KKSR-FM 96.1 St. Cloud MN Under Construction 1988

Here’s a rare aircheck you probably haven’t heard before: the “pre-launch” of St. Cloud’s Star 96.  Prior to commencing operations, KKSR ran a tape loop of soft music, interspersed with phone calls from potential listeners.  Callers stated what they would like to hear from the new radio station.  Charlie Stroud did the voice and production.  KKSR was owned by Denny Carpenter.

At the time I recorded this, I was packing for a move to Oregon.  A radio friend from St. Cloud called to tell me that 96.1 was on and stunting.  My Winegard FM yagi array had already been dismantled.  Fortunately, the Pioneer SX-3900 had not yet been boxed up.  All I had for an antenna was a simple indoor wire dipole.  Amazingly enough, this incredibly sensitive receiver was still able to get a “lock” on KKSR’s 6,000 watt signal from my location in Apple Valley.  The signal is marginal with lots of white noise, but it’s there!  The recording was made using a Sears stereo cassette deck and a BASF 60 minute normal bias tape.

KKSR_FM_Under_Construction_November_1988

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