Ron Hashiro

1901 Inter-island Spark Gap Network

In 1901, a network of five spark gap stations Oahu, Maui, Kaui. Hawaii & Molokai were installed to provide inter-island communications, issued callsigns KHK, KHL, KHM, KHN, and KHO and operated by the Mutual Telephone Company. The locations included Kaimuki on Oahu, Lahaina on Maui, Puaho on the Big Island and Nawiliwili on Kauai. The first transmission was on June 16, 1900.

1930 Honolulu-San Francisco Spark Gap Circuit

In 1930, a 30 kW spark gap transmitters were used to connect Honolulu and San Francisco via radio for daily transmission of the news.

Kahuku Marconi RCA station

One of the first radio sites in Hawaii was the Kahuku station for Marconi's RCA communications company. The receiver station was atop Koko Head. See these web pages chronicling the past days:

• Kahuku.
• Radio's rise.
• WW I.
• RCA.
• ASCE Historical recap.
• Airfields at Kahuku and North Shore.

Hawaii Radio Station Artwork

Take a trip down memory lane as you look over artwork from various Hawaii radio stations.

KYQ, The Electric Shop

In October 1920, the Electric Shop in downtown Honolulu transmitted the first radio signals in Hawaii with voice and music. In 1922-1923, The Electric Shop received a license as KYQ and began transmitting on on 833 kHz which was the only AM broadcast frequency licensed then. It then moved to 1110 kHz by June 30, 1924. By June 30, 1925, KGU-AM moved to 500 watts on 1110 kHz and KYQ ceased to exist.

KGU-AM, Honolulu Advertiser building

KGU-AM was Hawaii's first commercial broadcast station, first broadcasting on May 11, 1922 at 10:57 am at 500 watts on 833 kHz. It was first licensed on March 14, 1922. In 1923, KYQ (The Electric Shop) also began on 833 kHz, then moved to 1110 kHz by June 30, 1924. By June 30, 1925, KGU-AM moved to 500 watts on 1110 kHz and KYQ ceased to exist. By June 30, 1927, KGU upped it's power to 600 watts. By April 27, 1930, KGU moved to 940 kHz and 1000 watts. By January 19, 1933, KGU moved to 750 kHz and 2500 watts.

KGU-AM was the NBC (National Broadcasting Company) affiliate in Hawaii. The transmitter was located in Honolulu Advertiser building on South and S. King Street. article. By 1976, it was relocated to the Kewalo Basin tower, next to the restaurant John Dominis.

The signal was used by the Japanese as a source for direction finding and navigation just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

KDYX-AM, KGMB-AM, Ala Wai

First broadcast on May 11, 1922 as KDYX, sponsored by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on 833 kHz. Additional information available at this web page. Per Barry Mishkind, the callsign KDYX was deleted in 1924. On June 30, 1928, Radio Sales Corp was transmitting KGHB on 1320 kHz. By June 30, 1930, the callsign changed to KGMB in 1930 mirroring the initials of the first chief engineer George M. Bowls, transmitted on 1320 kHz and was owned by the Honolulu Broadcasting Company.

On January 1, 1937, KGMB-AM transmitted 1,000 watts on 1320 kHz. It was used in an attempt to direction find and locate Amelia Earhart in July 1937. Reference.

In 1939, KGMB moved to 590 kHz at 1534 Kapiolani Blvd. The KGMB-AM tower in 1940 was northeast of the current KGMB-TV tower and building at 1534 Kapiolani Blvd; about the general location of the current Hawaii Public Radio studios at 738 Kaheka St near Makaloa St. The current KGMB-TV tower replaced the 1939 tower in 1962.

The transmitter was a 1KW RCA-1D transmitter. It was the signal from this transmitter that the Japanese used as a source for direction finding and navigation just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The radio station was on the air during limited hours of the day, in contrast to today's 24 hour operations. The Army occasionally requested that the station broadcast during the normal off-periods so that it's bombers flying in from the West Coast can use the radio signal as a means of radio navigation. On the morning of December 7, 1941, a flight of B-17s used KGMB-AM's signal to home in on Oahu. The Japanese used the signal to home into Honolulu, and also gain assurance that complete surprise was maintained.

