by Dave May

My last article, in the September 2014 edition of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association quarterly newsletter regaled the genius of Nicola Tesla and ended with this quotation:

The world, I think, will wait a long time for Nikola Tesla's equal in achievement and imagination.

-- Edwin Howard Armstrong as quoted in The Tesla Museum exhibition in Belgrade, and by the Tesla Memorial Society of New York

Just WHO is or was Edwin Howard Armstrong, and why is his endorsement of Tesla so noteworthy? Simply because Armstrong, a later inventor, is responsible for the most significant inventions that led to the success and proliferation of radio, and by extension broadcasting, as a means of communication and entertainment.

1913/14 -Regeneration

The first of Armstrong's big three major contributions to broadcast technology came when he was in his early 20s. It was the taming of Lee DeForest's misunderstanding of the howling caused by feeding the signal from the plate circuit of a triode tube back into the grid. There's no dispute that DeForest developed the triode tube, which he dubbed the Audion. But in his experimentation while feeding the output of the plate circuit back into the grid, he noted that the result was a howling noise. DeForest had discovered uncontrolled feedback but didn't know what it was, and dismissed it as a useless and undesirable phenomenon.  

Armstrong, however, realized that what was happening was that the amplified signal was being re-amplified over and over out of control. He was intrigued by the idea that controlling this phenomenon might produce a huge increase in the amplification of DeForest's Audion and provide an answer to the then currently poor or impossible reception of weak radio signals sent over long distances. Armstrong accomplished this by inserting tuned circuitry in the plate and grid circuits, thereby limiting the feedback to a single frequency, and then by controlling the amount of feedback sent back to the grid. The results were astounding, and indeed Armstrong astounded friends and other radio engineers by building his circuitry and placing it in a closed black box, and then demonstrating the reception of very distant signals with a clarity and volume unheard of to that time. Armstrong conducted an exhausting examination of the capabilities of DeForest's Audion (triode tube), something DeForest never bothered to do and apparently didn't understand. In the process, Armstrong discovered that not only could positive regeneration provide the means for clear amplification on the order of hundreds of times what DeForest's circuits allowed, but that if the regeneration were increased and carefully tuned, the tube could oscillate in a controlled manner and act as a transmitter -- a carrier wave generator.  

DeForest immediately claimed that it was he who discovered regeneration (and the oscillation phenomenon), even though his experimental mention of having tried it was noted by him in his patent application as an unwanted side effect, and he had not done anything to prove otherwise in the intervening years. This contention, however, was to spawn a prolonged and heated legal battle between the two. Although Armstrong's invention of regeneration was awarded to Deforest at one time during this battle, eventually Armstrong was rightly recognized as the true inventor. Long distance reception of radio signals was born and the principle of controlled positive feedback was immediately and universally used in every type of radio receiver.

1918 - Super Heterodyne Receiver

Heterodyne is a term applied to the mixing of more than one frequency resulting in the creation of new frequencies other than the generating frequencies. For example, if an audio frequency of 250 Hertz and another of 400 Hertz are mixed, the result, in addition to those two generating frequencies, is the appearance of frequencies of 150 Hertz (400-250) and 650 Hertz (250+400). As early as 1905, Reginald Fessenden used this phenomenon to produce an audible sound in his telegraphic receivers, mixing the incoming radio frequency with a locally generated radio frequency to produce a heterodyne frequency in the audible range.

In the meantime, quality radio receivers used multiple tuned RF stages amplified via triode tubes employing regeneration. The results were satisfactory, but the complication of an array of tuning knobs all needing to be adjusted made the use of these receivers complicated at the very least. Armstrong gave much thought to the issue while in the Army during World War I. While listening to the thrumming of two aircraft engines, he realized that the low frequency he heard was the result of heterodyning of the frequencies of two engine propellers not synchronized. The idea hit him that if circuitry was designed to mix the tuned RF frequency coming in via the antenna and first regenerative RF amplifier, with a locally generated carefully selected frequency, two new major frequencies would be generated. And if, as a different incoming signal was selected, the local oscillator could be adjusted to generate a different local frequency that, when mixed with the incoming RF signal, would produce these same two new frequencies, the result would supply an answer to simplifying the cumbersome tuning problem of radios of the day.

