The Centennial of KDKA's Historic 1920 Broadcasts
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The Centennial of KDKA’s Historic 1920 Broadcasts © 2020 David and Julia Bart This article marks the centennial of KDKA’s historic broadcasts of the U.S. presidential election results on November 2, 1920. The article identifies important parts of the West- inghouse Electric Manufacturing Company/KDKA story, and it includes discussions about Frank Conrad, Harry Davis, Donald Little, and some of the other key people responsible for building the station and Westinghouse’s radio network. The authors compile key references for further research, trace the station’s licensed operations, and provide descriptions of the historic transmitters, antennas, and studios used by KDKA and its related experimental stations, 8XK, 8ZZ, and others. The article also shares cur- rent photographs of the station from a private tour taken in 2017. The authors mention some of KDKA’s claims of priority for “firsts” in radio broadcasting, but they do not take a position on those claims, since that debate lies outside the scope of this article. As KDKA’s centennial celebrations approach, the authors hope to stimulate further research by sharing their findings and observations regarding the many achievements of this historic station. Introduction in that tour sparked our curiosity and The year 2020 marks the centennial of led us to further inquiry. This article the historic broadcasts of the U.S. presi- identifies important parts of the KDKA dential election results on November 2, story, investigates and recounts aspects 1920, by radio station KDKA. This date of that history, compiles key references is commonly used to mark the beginning for further research, and shares current of the commercial radio broadcasting photographs of the station. era. The stories of Frank Conrad, his Previous anniversaries garnered much experimental station 8XK, and KDKA’s fanfare (see Figs. 1 and 2). As KDKA’s legendary accomplishments have been centennial celebrations approach, we told in a variety of formats over the years. understand that the Radio Club of In 2017, members of the Radio Club America and members of the Antique of America received a private tour of Wireless Association will be participating the current KDKA radio studios and in KDKA’s month-long commemora- KDKA’s transmitter station, which tive events in November 2020. Further continues to reside in its 1939 transmis- information can be obtained from those sion facility. The authors’ participation organizations. Volume 33, 2020 25 The Centennial of KDKA’s Historic 1920 Broadcasts Fig. 1. KDKA 95th anniversary card. (Courtesy, KDKA) Fig. 2. Another example of a KDKA anniversary card. (Courtesy, KDKA) 26 The AWA Review Bart and Bart Radio Pioneer Frank Conrad for his insatiable thirst for knowledge, 1 Early Years work ethic, and incredible memory. In Frank Conrad (1874−1941) is best known 1897, at age 23, he transferred to West- for his work developing radio technol- inghouse’s Testing Department where he ogy at the Westinghouse Electrical and invented a circular-type watt-hour meter. Manufacturing Company in East Pitts- Thirty years later, in 1937, approximately burgh, Pennsylvania, where he helped 30 million of these units remained in use. establish a foundation for commercial Westinghouse promoted him to General broadcasting (see Fig. 3). His efforts grew Engineer in 1904 and Assistant Chief from an experimental radio station, 8XK, Engineer in 1921. His work involved a developed in the workshop he built in wide range of areas, especially arc light- the second story of his garage, and aided ing, ignitions in automobiles, and then in the establishment of Westinghouse’s radio. He pioneered the development of first broadcasting service over radio sta- metal case power rectifiers, and solved tion KDKA. many difficult problems connected with Conrad was born in Pittsburgh in the electrification of the New York, 1874, the son of a railroad mechanic and New Haven, and Hartford Railroad. homemaker. Formal schooling ended He became a member of the American after he completed the 7th grade. In 1890, Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) he joined Westinghouse at age 16 and in 1902 and went on to receive more than registered trains for ampere-hour meter 200 patents for a variety of electrical maintenance. He developed reputations devices: 177 in the United States, 42 in the United Kingdom, and 9 in Germany. Conrad’s interest in radio stemmed from a 1913 bet with a co-worker over whose watch was more accurate. Conrad won the bet after he secretly replaced his cheap watch’s internal components with the mechanism from a more expensive and much more accurate watch.2 Conrad then tested the watches, after which he began to question the accuracy of West- ern Union’s telegraphed time signals. In 1916, he built a simple radio to receive the U.S. Naval Observatory’s time sig- nals, broadcast nightly by station NAA in Arlington, Virginia. Conrad next con- structed a transmitter to communicate with his neighbor