on Radio
Altoona Penna.
A Boyhood Recollection, C. 1952

Philip Margush

Setting out in exploration of radio, building a first crystal set, was by every rill of the imagination a "race to the rapids" -- a thrilling expedition.

Of yet to be known was just how many stations you could get in Altoona; what would they sound like? One would overhear astute grownups yarning in mysterious reference and rehearsing what was no doubt every man's knowledge, but no six year old could make sense out of it. Especially a six year old whose frequencies and frequentings up till now were the obviously and perfectly reasonable: "WIP", "The Cereal Shot from Guns", Tom Mix, Ralston Straight Shooters", etc. -- what was "Gables" anyway? Was this the ultimate in hospitality -- a Department Store where they had the Lionel and American Flyer Trains operated from pushbuttons outside the picture windows and on the Avenue ?

Station WFBG, but wouldn't it be much later until you could put WFBG together with the famed magnate, William F. Gable? I previously conjectured "Gables" to mean the actual place where the station was located and this was then the case but the call letters signified more. As fascinated kids, we knew nothing of the early licensing frenzy and political maneuvering which went on and persisted in the background of this genius entity. A bit later and in further fascination, the "Gables" moniker crossed over and into the TV period and became a de facto antonym for "Johnstown" -- Altoona's infamous high school football rival. Proud Johnstown (Serving Millions from Atop the Alleghenies) had the only TV station, WJAC-TV, and everybody had to watch it. WFBG-TV -- "Gables" -- arose as a mighty liberator (300,000 Watts for Zeus' sake!) to free the channel slaves and after the score had been settled the saying was:

First we'll take you on a ride out by Holl'daysburg and show you Chimley Rocks, then, after bit, we'll put on the TV. Now which station do you-ins want to watch, Johnstown or Gables?

"Melomite"Alva F. Allen,where you sent away for your Crystal Set stuff.

1. WFBG (NBC) Gables

"Altoona's radio broadcasting station, WFBG, is among the most powerful and best equipped in the country." Altoona, the Keystone City of the Keystone State.
Altoona Chamber of Commerce: 1924,
p. seventy-two

• August 1922: Radio Station WGAW is established by Ernest C. Albright, Altoona's first radio station.
• August 1924: The William F. Gable purchased interest and station operations came under the Gable Broadcasting Company with the new call sign of WFBG.
• 1940: became affiliated with the National Broadcasting Company
• The "Crystal Studio" at the Gable-Tribune Broadcasting Station in Altoonaibid. p. 57

.

2. WJSW (Mutual)

February 1947, Altoona Broadcasting Company
Mutual Broadcasting Company affiliate

WJSW-FM, Early FM Radio Licensee 96.5MC listed in 1950

3. WRTA (ABC)

June 1947, Roy F. Thompson
Thompson Broadcasting Company
Mutual Broadcasting Company affiliate

4. WVAM (CBS)

June 1948, General Broadcasting Company
Columbia Broadcasting System affiliate

Trio

5. WJAC-TV Johnstown

Serving Millions From Atop the Alleghenies

Sept. 15, 1949. WJAC-TV* Johnstown PA, ch. 13 (later ch. 6).

6. WFBG-TV Altoona

Founder: William F.B. Gable, owner of Gable's Department Store

Begin Operations: 1952

First Regular Broadcast: March 1st, 1953.

WFBG-TV* Altoona Pa., ch. 10

Power: 300,000 Watts

became CBS Affiliate in July of 1955

7. WFBG-FM Altoona

WFBG-FM, Early FM Radio Licensee 103.7MC listed in 1950

Studios and Transmitter on Wopsononock Mountain.

"transmitter and studio of WFBG-FM radio station: 'The station most people listen to most'--W.F.B.G.---FM., an N.B.C. affiliate. 1,000 Watts power. Wave length 103.7 megacycles. Located on Wopsononock Mountain." Card Published by Altoona News Co., Altoona, Pa.

8. WJZ Newark, New Jersey

Program Schedule

• Links: Public on the web
• Altoona-Blair Ccounty Automotive History, David Seidel
• Altoona Senior High School
• Railroaders Memorial Museum
• Wopsononock