The Centennial Begins!

[Kent King]

100 years ago today (Dec 27, 1924), E. H. Scott used his World's Record Super in Tasman New Zealand and heard station WOC, Davenport, Iowa, a distance of almost 8000 miles. For the next 3 months, Scott would log dozens of US stations while in vacation in New Zealand. This accomplishment started him on a 20-year radio business resulting in the sets we collect today. I will be highlighting various centennial dates here in the future!

[David C. Poland]

According to the Fall 1924 issue of Citizens Radio Callbook, broadcast power of these 3 stations was:

WOC Iowa.             500 watts.      620 KC.  Palmer School of Chiropractor

KHJ  Los Angeles.  500 watts.      760 KC.  Times- Mirror Co (newspaper?)

KGO  San Fran.     1,000 watts.    960 KC.  General Electric Co

About 500 US radio stations are listed in this issue. Consider how new this industry was given that Westinghouse' s KDKA in Pittsburg is considered the first US commercial radio station going on the air November 1920. (KDKA was listed at 1000 watts Fall 1924).

In this Fall 1924 issue, many station's power was as low as 5 or 10 watts. many at 50 or 100 watts. A few at 500 watts. Even fewer at 1000 watts, like maybe 2 or 3 per  100 stations. Saw none over 1000 watts. Some stations list being on the air for only portions of the day.

Today, 250 watts is a small station. Many at 5000 watts. Clear channel stations at 50,000 watts. In the later 1930's, WLW had a 500,000 watt transmitter allowed to broadcast at that power at times , which transmitter became part of Voice of America during WW2. I recall a 250,000 watt station in Mexico across the border from TX.

[Y2K Bruce]

I have WOC radio on now listening on my circa 1940 Phantom AM/FM 28 tube Scott. I live about 10 miles from their tower though.

[Scott Seickel]

Must have had some great ionospheric conditions.