Untitled

The new station KIQO-FM was the first for Atascadero and it presented a new challenge for me because it was going to be automated. Cetec was providing the automation, studio consoles, turntables, transmitter and everything in-between. They proudly heralded that we were their first Cetec fully equipped station. As Chief Engineer I wrote the programming software (a first for me) and performed equipment maintenance and repairs. As Music Director I picked the music that got recorded on tape for playback. I was also the morning DJ operating live with the automation assisting in playing commercials and music. After the live assist portion I cut voice tracks for the remainder of the morning and all the other shifts were performed using voice tracks by the rest of the staff. The only air check I ever recorded was the initial sign on. After a little over a year I got a job offer from one of the managers at TV station KCOY in Santa Maria. Bob Burris was leaving to take over a radio station in Livermore, California, just outside the San Francisco Bay Area. Thinking this could lead to bigger opportunities I took the job.