The location of the KGMB-AM tower and transmitter changed over the years. The RCA-1D transmitter was eventually relocated to the 1701 Ala Wai Blvd site. The transmitters for KGMB-AM (590 kHz) and K-POI (1380 kHz) were diplexed onto the K-POI tower at 1701 Ala Wai Boulevard between Kalakaua Ave and John Ena Road. It located along the Ala Wai Canal, across from the old Aloha Motors location, which is now the Hawaii Convention Center. Now, it is the home of Unity House. Chief Engineer Gary Flynn and Assistant Chief Doug Holland rebuilt the RCA-1D and placed it back on the air in the 1970's.

Lee Enterprises bought KGMB-AM and TV in 1977 and sold KGMB-AM to Clear Channel Communications in 1980, which then became KSSK-AM. The current KSSK-AM tower is Diamond Head of the Kapalama Canal, near the Costco in Iwilei. The studio moved from the building built on the old Victoria Stationsite , to a location on Dillingham in the same building complex as Office Depot at Colburn and Waikamilo. The student then moved to the current Clear Channel Communications offices/studios in the former Dole Cannery building.

KHON-AM and KPOI-AM, Ala Wai

K-POI was the focal point of rock-and-roll in the Hawaiian Islands, featuring the likes of Tom Moffatt, Ron Jacobs and other "Poi Boy" DJ's. On May 9, 1959, the callsign changed from KHON-AM to KPOI-AM. Check out this Star-Bulletin article by Ron Jacobs.

KAIM-AM 850 kHz, KOHO-AM 1170 kHz, 12th Ave Kaimuki

The KAIM-AM began broadcasting in 1952. The studio was an Harding Ave, between 11th and 12th Ave. The transmitter and tower was located at the top of Kaimuki on 12th Ave, at the former location of Kaimuki Bowl, 1136 12th Avenue. The tower base occupied a portion of the outdoor parking lot adjacent to the building. The transmitter and power supply was located on the ocean side of the parking, next to the office adjacent to the stairwell leading to the bowling alley on the second floor. The feedline was affixed to the ceiling of the parking level and travelled to the base of the tower. The station ran 1,000 watts, then later upgraded to 5,000 watts.

In 1978, Billy Graham's ministry bought KAIM AM and FM, and relocated the AM station to a 50,000 watt station on Molokai, with directional antenna system favoring the Hawaiian Islands. A 950 MHz STL (Studio Transmitter Link) was used to hop the studio program from Kaimuki to Koko Head, then to Molokai. Reference.

At the end of 2001, the station ended broadcasting that had started in 1952 Star Bulletin article. The 50,000 watt 870 kHz station on Molokai was shut down and $12-13K/month electric bill ended.

Salem Media bought the station in 2000, and the studio for KAIM-FM is now at 1160 N. King St., Second Floor. The station is at 560 N Nimitz Hwy, Ste 109.

KOHO started in 1959 as the Japanese language station for Hawaii until it signed off in 2000. The studio for KOHO-AM radio was located at the top of Kaimuki on 12th Ave, at the former location of Kaimuki Bowl, 1136 12th Avenue. The site is now the Honolulu Board of Realtors building. Blog with photos. The office and studio was located Diamond Head of the parking. The studio later relocated to Waikiki. The station was sold in August 2, 1999.

The 5 Kilowatt transmitter on 1170 kHz was diplexed into the KAIM-AM 850 kHZ antenna at the site.

KZOO-AM 1210 kHz

The Japanese language station started in 1963. The transmitter and antenna was on Kamani Street, near Ward Avenue and Auahi Street.

Star-Bulletin article.

KORL-AM 650 kHz

In the early 1970's, KORL-AM originally transmitted Top 40 music on 650 kHz, then moved to 690 kHz.

Per Hank KH6HAK, the studios were at 1200 college walk, by the old TOYO theatre by the river in Chinatown. The transmitter was quadruplexed into the Kamani St. Tower (Auahi, next to Ward ave.)

KUMU-AM 1500 kHz

KUMU-AM originally transmitted soothing contemporary instrumental (elevator) music in the early 1970's. The station at 1500 kHz moved and was located at the intersection of Nimitz Hwy and Middle St. Stan Harter, KH6GBX, provided the news on Saturday mornings.

In December 2002, KUMU-AM changed owners from Maverick Media Inc to Real Radio of America LLC.