and other local ama- Fig. 3. Frank Conrad. (Courtesy, IEEE History teur radio operators. He then installed Center) a radio station on the top floor of his Volume 33, 2020 27 The Centennial of KDKA’s Historic 1920 Broadcasts two-story garage adjacent to his new Expeditionary Force in considerable 3 8 home in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. quantities. In July 1916, Conrad’s amateur sta- Conrad’s work encompassed radio- tion received an “Experimental” license, telephone transmissions (for voice and with the call sign 8XK.4 The station music, not simply Morse code), and included a spark transmitter for Morse incorporated vacuum tube transmit- code transmissions. The “8” indicated ters. Despite the nationwide blackout the station was located in the 8th Radio for amateur radio transmissions, Con- Inspection District, and the “X” desig- rad received authorization to operate an nated the station was operating under experimental radio transmitter from his an Experimental license. home during the war with the call sign 3WE. He used this station to communi- World War I cate with a second station located at the 9 Following the United States’ entry into Westinghouse plant in East Pittsburgh. World War I in April 1917, the U.S. Navy assumed control of the country’s Radio Broadcasting Begins commercial radio stations, including The ban on operating civilian radio approximately 60 maritime commerce stations ended after the war, effective stations. All civilian radio stations, October 1, 1919. Conrad resumed his including experimental stations like experiments using the 8XK call sign 8XK, were ordered to cease transmis- broadcasting from his home garage, sion and reception.5 Conrad spent the including testing vacuum tube radio- war years at Westinghouse working on telephone equipment,10 although a for- improvements to military radio equip- mal license renewal was not issued to ment, including the U.S. Army Signal him until January 21, 1921. Neverthe- Corps SCR-69 transmitter and SCR-70 less, beginning on the evening of Octo- receiver used in airplanes. Conrad’s work ber 17, 1919, Conrad began broadcasting included development of a wind-driven selections from his personal collection of electrical generator that was attached phonograph records as he undertook a to an airplane’s wing for powering air- series of test broadcasts.11 He accepted plane radio transmitters.6 Westinghouse specific requests to hear records from became the first supplier of combination his growing audience. As the demand radio telephone-telegraph receivers for grew, he announced that instead of the U.S. Navy. Its airborne electrical complying with individual requests, generator provided power for the first he would “broadcast” records for two continuous over-water plane-to-shore hours each Wednesday and Saturday transmission tests in May 1919 between evening. KDKA claimed, “This is the Newfoundland and England.7 Radio first recorded use of the word broad- transmitters and receivers designed by cast to describe a radio service.”12 The Conrad were the only radio equipment debate over this claim is outside the scope to reach the front for use by the Allied of this article, but it can be contested. 28 The AWA Review Bart and Bart For example, a January 1917 article in the patients at the Tuberculosis League 16 Electrical Experimenter outlined Lee De Hospital. Forest’s “broadcast” by “radio,” using The Joseph Horne Department Store those words, of U.S. election returns via in Pittsburgh placed an advertisement in wireless telephony in November 1916 the Pittsburgh Sun, “Air Concert Picked to 7,000 amateur radio operators who Up By Radio,” on September 29, 1920, were notified in advance of the scheduled that offered for sale crystal set radios program.13 See further comments below. to hear Conrad’s broadcasts. Harry In any case, in response to his grow- Davis, a vice president at Westing- ing audience interest, Conrad adopted house, noticed the growing popularity a semi-regular schedule of defined pro- of Conrad’s broadcasts and arranged for gramming that was transmitted for all Westinghouse to build a transmitter at to hear. After exhausting his personal the plant (see Fig. 4). The new Westing- collection of records used to broadcast house station received licensing in Octo- music, he borrowed records from a local ber 1920, in time to broadcast results of Brunswick record shop in exchange for the upcoming Harding-Cox Presidential on-air acknowledgements.14 These on- Election results on November 2, 1920. air acknowledgements constituted the (See further discussion below about the early beginnings of on-air radio adver- timing of the licenses issued to stations 17 tising. Conrad also ran a telephone line KDKA and 8ZZ.) from the music room in his home to the transmitter in his garage, so perform- ers, which included Conrad, could use the family piano.15 These performances constituted the early origins of the on- air radio “studio,” that is to say, a room used as a dedicated performance space whose sounds are broadcast by radio to a listening audience.