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The
very first performer on the young station was Miss Florence
Morrison, a New Haven school music teacher. For the opening
broadcast, she presented a program of piano music (note the
player roles atop the piano).
click for enlargement
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October,
1923 - New Haven native Italo
A. Martino joined Doolittle to sell radio sets. He later became
an officer of the company.
January
1, 1924 - WPAJ's three-month license renewal form
indicated Doolittle Radio Corporation had relocated to 109 Crown
Street. Only one 85-foot wooden tower was in use and permission
was granted to boost power output to 100 watts.
1924
- Doolittle hires Walter B. Haase
to sell and install radio sets. The collaboration would continue
until 1959.
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May
23, 1924 - Another license renewal application
indicated Doolittle had relocated to 115 Crown Street. A two-tower
array was again in use, each 85 feet in height.
August 6, 1924 - The Bureau
of Navigation's Radio Division authorized WPAJ to conduct
duplex (binaural) broadcasts on two frequencies - 268 & 227
meters (1120 & 1320 kc). The same program was broadcast over
both, with two microphones feeding the two transmitters. "Listeners
were invited to join in the experiments in such unheard of
things as stereo broadcasting, years before there were any
stereo records."
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December
10, 1924 - The quarterly license renewal directed WPAJ
to broadcast only on 268 meters (1120 kc).
February
21, 1925 - WPAJ's call letters were changed to
WDRC (Doolittle Radio Corporation).
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November
15, 1926 - WDRC was one of sixteen charter affiliates
of the new National Broadcasting Company. The affiliation
ended in March, 1927.
early
1927 - WDRC moved to the luxurious Hotel
Taft at 70 College Street in New Haven.
June
15, 1927 - Power was increased to 250 watts and
the frequency moved to 1090 kc, sharing the frequency with
WCAC Storrs, CT. WCAC moved to another frequency August 27th.
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August
15, 1927 - The transmitter was moved to 5 Beacon
Avenue, Beacon Hill, New Haven and the frequency changed to
1060 kc (283 meters).
November
3, 1927 - WDRC broadcast with 500 watts
of power. WAIU, Columbus, OH, shared the frequency with 5,000
watts. To eliminate heterodyne, WDRC employed a "zero
beat" method whereby it was synchronized with the Columbus
station. Doolittle received permission from the Federal Radio
Commission to operate two hours nightly on 810 kc (370.2 meters)
until December 31. This frequency was shared with WMCA in
Hoboken, NJ. While 70 miles apart, the stations broadcast
the same program identically on the same wavelength.
January,
1928 - WDRC was on the air from 70 College
Street in New Haven six hours a day (9:30-10:30AM,
11:00AM-12:00N & 5:00-9:00PM). It was affiliated with
the WMCA Network, originating at New York's Hotel McAlpin.
WDRC employed five people and reported an annual net
income of $18,700.
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Walter
B. Haase announcing at
70 College Street, circa 1927.
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November
11, 1928 - A national frequency reallocation program
relocated WDRC to 1330kc.
The
WPAJ and WDRC stamps on the left are EKKO Verification
Stamps. Before the days of QSL cards, listeners sent letters
to distant stations mentioning the specifics of programs they
heard. The station would respond with an EKKO Stamp which
collectors glued in special albums.
The
sample on the right was issued by the Bryant Company in the
early 1930s.
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