[BC] Why superpower? (was: WLW my take)

[James Snyder]

Keep in mind that Powell Crosley owned WLW at that time.  Crosley 
manufactured radios, and much of the research done at WLW was to 
understand both the science of AM broadcasting on medium wave (which 
had only made it to 50 kW a few years earlier) and how to make the 
quality of broadcasts better for receivers (which Crosley 
manufactured in abundance).

This was the period where many studies at making radio broadcasting 
better were being conducted: frequency modulation was invented and 
testing, "HF" (high frequency) AM was being tested (in the 40-50 MHz 
band where early FM would eventually become commercialized), and 
different types of excitation and modulation were being tried. 
High-power AM in MW was also a point of pride, where broadcasters 
such as Westinghouse, CBS, RCA/NBA and the Mutual partners all 
claiming various accomplishments as to fidelity, distant reception 
(KDKA claimed reception in South Africa on their SW transmitter 
KFKX), and public service in general.

Advancing the science of AM transmission also had the potential to 
bring the companies involved great profits, since most 
intercontinental communications was via short-wave relay stations 
running AM.  Transmitters or modulation techniques that could better 
punch through atmospheric interference had the potential for patent & 
manufacturing income for the companies working on the science since 
folks like AT&T, Western Union and RCA who provided intercontinental 
radio communication links would pay dearly for better technology.

At the time, AM broadcasters were also looking for other avenues for 
income.  Since most stations signed off by midnight (since most folks 
didn't stay up late back then!) broadcasters such as WOR, WLW, WEAF, 
and the Yankee stations all looked to supplement their income by 
providing services such as faxed newspapers or information in the 
overnight hours to supplement their broadcasting expenses.  Higher 
power and better fidelity would improve those services.

It was a very different time than the one we live in today, where 
engineering was king, radio was a money-making powerhouse, and 
broadcasting was changing peoples lives by tying them together for 
the first time with their fellow Americans in a common experience 
(even before movies made it into small markets).

James Snyder


><x-charset utf-8>On Monday 19 December 2005 17:56, Rob Atkinson wrote:
>>  My understanding was that originally the 500 kw was an
>>  experiment. ??You would assume under the circumstances that they would
>>  quietly conduct field strength measurments for a year or two at different
>>  times and seasons all around the U.S. and within the day g/w, then submit
>>  the results and FCC would decide if the 500 kw auth. should be made
>>  available to other 1-As. ??but no, they exploited the situation and kept
>>  getting renewals of the special authorization for the "experiment."
>
>I can't imagine any commercial broadcaster investing the kind of money that
>that 500 kW plant cost just for the sake of 'quietly' submitting data to the
>FCC.  It required a new transmitter design, new approaches to RF system
>engineering -- all sorts of 'cutting edge' tech.  *Of course* they made a big
>splash about it in public.  I think any other broadcaster (then or now) would
>have done the same.  That is the business we're in, after all:  publicity! 
>How else to recoup your investment?
>
>Cheers!
>
>
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