KGMB-FM, KGMB-TV Studio and Tower, KFVE - Kapiolani Blvd

CBS television affiliate in Hawaii. KGMB-TV first broadcasted on December 1, 1952 on NTSC channel 9. Star-Bulletin article KGMB-FM began on use of the KGMB-TV tower on Oct. 1, 1967. Star-Bulletin article

At it's peak, it featured a week day children program Checkers and Pogo. The program ran from May 26, 1967 to 1982. See Checkers and Pogo - Remembered.

• Jim Hawthorne Star Buletin article Notes from Jim Hawthorne
• Dave Donnelly
• Jim Demarest

FCC Notice of Rulemaking DA 08-1734 enabled a change from DTV channel 9 to 22. The transition to DTV occurred on noon, January 15, 2009. It transitioned to DTV UHF Channel 23 atop Palehua Ridge FCC Facility ID 34445, 23 kw, 629 meters HAAT with a DIE TUA-BP3SP-6/18M-1-S antenna. On Friday, October 16, 2009, KGMB-TV began the disassembly of the news set at 1534 Kapiolani Blvd and moving it to the KHNL building on Waikamilo.

KGMB9-TV sold the land under the station which closed on December 31, 2007 for $12,350,000. Honolulu Advertiser article Star-Bulletin article On Monday, October 26, 2009, the callsign of facility 36917 changed to KFVE. Star-Bulletin Erica Engle article

Date	Callsign	FCC Facility	Coord	Location	Channel	Transmitter	Antenna	Comments
	KGMB	34445	629 meters HAAT	Palehua Ridge	DTV Channel 23	23 kw ERP	DIE TUA-BP3SP-6/18M-1-S antenna.

Emmis Broadcasting bought the station in 2000, and sold it in 2007 to MGC Captial Corp. Pacific Business News article.

KHON-2 Studio and Tower - Auahi St

Formerly KONA-TV. First signed on in December 16, 1952, as an NBC television affiliate on NTSC channel 2. Photo of the KONA TV studio.

The studio, transmitter and tower were located on 1170 Auahi Street, across from the IBM building. The studio was relocated to the Hawaiki tower on 88 Piikoi St (former location of 404 Piikoi) in 1999. Pacific Business News article. Star-Bulletin article. The analog TV transmitter and antenna was relocated to the Century Center building 1750 Kalakaua Ave, and the digital TV channel 8 transmitter and antenna was relocated to the KGMB-TV tower on 1534 Kapiolani Blvd. The transition to DTV occurred on noon, January 15, 2009.

KULA-4, KHVH-4, KITV-4 Studio - Ala Moana Blvd

Formerly KULA-TV and KHVH-TV. First signed on in April 16, 1954, as an ABC television affiliate on NTSC channel 4.

The KULA-TV antenna site was originally on Mt. Tantalus. Reference The analog TV transmitter and antenna was later relocated to 1290 Ala Moana Boulevard. The site later was used by AAA, then demolished for development. The studio was relocated to 801 S. King St, and the analog transmitter moved to atop the Ala Moana hotel. The DTV transmitter is on DTV channel 40.

On August 25, 1997, Argyle Television, Inc. in Wailuku Hawaii updated its application for a new digital TV facility for KMAU-TV near the summit of Mt. Haleakala on digital channel 29. The ERP was specified as 51.2 KW at an HAAT of 1,770 meters, with an RFS PHP4 for the antenna. Star-Bulletin Article

KHET-TV 10, Hawaii Public Television, PBS Hawaii

PBS Hawaii started as KHET-TV, with studios on the UH Campus (Dole and University). Its transmitter and antenna was located at the KGMB-TV tower on Kapiolani Blvd, and started on Feb. 23, 1966. In December 2008, it bought the former studio of KHNL/KFVE on Sand Island Access Road and Nimitz. Pacific Business News Article.

KIKU-TV 13, Japanese Language

The Japanese language TV station KIKU-TV transmitted on NTSC channel 13, with transmitter and antenna atop the Hilton Hawaiian Village tower in Waikiki. The station started as KTRG on July 4, 1962. In the late 1970's or early 1980's, the station became independent.

KHNL-8 Studio - Sand Island

KHNL was originally a FOX television affiliate on NTSC channel 13. It swapped programming with KHON, and became an NBC affiliate.

