BATH – On a recent afternoon, underneath an orange-and-white radio tower, “the memory station” lived up to its name.

In a span of 13 minutes it played “May You Always” by the Maguire Sisters, “Only In America” by Jay and the Americans, “Fascination” by Jane Morgan, “I’ll Keep On Loving You” by Willie Nelson and “Love Story” by Henry Mancini.

In those 13 minutes – and all day, every day – no ads interrupted the music. Just song after song, with occasional public service announcement tips.

Welcome to WJTO AM 730, a station unique in several ways:

 * It’s a one-man operation. Bob Bittner is the owner and only staffer.

Radio announcement: “Not a slave to any giant corporate radio masters, but rather, in the independent spirit of the people of Maine, 100 percent locally owned and operated, this is The Memories Station, 730 WJTO, Bath.”

* There are no advertisements, only announcements that range from upcoming bean suppers and credit card warnings, to health advice.

* The station is supported by listeners, who last year donated $27,000; Bittner draws no income.

* And then there’s the music.

‘I play music most stations don’t play’

The station’s play list of some 6,000 songs is from the ’40s through the ’70s, with a few more recent songs occasionally thrown in.

“I play music most stations don’t play,” Bittner says, including Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop,” Gene Pitney’s “Only Love Can Brake A Heart,” David Cassidy’s “I Think I Love You” and Nat King Cole’s “Answer Me My Love.”

That kind of music is not money generating. It’s not sought by advertising agencies “run by 28-year-olds who don’t know anything about music for people over 50,” says Bittner, 61.

His station has been advertisement free since 2002. He plays music he thinks “my people” will like. He gets lots of feedback.

“I’ve actually had people who say the station is a life saver. That’s a pretty bold statement,” Bittner says. Many of his listeners are elderly, some have health problems.

“If you have music that makes you happy, that makes you remember the good times in your life, it puts you in a better mood,” he says.

Other listeners are “young,” in their 30s and 40s. They tune in because their parents played that music when they were young. “Now that their parents are gone it brings back memories,” Bittner says as Shelby Flint’s “Angel on My Shoulder” plays.

Radio announcement: There’s only one website where you can get your free credit report and score, AnnualCreditReport.com. . . . Don’t be tricked by those cutesy, singy-song advertisements touting “free.” There are strings you don’t want to be attached to. AnnualCreditReport.com is run in conjunction with the government.”

And still other listeners don’t like much of the music on commercial stations. “The music today has gotten so bad, a lot of people are searching for something different,” says Bittner. “Hip hop has infiltrated the mainstream top 40. That’s turned a lot of people off. Some turn to country and find my station.”

Adding to WJTO’s charm is its on-air traditions.

At 7 every morning, every day, Kate Smith’s “God Bless America” airs. It starts the day, Bitter says.

And at noon a piano version of the “Star Spangled Banner” plays, announcing the afternoon has arrived. If he doesn’t play those every day, he hears from listeners. They count on them, he says.

All about Bob

Some of his public service announcements hint at things Bittner loathes, like credit cards.

“I despise sneaky, nasty people and companies,” he says. It irritates him to see what credit cards “have done to American families.” With credit cards, “there are so many traps. They get us in the habit of using them even at McDonald’s” and employ tricks to keep users in debt. His on-air announcement to “cut up your credit card” is his way of reminding listeners about their dangers.

“My audience probably does not need to hear as much as younger audiences, but I like to do it. I’m very big on consumer awareness.”

Radio announcement: “Cut up your credit cards. Most of them are snapping turtles, issued by snakes.”

He sees too much greed in America. “It seems like the politicians are trying to create a society with two classes. They’re trying to eliminate the middle.”

A New Jersey native, Bittner made money working in radio and publishing a personal ad publication in Boston. He bought his first station in Boston 20 years ago, bought four more, then sold three of them. Today he owns two stations, WJTO in Bath, where he lives next door, and a similar “memory station” in Boston, WJIB.

Because he does not take an income, he lives off what he once made. “We don’t have expensive taste. We don’t spend that much,” Bittner says of him and his wife. “See how I’m dressed?” he asks. He is sporting a beard, casual pants and an unbuttoned, untucked flannel shirt. “This is as good as it gets.” Unlike his past radio executive days, “I don’t go out and dress up.”

While the station’s 1,000 watts of power during the day has a potential listenership of 300,000 — reaching west to Lewiston and New Gloucester, east all the way up the coast to Nova Scotia and south to Boston — at night, the 6 watts of “flea power” it must run on under FCC regulations restrict its range to the immediate Bath area. (See fact box.)

His station is licensed as commercial, but run like a nonprofit. The deal he has made with his listeners — who send in checks during a summer pledge drive — is he will sell no more than 90 seconds of advertising an hour.

“I’ve never done that yet. When I run out of money I’ll have to.” When that time comes, he says he’ll be fussy, accepting money only from ethical advertisers.

Saying music is better than money, he considers his Bath and Boston radio stations his retirement hobby. “It gives me something to do with my life,” he says. “I would never run a talk station or a lousy music station. I like playing music for people.”

bwashuk@sunjournal.com

Strong signal only during day light. Since radio signals travel much farther at night, owner Bob Bittner’s Federal Communications Commission license mandates he power down from 1,000 watts during daylight hours to 6 watts at sunset so his signal doesn’t interfere with a Montreal station, which has had the same dial space since the 1920s.

Reception may be tough indoors on the fringes, but WJTO can be heard in the car from Waterville to Newburyport, Mass. Indoors, some radios pick up the AM signal better than others. Generally, small clock radios seem to pick up the AM signal better than bigger, more sophisticated units.

Where does his music come from? Vinyl. Bittner has an extensive collection of vinyl albums and 45s. One room of his studio contains vinyl albums people have donated, other rooms hold more. He likes the sound of vinyl.

How is the music picked? Bittner picks all the music played on WJTO, looking at top hits from the ’30s to the ’70s — and occasionally beyond — but also picking songs that are “nice” and “up” even if they didn’t hit the charts. He can program a day’s worth in a few minutes, or spend much of the day on the air live, playing music and talking to listeners.

For more information on WJTO and Bob Bittner, go to http://www.wjto.com/

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