Since the process of tuning the incoming RF signal and subsequent correct tuning of the local mixing oscillator always produce the same heterodynes, all the RF amplification stages after the first could be tuned to one of these heterodyned frequencies (Armstrong dubbed it the Intermediate Frequency), eliminating the manual tuning of these additional stages since the RF intermediate frequency never changed. This intermediate frequency would contain all the modulation of the original RF frequency. Armstrong christened this circuitry the Super Heterodyne -- Super for supersonic, differentiating it from Fessendon's use to generate audible sound. The Super Heterodyne, or Superhet, became the standard circuitry for the radio receiver industry almost overnight. In addition, by ganging the variable capacitors that adjusted the tuning of the incoming RF signal and the local oscillator mixing signal, one-knob tuning of any radio station became the standard. In the space of about five years, Armstrong had created the means of practical reception of very distant radio signals and the streamlining of receivers that could be operated easily by the common person. Superhet circuitry is still in almost universal use today in modern communication systems including AM and FM radio, TV and even satellite communications. These and all of Armstrong's prior and subsequent patents were given license-free to the U.S. government for use by the military.

At the time of these inventions, Radio, which had grown from telegraphy to verbal and musical sound transmissions was still in the hands of amateurs and experimenters, including large companies such as Westinghouse, AT&T, General Electric and others who manufactured transmitting and receiving equipment. Armstrong, though had paved the way for commercial broadcasting which began in 1920.

1933 - FM Radio

As the radio industry blossomed following its commercialization, it was controlled mostly by several large companies, which owned large and powerful stations and networks across the country. Radio was understood to be AM or amplitude modulated technology. A radio signal has two basic properties. Amplitude and Frequency. Employing AM technology requires generating a carrier wave of a certain steady frequency, and varying the power or amplitude of that constant carrier frequency by means of a modulating signal. Experiments had been made in systems that did the opposite, using a carrier in which the amplitude remained constant but the frequency was altered in concert with the modulating signal. These experiments proved to be totally unsatisfactory for speech or music, and the possible use of FM for commercial radio was not pursued until 1933.

It was then that Armstrong, through his customary exhaustive study and experimentation, found a way to again revolutionize the industry.

AM radio uses different carrier frequencies to allow many stations to broadcast without conflicting with each other. The standard was developed to separate AM station carriers by increments of 10 Kilohertz (10,000 Hertz). This means that each AM station has a maximum bandwidth of no more than 10 Khz (actually less), which is ample for a decently good quality of transmitted audio. Early FM experimenters used this bandwidth as somewhat of a standard, but as stated earlier, the results were unsatisfactory for speech and music. Armstrong's investigations pointed to using FM modulation transmission with a much larger bandwidth, which would allow for excellent speech and music quality transmission and reception. He invented apparatus using a larger bandwidth which today is 200 Khz and utilizing frequency modulation, and the results were astounding. Not only was the received audio of noticeably superior quality compared to the standard AM signals, but the FM system had the added property of eliminating virtually all static interference that plagued AM radio, particularly at night. (Static interference in general affects the amplitude of a radio carrier, consequently you hear lightning strikes etc. on an AM radio receiver.)

The only drawback to this FM system was the bandwidth -- where would it come from? One FM channel was as wide as 20 AM channels. Another way to look at this is that the entire AM radio band in use was about 1.1 Megahertz (1,100,000) wide which would only accommodate 5 FM frequency allocations.

Initially, Armstrong was given a spectrum of some 8 Mhz (between 42 and 50 Mhz) to develop FM. He wanted more, but radio broadcast moguls, led by David Sarnoff, engaged their political clout in an effort to thwart Armstrong's every effort. Although their arguments were that FM was not good, had many technical flaws, etc., in reality they were afraid of the competition FM would come to be against their monopoly of AM broadcasting.

Nonetheless, there was a public interest in this new, clear broadcast. Shortly after WWII, a larger but still small sliver of spectrum space was given to FM, and several manufacturers including Sarnoff's RCA began selling receivers paying no attention to Armstrong's patents. Eventually in 1948, fifteen years after the fight began, FM was given ample space in the 88 to 108 Mhz range, and Armstrong's High Fidelity FM radio system began to take the nation's fancy. During his experimentation, and described in his patent applications, Armstrong had also realized the capability of the system to accommodate sub-carrier modulation, and over time this technology was incorporated to provide for stereo audio and also separate sub-carrier programming at the same time as the main FM carrier programs. FM is used widely for a variety of broadcasting applications in the public as well as the military sectors, even in the early analog cellular phones, and was the method chosen for the audio portion of analog TV broadcasting from the beginning, ironically a system championed by none other than David Sarnoff of RCA, who had spent so much effort and money trying to block it from ever happening.

