WHA (AM)

WHA
City Madison, Wisconsin
Broadcast area Madison metropolitan area
Branding Ideas Network
Frequency 970 kHz (also on HD Radio)
Repeaters W300BM 107.9 MHz
W215AQ 90.9
First air date January 13, 1922
Format Public radio
Power 5,000 watts (daytime)
51 watts (nighttime)
Class D
Facility ID 6139
Callsign meaning None (randomly assigned)
Former callsigns 9XM, 1915–1917, 1920-1922
Affiliations NPR
Owner University of Wisconsin–Extension
Webcast Listen Live
Website wpr.org

WHA (970 kHz) is a non-commercial AM band radio station, licensed since 1922 to the University of Wisconsin and located in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves as the flagship for the Wisconsin Public Radio talk-based "Ideas Network".[1] The same call letters are used by WHA-TV in Madison, the flagship station of the Wisconsin Public Television network.

History

Pre-World War I (9XM)

WHA was first licensed as a broadcasting station on January 13, 1922.[2] Prior to that the University of Wisconsin had engaged in extensive radio experimentation and broadcasting, with the initial transmissions using Morse code, followed by pioneering audio broadcasts.

Radio experimentation (then known as wireless telegraphy) began at the university in the first decade of the 1900s, and in 1914, electrical engineering department professor Edward Bennett constructed a spark gap transmitter. The next year that equipment was transferred to physics professor Earle M. Terry, and in June 1915 the university was issued an experimental radio station license, with the call sign 9XM,[3] by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which regulated radio at the time. Terry and a group of physics and engineering students constructed additional radio apparatus in the basement of Science Hall and strung an antenna between that building and the Mining and Metallurgy Laboratory. 9XM was initially used for point-to-point communication with other stations. It also sent game reports for a Wisconsin-Ohio State basketball game on February 17, 1917, and a telegraphic news exchange with other universities the following April.

Starting in 1914, radio stations located at the University of North Dakota, Nebraska Wesleyan University, and the University of Nebraska established radiotelegraphic broadcasting of weather forecasts on a regular schedule, as a service for local farmers. Beginning in 1915, Eric R. Miller, a former student of Professor Terry's who was the meteorologist in charge of the U.S Weather Bureau's Madison office, worked with Terry to make arrangements for 9XM to provide a similar service for Wisconsin.[4] On December 1, 1916 it was announced that 9XM would begin transmitting weather forecasts daily (except Sundays), using Morse code. These broadcasts were made at 11:00 a.m. Central Time on a wavelength of 1,700 meters (176 kilohertz),[5] immediately following the time signals transmitted from 10:55 to 11:00 a.m. by the U.S. Navy's station, NAA in Arlington, Virginia.

The use of Morse code limited the usability of these broadcasts, since it required the translation of the telegraphic dots-and-dashes. Vacuum tube transmitters capable of audio transmissions had recently been developed, and in early 1917 Terry made a few test transmissions using a vacuum tube transmitter. For one of these tests he hosted a gathering at his home to listen to a transmission of phonograph records, although the guests were generally unimpressed with hearing music that could just as easily be played on a nearby record player.[6] Vacuum tube technology was still in the experimental stage, so 9XM did not introduce regular audio broadcasts at this time.

World War I (wartime authorization)

The weather forecast broadcasts soon had to be suspended when, upon the entrance of the United States into World War I in April 1917, the U.S. government assumed control of the entire radio industry and it became illegal for civilians to possess a working radio receiver. Most non-military radio stations were also ordered to shut down for the duration of the conflict, including the university's operations. However, at the recommendation of A. Hoyt Taylor, district communication superintendent at the Great Lakes Naval Station, in May the University was permitted to reactivate operations, now funded by the Navy. During the war, the Navy issued new call signs to the stations under its control, but there are no surviving records about the call signs used by the university during this period.

Although the work was secret, after the war it was revealed that the university station was used to test communication with submarines, in addition to work with the Army Signal Corps developing radiotelephones for aviation use. Weather information was also broadcast to ships on the Great Lakes.[7] At this time, the station facilities were relocated from Science Hall to Sterling Hall, where the studios remained until 1934.[8] The university also provided radio technology training classes for Signal Corps recruits.

Terry continued work on developing vacuum-tube transmitters, and in March 1919 announced that audio transmissions had been successfully made from Madison to the Navy's Great Lakes, Illinois station, using "a vacuum power tube which is said to be better than any commercial bulb".[9]

Post World War I (9XM and WHA)

After World War I, the U.S. government relinquished its monopoly control of radio, and in October 1919 lifted the ban on civilian radio stations. In the fall of 1919, the university was authorized to operate a "War Department Training and Rehabilitation School" station with the call sign WX3,[10] and on February 11, 1920 received an experimental station license that revived the 9XM call sign.[11]

