KTWD - Spokane's First FM Stereo and First Commerical FM Only Station

KTWD was noted for breaking new ground being Spokane's first FM stereo station and the first commercial FM station in Spokane not associated with a sister AM station. It was located in Spokane's North Side in Suite 5 - 610 West Garland Avenue. In the mid-1960's, the father and son team of Loren F. Denbrook and Terry W. Denbrook founded a company called Denbrook Enterprises. Terry went to work to establish radio station KTWD in Spokane, which was officially licensed on 23 February 1966. The TWD part of the callsign are Terry's initials. The station was much like KTWR in Tacoma which built in 1958, and where Terry had spent time with KTWR's founder Tom W. Read.

(Click on the thumbnail above to see a clear image of the station's letterhead.)

KTWD's transmitting facility

KTWD operated on 105.7 MHz. KTWD's transmitter was a Gates Type No. FM-5B rated at 5 kilowatts of power. The effective radiated power for the set up was 41 kilowatts. The antenna was an eight section Jampro, Type No. JA-8B side-mounted on an 80-foot guyed tower mounted on the roof of a 25-foot building for an overall height of 105 feet above the ground and height above average terrain was 36 feet.

Station Sold to F. Kemper Freeman

The Denbrook's sold the station to F. Kemper Freeman's Bellevue Broadcasters for $25,000 on 15 February 1970. The deal was approved by the FCC and was consumated in August 1970. Bellevue Broadcasters also purchased KPEG AM at the same time and renamed the two stations as KEZE-AM and FM. In addition to KEZE-FM, two other stations, KAEP - "The Peak" and KZBD - "The Buzzard" have occupied the 105.7 MHz allocation. KZBD was the occupant of the frequency as of the time of this writing.

Jaynie Dillon Jones's Account of Working at KTWD

On-the-air personality Jaynie Dillon Jones has graciously offered her own very interesting detailed account of how she started to work at KTWD and what it was like working there. Please click here to see her account.

Images From KTWD's license Records

Click on thumbnails for larger image

KTWD's first construction permit. The date the construction permit was issue is 9 July 1965. (National Archives)

KTWD's first license, dated 23 February 1966. (National Archives)
A sketch of the antenna system which was attached to the first construction permit application. (National Archives)

Coverage maps of KTWD showing the signal strength contours. (National Archives)

Compiled and written by Bill Harms - updated on 26 August 2007.

sources

  1. FM Broadcast Station Construction Permit for KTWD, Spokane, Washington. File Number BPH-4886. Federal Communcations Commission, Washington, DC. 9 July 1965. Found in National Archives, College Park, Maryland.
  2. FM Broadcast Station License for KTWD, Spokane, Washington. File Number BLH-3075. Federal Communcations Commission, Washington, DC. 23 February 1966. Found in National Archives, College Park, Maryland.
  3. Quam, Paul D. Spokane, Washington. Phone conversation with Bill Harms. 25 August 2007.
  4. Read, Tom. Spokane, Washington. Email correspondence with Bill Harms. June 2007.
  5. Voluntary Assigned of License for KTWD to Bellevue Broadcasters. File Number BALH-1364. Federal Communcations Commission, Washington, DC. 7 August 1970. Found in National Archives, College Park, Maryland