End Result

As with Tesla and his fight with Marconi, Armstrong, while having earned substantial wealth from his inventions, spent the last four decades of his life fighting others including DeForest and Sarnoff in patent case after patent case. The effort confounded him, depressed him, and, as is often the case, sucked away much of his hard earned wealth.

Armstrong was continually dumbfounded by legal battles which, to him, held plain as day conclusions based as they should have been on technical realities, but were nevertheless adjudged against him, in large by politics and by courts that had no understanding of the technical aspects of the arguments they were deciding. It eventually wore him down to the point of despair, and his life was ended in 1954 when, fully and formally dressed, he exited his hotel room, by way of his apartment window on the tenth floor of the hotel in which he resided.

Within a year, his widow had, with the assistance of Armstrong's college friend who was a practicing lawyer, filed 21 patent infringement cases against the many who had ignored the detail of licensing those patents from her husband. Within a decade, she had won two of these in court and settled the remaining 19 successfully out of court,

Armstrong received many honors and awards almost immediately following his death. There were obviously no questions in the minds of the engineering world as to his claim to his inventions. Shortly after his death, his family and friends established the Armstrong Memorial Research Foundation, designed to aid in further research into his work, and to promote the new and struggling FM broadcasting industry in several ways including the offering of programming and other awards. About three decades later, these awards were discontinued when FM stations were finally invited to join the NAB.

In 1983 the US Postal Service issued the stamp shown above. It was one of a plate block of stamps honoring American inventors shown below.

Notice that Tesla is one of the four on this group of stamps along with Armstrong. Noticeably missing is a picture of DeForest, although a stamp commemorating DeForest's 100th birthday was issued ten years earlier showing pictures of the Audion tube but not of DeForest himself.

Despite all these accolades, I like to think that Armstrong would be especially proud to have become the person to be considered "...an equal of Nicola Tesla in achievement and imagination."

It is a personal opinion that the legal wrangling that plagued Tesla and Armstrong and many innovators in other fields regarding their inventions is an American shame; a crime against the inventors and against the public who should in Armstrong's case have benefited from wide band FM at least 20 years before most people were even made aware of the technology. As for Armstrong's suicide, that has often been justifiably described as "Death by Lawyer."

===============================================================

I consulted many sources in the writing of this article, quite a few on the Internet, but I would like to recommend an excellent biographical book for further reading by anyone interested in broadcasting history. I own this book and have read it at least three times.

Lessing, Lawrence, Man of High Fidelity: Edwin Howard Armstrong (Philadelphia, Lippincott, 1956).

Buffalo radio and television broadcasters were recognized for their outstanding coverage during the November 2014 storm at the 2015 National Association of Broadcasters State Leadership Conference. The event took place February 23-25th at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC.

Michael O'Rielly

FCC Commissioner and Western New York native Michael O'Rielly, who was one of one of several featured speakers at the conference, discussed the great coverage that Buffalo radio and television stations provided to the Western New York community during the November storm.  US Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who also spoke during the event, praised Buffalo broadcasters for their efforts and talked about the kindness that people showed toward each other in the community.

In addition, newly appointed WBBZ-TV Vice President and General Manager Chris Musial created a video  by NYSBA President and Executive Director David Donovan, which was premiered at the event. It featured highlights from the extensive coverage provided by local radio and television stations throughout the storm.

WKBW-TV Vice President/General Manager and New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) Board Member Mike Nurse was among the Western New York delegation that met with lawmakers on the Hill to discuss important issues impacting the broadcasting industry.

In addition, Buffalo Broadcasters Association President and NAB Radio Board member Heidi Raphael attended the event to meet with leaders in government and the national broadcasting community.

"It was a proud moment for Buffalo's outstanding broadcasters," said Raphael. "From the positive remarks echoed by FCC Commissioner O'Rielly and Senator Schumer regarding the around the clock coverage that stations provided during the November storm to the amazing video that was shown on stage that underscored their tireless efforts, it was truly incredible."

BBA Member profiles...

Jim DiFiglia, veteran manager and sales executive 

What are some of your career highlights in broadcasting? 

Why did you join the BBA? 

What's your favorite BBA event?

