Photographs from 1963 of radio stations in México, DF, México. I took these pictures while living in Mexico City in 1963, during which time I was an intern at Organización Radio Centro

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. Many will remember...  ...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 Radiópolis building ... ...housed XERPM, XEX, XEB, XEDF and XEMP, "La Chaparrita del Cuadrante" (710 AM) XEX Announcer XEQK, "La Hora Exacta"  ...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! Radio Mil ...on Insurgentes Sur Housed Radio 590, Radio Mil, Radio Eco and Radio Onda. The 100 KW XEB transmitter ...was located just off Calzada Tlalpan. Tower base for XEB... ...Note the lack of an insulator on this shunt feed tower. 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. 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! XEB 1220 AM transmitter building and tower. 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. 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! 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. The XEQ transmitter building... also near  Lake Texcoco. AM 730, 100 kw. XEQ Vertical radiator, also known as a tower.  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! 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. Antenna switch ...to enable alternating the 250 kw transmitters every 2 hours. Transmitter change was done manually, including the changes of the switch. "La W" had a massive 1/2 wave tower. Two of the three 250 kw transmitters. Here I am with the XEW transmitter chief... ...actually inside one of the transmitters! "On the air" at XEMC, 1590 AM, Mexico City. The real XEMX/XESC announcer The inactive XESC short-wave transmitter.