Work soon began to re-establish the daily weather forecast broadcasts. In January 1920, reports from both the Weather Bureau's Eric R. Miller[12] and the university's physics department[13] stated that the transmissions would soon be restarted, this time by radiotelephone. However, when the service began again in February, the forecasts were still being sent only in Morse code.[14] These weather forecast broadcasts were suspended during the university's summer break, then restarted in September.[15]

A key difficulty in making the shift to audio transmissions was a lack of vacuum tubes. They were produced by the physics department in a process that required glass-blowing skills. Finally, on January 3, 1921, the radiotelephone equipment was ready, and for the first time spoken-word weather broadcasts were made.[16] Because telegraphic sounds can be heard for greater distances than spoken-word, until 1923 the audio broadcasts were repeated in Morse code. Later that same month, weekly Friday night musical concerts were introduced.[17]

Initially there were no formal standards for stations providing a broadcast service, so there were no issues with 9XM's operation under an experimental license. However, effective December 1, 1921, the Department of Commerce adopted regulations requiring stations making broadcasts intended for the general public to hold a limited commercial license. On January 13, 1922, the university was issued a broadcasting station authorization, with the randomly assigned call letters of WHA. The university continued to renew its 9XM experimental license, used for conducting investigative work, until late 1926, when 9XM was retired.[18] Wisconsin Public Radio commemorates 9XM in its fund-raising efforts, recognizing network donors who give more than $1,200 annually as members of the "9XM Leadership Circle".[19] The new regulations specified two transmitting wavelengths: 360 meters (833 kHz) for "entertainment", and 485 meters (619 kHz) for "market and weather reports". WHA was authorized to use both wavelengths as needed.

As it struggled to establish itself, issues with funding, available staff, and technical problems limited WHA's schedule. The station suspended operations during the university's 1922 summer break, then, because of technical difficulties, was unable to restart regular broadcasting until January 8, 1923. After again suspending operations for the 1924 summer break, the station was formally deleted by the government on September 8, although it was relicensed, again with the call letters WHA, on October 14.

Although the Great Depression caused many university radio stations to go silent because of financial pressures, in 1930 the state of Wisconsin began providing both WHA and WLBL in Stevens Point with funding to further their educational offerings. In the fall of 1931, the Wisconsin School of the Air provided 10 weekly programs designed to supplement grade school curricula. Other programs addressed government, agricultural, and homemaker audiences.[20]

In 1927, the Federal Radio Commission was created to regulate U.S. radio stations, and the new agency implemented a series of frequency reassignments. Effective April 26, 1929, WHA was assigned to transmit on 940 kHz, but was restricted to broadcasting during daytime hours.[21] On March 29, 1941, as part of the implementation of the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, WHA, along with all other stations on 940, moved to its current dial position of 970 kHz.[22] The lack of nighttime hours limited WHA's potential programming and the station made several unsuccessful attempts to be assigned to a better frequency. In December 1987, WHA was authorized to commence nighttime operations, but with a power limited to 51 watts.[23]

In the summer of 1932, WHA relocated its transmitter site to Silver Spring Farm, a couple of miles south, where it remains as of 2016. This site had been used by the Wisconsin State Journal station, WISJ, but was no longer needed after that station merged operations with The Capital Times station, WIBA.[24]

In 1934, WHA studios were relocated from Sterling Hall to Radio Hall, a 1880s vintage heating plant building. In 1972 the studios moved again, to Vilas Communication Hall.[8]

In 1936, WHA installed a custom-built transmitter.[8] In 1951, the station retired this transmitter and purchased a 5000-watt Westinghouse transmitter. The custom-built transmitter had operated for over 52,000 hours.[25]

The Canadian series for children, The Friendly Giant, was created in 1953 on WHA. The show, starring Bob Homme, later moved to local sister station WHA-TV before making its way to Canadian television on the CBC Television network.[26] The long-running dramatic radio series Earplay was created by WHA in the fall of 1971.[27]

Translators

WHA must reduce its daytime transmitting power of 5,000 watts to 51 watts during nighttime hours in order to protect Class A radio station CBW in Winnipeg on 990 kHz from interference, which results in limited coverage within Madison city limits. To increase WHA's audience, its programming is relayed by two FM translators, plus an FM HD radio station. In 2009 a translator operating on 107.9 FM, which had carried Delafield-licensed WHAD, changed to relaying WHA, which provides coverage to downtown and eastern Madison, including the Madison campus.[28][29] WHA is also simulcast by FM HD station WERN HD-3. In early 2013, translator W215AQ on 90.9 FM, also serving Madison, began rebroadcasting this HD signal, providing a second FM transmitter carrying WHA's programming.

