Classic KVOS TV Ads

mikec says:
February 8, 2017 8:07 pm at
KVOS-12 was a secondary CBS affiliate. This required them to carry a minimum of 75% of the CBS network offerings. 25% of this could be ‘time-shifted’ to accommodate other programming. When the DuMont network folded, ch 12 would often carry some interesting syndicated shows not seen on the network channels. With their transmitter located atop 10,000 ft Mt Constitution/Orcas Island, KVOS picked up their network feed via antenna aimed at Tacoma’s CBS affiliate KTNT-11. When the CBS network shifted to KIRO-7, ch 12 again picked up their feed directly from ch 7 & on occasion the KIRO ID following the CBS ‘eye’ at the conclusion of it’s shows sometimes snuck on air at KVOS. Eventually, KVOS must have picked up a direct feed as they carried a few shows NOT aired on KIRO, notably a morning network newscast, a soap-opera not carried on KIRO & a few weekend CBS news feeds. Viewers in Vancouver wihtout rooftop antennas often relied on ‘rabbit ears’ to receive local channels. KVOS-12 will be forever remembered for the nasty vertical black bar that would sometimes show up with varying intensity about 2/3 to the right of the screen. This was caused by the signal of KPTV channel 12 Portland whose signal sometimes got enhanced by atmospherics within the Puget Sound basin. August & Sept were especially bad for this phenomenom which is caused by temperature inversions in the troposphere, which can often enhance the distance TV signals reach.. The ‘black bar’ is created due to the slightly different frequency “offset” between KVOS-12 & KPTV’s signal on that channel. Note that KVOS maintained a sales office in Vancouver at that early time. Rogan Jones was no slouch & knew where his best potential advertising dollars lay outside of Whatcom Co. Ch 12 maintains a sales office in Vancouver BC to this day & has at times had it’s license challenged by Bellingham/Whatcom Co. residents who think KVOS should pay a little more attention to their needs for news, public affairs etc instead of providing Vancouver with an additional entertainment source.

pugetsound says:
February 8, 2017 8:39 pm at
I wonder how many other “secondary” network affiliates picked up the over-air signal of the main station. When I worked at KONP Radio in Port Angeles [in 1978], we picked up the over-air KIRO signal for Seahawks games. The radio was situated in the station owners garage. The KIRO signal faded and got fuzzy after sunset – really cheezy!