What advice do you have for aspiring broadcasters? 

Name the broadcaster who inspired you at the beginning of your career?

I'm currently a Commercial Real Estate Broker at CBRE Buffalo 

Eileen Buckley, senior reporter, WBFO 

What are some of your career highlights in broadcasting?  

To be able to cover many major events, newsmakers of the Buffalo community over the past three decades. Opportunities to interview major newsmakers, some celebrities.  Had a chance to chase down Stevie Wonder in a hotel lobby for the Buffalo Bills 1994 Super Bowl trip in Atlanta.  I asked him who was going to win and he sang "I just called to say Buffalo!," but unfortunately his prediction, as we know, never came true.  Then in 2013, had a chance to interview Gloria Steinem in person.  Most recently, Ben Vereen.

Why did you join the BBA?

There are very few organizations that are about our industry and what we do. I've worked at many Buffalo radio stations through the years and the BBA keeps me connected to many former co-workers and colleagues. Not just to network, but to be with broadcast friends. To celebrate what we do and how much dedication it takes to be in the news and broadcast business. 

What's your favorite BBA event?

The Hall of Fame is always inspiring. To hear how others persevered through their careers. 

What advice do you have for aspiring broadcasters?

Keep at it, take what comes at you, and don't get down on yourself.  Do whatever it takes - including long hours, extra effort to be recognized. Soak up what other successful broadcasters are doing.

Name a broadcaster who inspired you?

In Buffalo radio, former WGR anchor Sandy Kozel, now at AP Radio.  Former WGR reporter Jane Tomczak.  Nationally, Jane Pauly and Barbara Walters. 

How has the broadcasting industry changed over the course of your career?

From manual typewriters to early computers, on-line access, Websites, everything digital - from recording, editing and computer audio programs to mobile and social media!

What are your interests outside of broadcasting?

Ruth Ann  has her roots in Buffalo broadcasting.  But she is now a philanthropist who is dedicated to advancing gender and racial diversity. 

Ruth Ann Harnisch

"We support the work of effective leaders and creative communities working to advance gender and racial diversity with a focus on women and girls," Harnish said.

The website includes an introductory video that features Ruth Ann as a twenty-something street reporter and thirty-something anchor from the 1970s and '80s at WLAC/WTVF-TV, a CBS affiliate in Nashville.

But Ruth Ann started out in Buffalo as a teen DJ on WYSL-FM in the late 1960s.  She was known as "Karin Kelly."  From WYSL, Ruth Ann worked briefly at WGR-TV and WKBW-TV before making her mark in Nashville.

Her media career spanned three decades.  Ruth Ann became the first woman to anchor at WTVF in Nashville.  She also hosted a daily talk-radio program on WLAC-AM and spent 17 years as a columnist for the Nashville Banner.

Ruth Ann is a benefactor of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association who made a significant gift several years ago, allowing us to move forward with our film digitization project.

Thank you, Ruth Ann, for your support of the BBA.  Please check out her website to learn more about the significant work her foundation is carrying out.

Jim Davis, broadcast executive

Jim,  a native of Buffalo, is currently Vice President and General Manager of Vero Beach Broadcasting, LLC which operates a cluster of four FM's (WGYL, WJKD. WPHR and WOSN) and an AM (WTTB) .

Davis is a second generation and life long broadcaster, following in the footsteps of his mother who was a singer with the Vocalettes on WGR along with the Kreskin Orchestra. Davis began his career as an air personality in the Western New York area on WNIA, Cheektowaga and WDCX, Buffalo.  He had a successful run as an air personality at some of the nation's biggest radio stations; including WOR/FM/New York; KHJ/Los Angeles; CKLW/Detroit; WLS-AM/Chicago. While employed by RKO General Broadcasting, Davis was twice nominated for Billboard Magazine's "Major Market Air Personality Of The Year."

Davis entered radio management in the early 1970s as Operations Manager of American Broadcasting Corporation's owned and operated Chicago outlet, WDAI-FM. During the next decade, Davis's programming career encompassed several major market management positions, including WPEZ/Pittsburgh; WXYZ (ABC O&O)/Detroit; KLIF/Dallas and the flagship station of Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters, KMPC/Los Angeles. In 1981,  

Davis entered senior management by becoming Vice President/General Manager of Radio Station WVAF/Charleston, West Virginia. He served the National Radio Broadcasters Association as State Director and was on the Board of Directors of the West Virginia Broadcasters Association. Davis received a federal appointment as State Chairman of the Emergency Broadcast System.