KHNL-8 studio was located on Nimitz Highway and Sand Island Access Road. It moved to 420 Waiakamilo in November 2008. The transition to DTV occurred on noon, January 15, 2009. The DTV transmissions moved to DTV channel 35 atop Palehua Ridge. The KHNL-8 news operation which started on April 17, 1995, ended on October 23, 2009. Honolulu Advertiser article.

KFVE-TV 5, UH Sports, KGMB

The KFVE transmitted on NTSC channel 5, with transmitter and antenna atop Palehua Ridge above Makakilo on Feb 7, 1988. The offices were located at 150B Puuhale Rd.

Per Hank KH6HAK, K5 went on the air in early 1987 and featured the world's first 22Kw all-solid-state MOSFET transmitter, broadband, built by LARCAN in Canada. The K5 LARCAN analog transmitter served well for 22 years, and was scrapped in early 2009 after the complete conversion to DTV. The K5 site was stripped, and is currently being rebuilt to serve as a master broadcast transmitter site for K5, KHNL, KGMB, and KHET digital transmitters. It is expected to be on the air in a few months.

KFVE DTV channel 22 was authorized atop 1534 Kapiolani Blvd, FCC Facility 36917, 15 kw ERP, -33.3 meter HAAT, with a Antenna ASR registration 100585 at 21-17-35.0 N 157-50-26.0 W, 1.5 meter elevation. The structure was constructed 05/17/1962.

The transition to DTV occurred on noon, January 15, 2009. KFVE transmitted on post-DTV transtion on DTV channel 22 atop Palehua Ridge, FCC Facility 36917, 40 kw ERP, 629 meter HAAT, with a DIE TUA-BP3SP-6/18M-1-S antenna, Antenna ASR registration 1007114 at 21-23-52.0 N 158-06-00.0 W, 755.9 meter elevation. The structure was constructed 01/01/1989.

On Monday, October 26, 2009, the callsign of facility 34445 changed to KGMB, DTV channel 23, 5.4 kw ERP, 453 meters HAAT with a DIE TUA-C1-1/1H-1-S antenna.

Date	Callsign	FCC Facility	Coord	Location	Channel	Transmitter	Antenna	Comments
	KFVE	36917	21-17-35.0 N 157-50-26.0 W, 1.5 meter elevation	1534 Kapiolani Blvd	DTV Channel 22	15 kw ERP	ASR registration 100585	The antenna structure was constructed 05/17/1962.
DTV Conversion	KFVE	36917	21-23-52.0 N 158-06-00.0 W, 755.9 meter elevation, 629 HAAT	Palehua Ridge	DTV Channel 22	40 kw ERP	Antenna ASR registration 1007114, DIE TUA-BP3SP-6/18M-1-S antenna	The antenna structure was constructed 01/01/1989.

Star-Bulletin Erica Engle article

Broadcast Towers

This section is work-in-progress on locating past and present locations for broadcast towers.

Broadcast Tower Sites

Tower	Location	North	West	Height	Constructed	Removed	AM	FM	TV	Comments
KGU-AM East	605 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu Advertiser building	21 18 11.07186	157 51 20.17643	Top of tower 200 ft ASL	Before 1930	After 1964	KGU
KGU-AM West	605 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu Advertiser building	21 18 10.66271	157 51 21.66429	Top of tower 187 ft ASL	Before 1930	After 1964	KGU
KGU-AM	Kewalo Basin	21 17 29.71417	157 51 39.27781		Before 1961	After 1984	KGU, KKUA			Near John Dominis restaurant
KGMB-AM	Kapiolani Blvd	21 17 36.58275	157 50 23.80187		1939	1963	KGMB			Broadcasted the 590 kHz AM signal on December 7, 1941.
KGMB-AM	1534 Kapiolani Blvd	21 17 34.57700	157 50 25.96792		1962	In use		KGMB	KGMB-9, KHET-10
KHON-AM	Ala Wai Blvd	21 17 15.30133	157 50 10.76462		Before 1965		KHON
KHVH	Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel Roof	21 16 54.61002	157 50 13.67561		Before 1961
KHVH-AM	Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel Parking Lot	21 17 00.56282	157 50 14.41138		Before 1961	After 1965	KHVH
KHVH-TV	1290 Ala Moana Blvd	21 17 32.75636	157 50 58.53332		Before 1961	After 1984			KULA-TV, KHVH-TV	Former KULA tower
KONA-AM	1170 Auahi St	21 17 35.63035	157 51 04.04591	About 350 ft	Before 1961	After 1969			KONA, KHON	Aross from the IBM building
KHVH-AM	Near entrance to Honolulu Harbor	21 17 44.76610	157 52 08.43049		Before 1969		KHVH
KPOA-AM	Near Iolani School, Kaimuki	21 17 08.41236	157 49 27.20349		Before 1961	1965	KPOA, KORL
KAIM-AM	1136 12th Avenue, Kaimuki	21 16 56.33373	157 47 58.34965	224 ft	Before 1964	After 2000	KAIM, KOHO	None	None
KPOI-AM	1701 Ala Wai Blvd	21 17 16.65280	157 50 09.77417		1963	1980's	KPOI, KGMB
KIKI-AM	Kamani St	21 17 48.06997	157 51 22.58607	273 ft	Before 1961	After 1984	KIKI, KORL, KPOI, KGMB, KHVH