Call sign Frequency
(MHz) 		City of license ERP
W 		Class FCC info
W300BM 107.9 Madison, Wisconsin 38 D FCC
W215AQ (via WERN HD-3) 90.9 Madison, Wisconsin 26 D (via WERN HD-3) FCC

Pioneer broadcasting station status

Although WHA was not licensed as a broadcasting station until January 13, 1922, its broadcast history is commonly combined with the earlier audio broadcasts made by 9XM. A plaque installed in 1958 on the university's Madison campus credits "9XM-WHA" as "The Oldest Station in the Nation", stating that it began "broadcasting on a regular schedule in 1919".[30] Some have challenged this date, concluding that there is no evidence for regular 9XM audio broadcasts prior to its January 3, 1921 inauguration of spoken-word weather forecasts.[31][32] On at least two occasions the original WHA station manager, Earle M. Terry, credited KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which began broadcasting as 8ZZ on November 2, 1920, as being the oldest surviving station.[33] Other stations that make claims for being older than both 9XM / WHA and 8ZZ / KDKA include KCBS in San Francisco, California, which identifies predecessor stations operated by Charles Herrold dating back to 1912; 8MK / WWJ in Detroit, Michigan, which began regular broadcasts in August 1920; WOC in Davenport, Iowa, which traces its origin to station 9BY, which began regular broadcasts around September 1920; and 9ZAF / KLZ in Denver, Colorado, with regular programs beginning in October 1920.

The University of Minnesota's WLB (now KUOM) received its first broadcasting license on the same day as WHA, January 13, 1922. These were the first two educational institutions to be issued broadcasting licenses, and although the licenses were not time-stamped, WLB's serial number, limited commercial license #275, was one less than WHA's #276. However, 9XM's audio weather forecast broadcasts started a few months prior to the market broadcasts that were begun over the University of Minnesota's Experimental station, 9XI, in the spring of 1921.[34]

References

  1. ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio – Ideas Network
  2. ↑ "New Stations: Commercial Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, February 1, 1922, p. 2. The initial WHA authorization was a six-month limited commercial license, serial #276.
  3. ↑ "New Stations: Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, July 1915, p. 3. The "9" in 9XM's call sign specified that the station was located in the ninth radio inspection district and the "X" indicated the station was operating under an experimental license.
  4. ↑ Davidson, Randall (2007). 9XM Talking: WHA Radio and the Wisconsin Idea. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 8–19. ISBN 978-0-299-21873-7.
  5. ↑ "Weather by Wireless". Daily (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) Northwestern, December 1, 1916, p. 1.
  6. ↑ 9XM Talking: The Early History of WHA Radio
  7. ↑ "9XM-WHA – Madison, WI" Waymark
  8. 1 2 3 Wisconsin Public Radio – A Tradition of Broadcast Innovation
  9. ↑ Madison Talks by Wireless with Great Lakes, Milwaukee Journal, March 8, 1919, page 3.
  10. ↑ "New Stations: War Department Training and Rehabilitation Schools", Radio Service Bulletin, December 1, 1919, p. 5.
  11. ↑ "New Stations: Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, May 1920, p. 4.
  12. ↑ "Wireless Telephone For Farmers Latest Thing, Says U. S. Weather Forecaster", Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Leader, January 17, 1920, p. 6.
  13. ↑ "Wireless Outfit to Communicate Weather Report", Madison (Wisconsin) Capital Times, January 22, 1920, p. 7.
  14. ↑ "Madison Weather Man to Harness Havoc of Wind", The Capital Times, July 31, 1920, p. 2.
  15. ↑ "Wireless Reports Sent Out", Manitowoc (Wisconsin) Herald-News, September 24, 1920.
  16. ↑ E. B. Calvert. "History of Radio in Relation to the Work of the Weather Bureau". Monthly Weather Review, January 1923, p. 9. "The first systematic radiophone broadcasts of forecasts was made from the station operated by the University of Wisconsin beginning with January 3, 1921."
  17. ↑ "Musical Concerts by Wireless Given at U. W. Stations", The Capital Times, January 28, 1921, p. 1.
  18. ↑ "Alterations and Corrections: Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1926, p. 8.
  19. ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio 9XM Leadership Circle
  20. ↑ S. E. Frost, Jr. Education's Own Stations. 1937, pp. 464-474.
  21. ↑ Frost, 1937, p. 466.
  22. ↑ Davidson, 2007, p. 232.
  23. ↑ Davidson, 2007, p. 308.
  24. ↑ Davidson, 2007, pp. 115-117.
  25. ↑ Davidson, 2007, p. 170.
  26. ↑ TV Acres: Children's Show Hosts > Bob Homme (The Friendly Giant)
  27. ↑ Davidson, 2007, p. 187.
  28. ↑ WPR – Station Coverage Maps, Technical Issues
  29. ↑ WPR – W300BM FM Coverage Map & Technical Information
  30. ↑ Plaque, Vilas Hall, University of Wisconsin–Madison (http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM39R9)
  31. ↑ Joseph E. Baudino and John M. Kittross. "Broadcasting's Oldest Stations: An Examination of Four Claimants". Journal of Broadcasting, Winter 1977, pp. 72-74.
  32. ↑ Davidson, 2007, pp. 315-327.
  33. ↑ Davidson, 2007, p. 325.
  34. ↑ Frost, 1937, p. 215.

External links

Coordinates: 43°02′30″N 89°24′31″W / 43.04167°N 89.40861°W / 43.04167; -89.40861

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