Davis serves on the Indian River Chamber of Commerce Executive Board as well as the marketing committee for the United Way. Davis has authored a book titled "The Sales Success Spectrum-A System Of Radio Sales," which is used as a teaching and training manual at his stations. In his spare time, Davis is a licensed multi-engine commercial instrument rated pilot and owner/operator of a Piper Pathfinder. As a Civil Air Patrol member, he participated and has been trained as a search and rescue pilot, looking for downed aircraft survivors. He has been an amateur radio operator since age twelve, holding an "EXTRA" class license - his call letters are W2JKD.  He and his wife Patty reside at a fly in community in Vero Beach and have three children and 5 grand children.

Why did you join the BBA?

What's your favorite BBA event?

What advice do you have for aspiring broadcasters?

How has the broadcasting industry changed over the course of your career?

What are your interests outside of broadcasting?

97 Rock celebrates 40 years...

February marked the 40th anniversary of an iconic Buffalo radio station - 97 Rock.  On February 10, 1975, WGRQ 96.9FM dropped its top 40 format and launched album rock Q-FM-97.  The weekend before the anniversary, 97 Rock celebrated it with a weekend of tunes from the mid '70s and reminisces from old staffers about Q-FM.

While 97 Rock perfected the format, we all remember that WYSL 103.3FM actually created "progressive" radio in the late 1960s.  I would tune in from time to time.  But I was in high school.  And like many kids of my generation, my favorite stations were WKBW and WYSL-AM.  I enjoyed the high energy of top 40 radio.  When I arrived as a freshman at St. Bonaventure University in the fall of 1973, I did a morning show on the campus carrier current station patterned after one of my favorite KB jocks, Don Berns (see my remarks below about the untimely death of Don). 

But during the summer of 1974, Don left KB to join 103.3FM, which was then branded as WPhD.  I followed him.  My musical tastes were evolving, too.  I had just purchased my first FM receiver and speaker set.  It was the first year of Summerfest at the Stadium, featuring Eric Clapton, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young, the Doobie Brothers and Chicago.  I was all in to album rock radio.  When I returned for my fall semester, I traded in the morning top 40 show for a late night album rock program.  But back home in Buffalo, the plug was pulled!  The call letters at 103.3 changed back to WYSL-FM with a format of top 40 music.

During either the Thanksgiving or semester break in late 1974, there was a move on to change WBUF at 92.9FM from a beautiful music format to progressive rock.  I called a phone number to find out how I could help make this happen.  Bob Allen (remember him?) actually came to my house and dropped off a roll of white wallpaper.  I was to go to the Thruway Mall and get people to sign the wallpaper, which would then be presented as a scroll to WBUF's owners.  Bob was envisioning thousands of signatures from people clamoring for a progressive station.  Well, I was less than successful at getting people going about their holiday shopping to sign my wallpaper.  I ended up with maybe a dozen signatures, mostly from family.  When Bob picked up my scroll, I was embarrassed.  Maybe the other people he had doing this were more successful because a couple of weeks later, a progressive format was launched at WBUF.  Now, 92.9 has enough of a signal to reach Olean.  So, I was able to tune it in inside my St. Bonaventure dorm room.  As I recall, it was really free-form - a bit too much for my tastes.

So, I was really pleased when a few weeks after that, Q-FM-97 arrived along with some of my favorite former WPhD hosts -- Jim Santella and John McGhan.  Unlike WBUF, Q-FM-97's signal wasn't strong enough to reach Olean with a clear sound.  So, I had to wait until spring break to sample it.  I was hooked!  The station was all over what was now called Superfest at the Stadium.  (Apparently, Summerfest was trademarked somewhere else and couldn't be used again.)  The three concert season featured such bands as J. Geils, Yes and the Eagles, culminating with the Rolling Stones!  (I could tell you some stories about those concerts, but then I would have to kill you or be killed by the people I named in my stories.)  When I returned to St. Bonaventure that fall, I was elected station manager of the new 10-watt FM station, WSBU, and I wanted us to sound like Q-FM-97.