AM Broadcast shuffle

It's a common practice to combine multiple transmitters into a single AM broadcast tower/antenna. Per Doug Holland, KH6JQW, the signals shuffled between several towers in the 1970's.

• The Kamani St (Ward and Auahi St) KIKI tower hosted KIKI, KORL, KPOI, KGMB, KHVH.
• The Kewalo Basin tower near the John Dominis restaurant hosted KGU and KKUA.
• In the 1970's, KGMB moved from Kamani St. to the Ala Wai canal tower.
• Later, KORL diplexed with KGMB at the Ala Wai tower.
• KPOI moved to another frequency and it's own folded unipole antenna.

Opana Pt Radar

Just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Army deployed a new experimental SCR-270B radar in the hills above Turtle Bay Hilton/Kuilima Hotel in an attempt to ferret out incoming aircraft. Pvt Joe Lockard, one of the radar operators, recounts in an interview and an article. This web page has information on a historical plaque placed at the hotel, as a reminder of that fateful radar.

FCC RID (Radio Intelligence Division) Adcock Antenna sites

Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the FCC established Adcock Direction Finding antenna sites on each of the main islands. This web page features a photograph of George Sterling at the primary station at Punchbowl Crater in March 1942. See also an additional web page.

The sites seemed to be:

• Primary site at Punchbowl crater.
• Kauai
• Maui
• Molokai
• Lanai
• Three on the Big Island

Shortwave

Voice of America KRHO, 1944, 100 kW Lualualei

KRHO was a shortwave station operating 100 kW at Lualualei. Reference.

WWVH, Kihei Maui and Kekaha Kauai

WWVH is the NIST time standard of the Pacific. The first location at Kihei, Maui was on the air in November, 1948. It moved to Kekaha, Kauai in November, 1971. See Reference.

UH ALOHA project

In the late 1960's, the University of Hawaii at Manoa began a radio project to test the viability of an "ALOHA" channel. It used statistical timing to determine when to transmit a packet of information, and transmit an acknowledgement packet. If the originating site did not get an acknowledgement, it would retransmit the packet of information and wait for an acknowledgement.

The engineering was done at the 4th floor of Holmes Hall. The Principal Investigator was Norm Abrahamson, with contributions from W. Wesley Peterson, Ned Weldon, Shu Lin and others. Technicians included Chris Harrison, KH6EJZ and Chuck Wall. The radio unit was modified from a military radio operating in the 400 MHz military band, with the deviation and discriminator modified to accept a 19.2 kbaud modulation scheme. A simple and primitive microprocessor with limited memory was used to drive the intelligent controller (IMP).

The initial application was relaying weather telemetry from Haleakala, via a relay station at Leahi Hospital, to the Holmes Hall engineering building. THe intent was to replace a leased data communications line (with modems at each end). The system worked well enough to be hailed as a research success. The concepts pioneered by the ALOHA project became used in packet radio, Ethernet and eventually the Internet and Wi-Fi.

Find out more by contacting:  rhashiro(remove this part)@hawaiiantel.net
Copyright © 1997-2009 Ron Hashiro
February 19, 2009. Updated: November 1, 2009

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