I consider it one of my life's missions to preserve classic radio in the form of audio recordings, commonly referred to as airchecks. My site, www.bigappleairchecks.com has been up in one form or another for over 20 years.
It started out as just a listing of my collection to make it easier for other traders and collectors to see what I have, and to contact me regarding trades. I used to be a real stickler for getting the same amount that I sent. These days, that doesn't matter to me.
Over the years, I've been contacted by various people asking if I can convert their old tapes, (reels, cassettes, mini-discs, and DAT's) to digital files. The answer is always yes.
The first one to ask was Robert Jacobs, formerly known as "Fast" Jimi Roberts on various radio stations, but mostly known for WPLJ, and several stations in Baltimore.
We first became acquainted when he was at WPLJ, and i was working in the job/store from hell retail. The guy who ran the store was a slob and pig, and never cleaned it. Just to keep myself busy, I did it, but never cleaned that bathroom. It was truly disgusting, and I reported him to the main office for that.
Anyway, I started called PLJ and talking to Jimi, and we became fast friends. (Pun intended) I also got to know the guy that came after him, AJ Hammer. We got to meet AJ in the studios high above Madison Square Garden one night before a concert we were going to. We got some great SWAG, and the nickel tour of the station.
Fast forward many years, and Jimi, now known as Robert, (but always Fast to me) and I are Facebook friends, and he starts telling me about his tapes, and how he wants them converted. So I tell him to send them up, and 5 boxes show up with all sorts of tapes. I think this was sometime in 2017, and I am slowly slogging through them.
It's now 2020, and Covid hits, and I'm not working for 4 months. Woohoo, now is the time to finally finish this project! I do get all of the tapes done and uploaded to his Hightail account. One of the treasures that I found was the announcement on WPLJ from the various DJ's about the birth of his daughter, Andrea.
In April 2023, Sally Byrd and her daughter drove a U-Haul up from Florida to give me her late husbands entire tape collection. My friend, and "older brother" Tim Byrd had died, and she knew I was the only one who would take care of it. It was 18 boxes of various tapes and CD's. Of those, 5 were video tapes, and I ended up sending those to another one of her friends in Hyde Park, NY who could digitize them.
I look at these boxes, and get totally overwhelmed. Where do I start? The easiest thing to do is start with the cassettes. I've hardly made a dent, since it is also very emotional for me.
Scott Bingham, formerly of WNBC, messaged me on Facebook, asking if I could convert a reel for him, and it arrived this past weekend. That's next in line.
Also this past weekend, Mark Magal, the son of radio legend Ron (Magal) Britain came to the house and gave me a box of tapes. I got through the cassettes, and am now working on the reels. Mark says he still has boxes of tapes, so I asked him to mail me some more cassettes.
I'm not the only person that does this, but I am probably one of the most well known along with Charlie Menut, Scott Lowe and Rob Frankel. Those guys can take a really bad recording and do miracles with it. I can make them sound somewhat better, but not like them.
Why do I do this? To preserve history is the simple answer, along with adding to my aircheck collection. Think of my site as a huge library, where you can browse the pages, and see a listing that will take you back to a place and time that will make you smile.
That is why I do what I do.
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