So, I wrote John McGhan seeking his advice for programming our station.  To my amazement, he responded! I never met him in person, but he will always loom large in my memory because of that.  We called our station SBU-FM-88.  And much to the chagrin of our student announcers who wanted to do whatever they wanted, we employed as many of John's ideas as we could.  After graduation, I became a top 40 DJ at WMNS in Olean before embarking on my news career. But Q-FM-97 was still my station for music when I came back to Buffalo to visit family.  My colleague Tim Hill at WMNS lived far enough outside of Olean to successfully pull in Q-FM-97 with a good antenna.  On occasion, he would use a timer to start his cassette machine while we were doing our own shows so that he could record the Bearman in the morning.  Then, we'd head to his house after work to listen. 

By the time I arrived at WBFO in 1981, Q-FM-97 was re-branded as 97 Rock.  It was still my go-to rock station until one of the biggest "WTF" moments in the history of Buffalo broadcasting.  With apologies to anyone reading this who was involved, the bone-headed decision was made in January 1985 to drop 97 Rock and fire the staff.  What was Taft management thinking?  WRLT's light rock format was an abysmal failure.  Fortunately, when Taft sold WGR and WRLT to Rich Communications, the new owners were smart enough to realize the value of the 97 Rock brand and brought it back in fall 1988.  I had taken a hiatus from WBFO in the late '80s and was working with Danny McBride at his ad agency.  I remember my friend Mike McKay telling me about a huge project he was working on.  He crossed the border each day to Fort Erie where the Riches had a temporary office to work on this "project."  Despite my prodding, Mike held his tongue.  It was only later that I learned he and others were working on plans to bring back 97 Rock.  The Riches staged an elaborate launch party at the Tralf.  You may remember that the light rock was dropped on a Friday, and all we heard throughout the following weekend were construction sounds with an announcer saying something along the lines that a new radio station was being built. 

I'll admit I don't listen to 97 Rock as much as I did when I was younger.  My musical preferences are more in the jazz and classical veins now.  But when I want to rock out on a summer's day with the car windows wide open, I hit 96.9, and it's good to know the station is still there after 40 years.  I really enjoyed hearing Jim Santella, Irv Goldfarb and others from the Q-FM-97 era share their stories during the anniversaryweekend.  I will say I was thrilled back in 1992 when I got a call from Jim Santella at WBFO pitching a weekly theater segment that became "Theater Talk."  Today, I count Jim as a friend.  Age has caught up with this icon of the radio.  But when I do see him with his stylish cap and sun glasses, he looks as cool as when he was spinning records on Q-FM-97.

So, to everyone at 97 Rock - Norton and the gang, JP, Carl Russo, Slick Tom, John Hager and Anita West - happy anniversary!  And keep on rockin'!

The Buffalo broadcasting community lost one of its legends over the weekend.  Don Berns, who was part of that great KB line-up of the early 1970s, died Sunday, March 1st.   

Upon reflecting on Don this morning, it hit me that he was my first "real" radio acquaintance.  I was part of a group that started a high school radio station at West Seneca East High School in fall 1972.  After I graduated the following spring, one of the station's other founders, Jeff Jensen (who went on  to work at WBUF and Q-FM-97), became friends with Don.  So, I would see Don at swimming parties at Jeff's house.  Jeff and some of his friends would help Don by taking requests during his 6 to 10pm air shift at KB -- information that was part of the weekly music surveys Don prepared as music director.  Jeff asked me to join him at KB one evening when I was home for spring break.  When Don mentioned my name during his closing credits, I was thrilled beyond belief (I still have that show on a reel tape somewhere).

Then, that summer, Jeff brought me along to Don's house on Maple Road in Amherst as he was making the change to WPhD.  I remember watching Don as he tested segues of album rock songs on his two turntables.  I wouldn't call us friends.  But it was kind of cool to be hanging out with a guy who was such a big part of the Buffalo radio and music scene.

The main attribute I'll always remember about Don was his ability to stay current.  Under the persona "Dr. Trance," Don was part of the music and dance scenes in Toronto, where he finally settled.  We were friends on Facebook.  He posted frequent updates about his theater roles and dance parties.  And Facebook was the platform where he continued to share his humor and intellect that made him such a great radio personality 40 years ago -- his "slightly rude joke of the day" that he was posting in recent weeks would always make me laugh.  And after reading the latest post, his KB jingle would play in my head "Don, Don, Don, Don, Don Berns -- Ooh Ahh."  And now today, I think of the ending to his show where he played Porky Pig stuttering "That's all, folks!"  RIP