matt" talks out of the Marshall Tucker Band.

WSHR, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY "E-92 Disco", May 1979

Here's a lone air check from a difficult to receive station from my location at the time (91.9 FM).

WSHR break out of spots

WQHQ “QHQ 105”, Ocean City-Salisbury MD, 25 May 1983

Two receptions from this station...

WQMV, Vicksburg MS, May 1979

A short recording made from 1000+ miles away from the station!

WQMV FM Stereo in Vicksburg...

WUSL, FM 99, Philadelphia

WUSL break Recorded on 4 Sep 1981. Some static in this clip, reception was marginal (receiving station from 220 miles away). WUSL was country music back then.

WWOK, Miami FL, 24 June 1978

WXRI, "Love 105", Portsmouth, VA

Love 105 bumper sticker promo, 25 May 1983, received under good skip conditions.

WYNY, FM 97.1, New York, NY

Here's a batch of air checks of Randy Davis of WYNY. I could get WYNY from western MA using the 10 element yagi even without skip conditions, however at times there is a little static:

Here are two "Sexually Speaking" intros from WYNY (this was from back in the day when the show was only on WYNY):

Note: I have at least one complete 7 inch reel of the original (before syndication) “Sexually Speaking” show.

Unknown Beautiful Music Station, 24 June 1978

Not sure where this station is from (probably south Florida), this was recorded when 1000+ mile skip was coming in. Received using a Heathkit AJ-15 tuner and a 10 element Yagi antenna. Recorded on a TEAC A2340 4 track reel to reel machine.

The Exotic Guitars with a "Theme from a Man and a Woman".

“Q96” FM, 31 May 1983

Not sure where it is from, somewhere along the mid Atlantic coast most likely.

Q96 FM cut #1

KSLI FM, Alexandria LA, May 1979

A 1000+ mile reception on this baseball broadcast station ID.

KSLI station ID

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