México 1963

I took these pictures while living in Mexico City in 1963
during which time I was an intern at
Organización Radio Centro 
        
XEB - "La Voz de la América Latina desde México"
This 250,000 giant was the major force in communications in Mexico for decades, and its owners created Televisa. In addition to AM, the station broadcast on Short-wave and had relay transmitters in San Luis, Guadalajara, Veracruz and Monterrey. "La W" had a massive 1/2 wave tower.
Inside the final stage one of the massive 250,000 watt transmitters
with the transmitter engineer for XEW.

Two of the three 250 kw transmitters.

Antenna switch ...to enable alternating the 250 kw transmitters every 2 hours.
Transmitter change was done manually, including the changes of the switch.
Here is the XEW studio location at Ayuntamiento 54 in recent years from Google. All that has changed is the sign on the marquee. And here is the renowned xylophone with which XEW identified itself along with the phrase, "XEW, La Voz de la América Latina desde México."
The Núcleo Radio Mil building on Insurgentes Sur Housed Radio 590,
Radio Mil, Radio Eco and Radio Onda 1530.
Artículo 123 #90 was a famous address for decades... 
..as it was the home of Organización Radio Centro and its 5 AM stations, XERC-790, XEQR-1030, XEJP-1150, XEAI-1320 and XELZ-1440. Consolidation was a normal fact of life in much of Latin America since the 1950's... with Mexico City having several multi-station groups.

A ORC studio... this for XELZ
Radio LZ had a top-40 Ranchera format, and the diagonal sign on the window says "SPEED," while the other sign reminds the DJ to give the station name every time the mike opens!

XENK "Radio 6-20""Studio on Balderas Street in downtown Mexico City.
This station was famous for its format based on English language MOR music and its phrase,
"La Música que Llegó para Quedarse
XENK transmitter near Lake Texcoco.

XEX at the Radiópolis building on Dr. Río de La Loza
 This location was just across the street from the Televisa studios,
which were totally destroyed in the 1985 earthquake.
The Radiópolis building housed XERPM, XEX, XEB, XEDF and XEMP, "La Chaparrita del Cuadrante" (710 AM)
Few listeners today can recognize  the the distinctive 3-note chimes of XEB,
La B Grande de México XEB was the first licensed station in Mexico City
and was known as "El Buen Tono.
The XEQ 940 AM transmitter site, also near  Lake Texcoco, 50 kw.
XEX transmitter building, yet another of the many transmitter sites near Lake Texcoco.
XEX announcer.
100 kw XEB transmitter
XEB transmitter building and tower. 100 kw on 1220.
This station has many memories for me, as I listened as a teenager and would frequently call in to the overnight show to make musical requests, mostly for my favorites, the Sonora Santanera.
    
Final (RF) tube of the home-built XEB transmitter.
Throughout Latin America, locally built transmitters prevailed in the 60's. They were less expensive, and used locally obtainable parts. Since there was no "type acceptance" rule, it was usually just a matter of submitting a schematic for approval and then building the transmitter. From 1964 to 1970, I put nearly two dozen transmitters on the air in Ecuador... every one of which was built in-house! 		Cooling Tower for the 100 kw XEB Transmitter.
Note the bottles of distilled water sitting on the ground. Although it looks unsophisticated, it was very functional. In fact, the entire transmitter was locally designed and built and covered the better part of North America at night!
      
The majority of the High power...
Mexican AM stations used shunt-fed antennas, tuned by locating the match point for the open feed line at a point up the tower. 		The base of the XEB tower.
Note the lack of an insulator on this shunt feed tower.
Tower of XEFR, Radio Felicidad on 1180 with 1 kw.
XEMC 1590 AM and XESC shortwave.
On the air at XEMC
The real XEMC announcer.
The inactive XESC short-wave transmitter.
XEQK did nothing but announce the time every minute and then run 11 little
5-second spots! Here is the clock (synchronized with the National Observatory) device which triggered the time tones and controlled the automation system!