From: ALLEN.RIELAND@mail.admin.wisc.edu
Subject: First Non-Commercial AM and Calls
Originator: wdp@gagme
Organization: GAGME - Public Access UNIX of Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 22:57:11 GMT

I've been a silent observer where in Madison, Wisconsin for some months, but
as Director of Engineering for WHA-AM and Wisconsin Public Radio (a network
of 15 non-commercial stations) Steve Harding's comment regarding KBPS,
Portland being the oldest non-comm AM hit close to home.

WHA and Wisconsin Public Radio recently held it's 75th Anniversary. Over 200
people from all over the United States came for tours, a football game, a show
and a dinner. If you've done the math, you get 1917. Well... that's BEFORE
they gave out non-experimental callsigns (set forth I think in the Broadcast
Act of 1922). WHA was called 9XM. There were other experimentals around, but
during World War I, they all went off the air EXCEPT 9XM which was used to
send weather and navigation info to the ships on the Great Lakes. In 1919,
9XM was broadcasting regular weather and market reports to farmers (we have
pictures!). On January 13, 1922 9XM became WHA. A few other call letters were
assigned some months before WHA's. Like KDKA, Pittsburgh on November 2, 1920.
So... If you count just being ON THE AIR with the same licensee etc, but not
the same Call Letters (which now seem to change every few months anyway), WHA
is the "Oldest" radio station in the U.S. If NOT, then send your congrat's to
WCAL in Northfield, MN who received their license (according to Broadcasting
Yearbook) on November 23, 1918!! Was this the original Call Letters?

KBPS was certainly one of the earliest non-commercials however. They received
their call letters on March 23rd, 1923. I've not found any High School with an
earlier date. Congratulations!

Since everyone appears to be mesmorized by the meanings (hidden or otherwise)
of callsigns, I might as well add a few that I am familiar with around the
non-comm world in Wisconsin.
WERN FM, Madison     Wisconsin Educational Radio Network (the old name of WPR)
WHBM FM, Park Falls  H. B. McCarty (An early innovative WHA Program Director)
WPNE FM, Green Bay   Public (radio) for the North East (yea, that's a stretch)
WGBW FM, Green Bay   Wisconsin, Green Bay Wisconsin! (The university station)
WLSU FM, La Crosse   La Crosse State Univ. (before it became UW-La Crosse)
KUWS FM, Superior    Same idea but newer; University of Wisconsin - Superior
                     (The only "K" station in our network. The antenna is in
                     Duluth, MN)
WUWM FM, Milwaukee   University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
WUEC FM, Eau Claire  You get the idea... University (of WI) at Eau Claire
WYMS FM, Milwaukee   Your Milwaukee Schools
WGTD FM, Beloit      Gateway Technical District

A previous management generation here got very hung up on the "WH" series
thanks to WHA-AM in Madison. WHAD (Delafield), WHHI (Highland), WHRM (Rib
Mountain), WHLA (La Crosse) and WHWC (Wheeler/Colfax where the phone number
is in Wheeler and the Address is in Colfax!)

Finally, WWQM, 106.3 in Madison, WI uses the handle "Q-Country 106" So add
THAT to your database.
==============================================================================
allen rieland, dir of engineering  internet: allen.rieland@mail.admin.wisc.edu
wisconsin public radio, 821 university ave, madison, wi 53706   (608) 263-5544
==============================================================================


Newsgroups: rec.radio.broadcasting