You're welcome, glad to be of help. Except for a brief time in the 1970s that I spent in El Cajon, CA, and Buckeye, AZ, I've lived near Pittsburgh my entire life, and I've listened to KDKA, KQV, and, when it was in Cleveland, KYW. So, it's easy for me to know about the "K" stations! I was interested in radio from the time when my age was measured with a single digit, I was an avid broadcast band DXer and tried to learn everything I could about the different stations. Now the internet makes it easy: https://radio-locator.com/
I also grew up in Kittanning, Pa. I have fond memories listening to Ed and Wendy King's Party Line at night in the early 60's. Ahh, those were the days! I look forward to working one of more of the special event stations. Happy 100 KDKA!!!! Mitch KI4TSI
For a trip down memory lane for those who grew up in listening to KDKA during the 60's, check out RegeCordic.com and go to the archives. Many recordings of memorable skits by Rege and company.
My interest in radio began with KDKA. Growing up in Sewickley , PA, about 20 miles north of the 'burgh (as we called it), KDKA was the first radio station I began to listen to after I built my first crystal radio which was a Christmas present. I was amazed at the ability to transmit information over the air and after that I was addicted. Soon I had a radio in my bedroom and I would listen to the Penguin games at night which at the time was broadcast on KDKA. Eventually my father ended up with a CB because his friend was a big CB'er at the time and the rest is history. Who knows? If not for KDKA I might not become the radio fanatic I am today so thank you KDKA and Happy 100 years in broadcast!
Cool - my folks grew up in Ford City, PA. I always remember KDKA being on the old tabletop tube radio in the kitchen of my grandmother's home when we visited.
Good luck. I used to collect and restore vintage broadcast receivers and had a RCA Radiola IIIA 4 tube regen. It was sensitive enough to be able to receive DX stations , however it was not selective enough. would usually hear 3 or 4 stations coming in at the same time. The AM band is more crowded now than it was in 1925.
As a kid growing up in Tennessee, one of my hobbies in the 60's was DXing the AM broadcast band through the night. I used to listen frequently to KDKA all the way from Nashville. Later, getting involved in broadcasting I learned to appreciate the history of the early pioneer broadcasters of which KDKA is a giant.
Holy Jumpin... small world.. Originally from Somerset and like you grew up with the royalty in the booth. DE NC0M
Hey All. KDKA was almost a tough catch here in the Boston area - especially way back when before I had "serious" receivers / learned about traps,etc. WBZ on 1030 is "effective" here at around 106 Kilowatts against Pittsburgh's 1020 Kc 50 Kilowatt omni, so it was always rough sailing to try and copy them. Used to listen to Perry Marshall 's show on isolated occasions IF 'BZ's Larry Glick was boring that night AND prop was good. 95% was usually severe 1st adjacent QRM and NO copy. Did manage KDKA crystal set copy here in more "recent" years, but it takes a big litz "super" set to do so here. de K
View attachment 717313 View attachment 717313 My Grandfathers construction company erected that tower. I listened to the great "Group W Westinghouse" KDKA growing up in the '60s... I have pics of the tower erection somewhere, here are a few I found of some insulators...Happy Birthday KDKA
Worked in the "K" building at Westinghouse in East Pittsburgh (1967-), location of the first KDKA broadcasts. Have a chunk of the KDKA transmission tower when it was torn down. They sawed it up and put the pieces in Lucite. Think it may have been a fund raiser for Children's Hospital. Picked up KDKA one night when i was in Hokkaido, Japan using a R-390 and a 600 ft long wire! W3APC
See one on eBay right now with a $20 bid on it. Good souvenir! A few years ago I QSLed them as a Midwestern listener and they responded. Not as exciting a souvenir but appreciate they did that.
Congratulations on 100 years! Born nearby in East Liverpool, Ohio, I listened to KDKA back in the 60's and 70's. (I remember Ed and Wendy King too!) Now living in Dallas and looking forward to hearing the special event stations on the air.
Born (Water Street) and raised in Saxonburg and my Pop W8FC (prior to post WWII realignment) and W3FK (sk) and "radioactive" till about 90. My Pop (Herb Irving) was the chief transmitter engineer at KDKA from mid '30s in Saxonburg and later after move to Allison Park, until his retirement. He remained in Saxonburg along with about all of the original transmitter cadre even after the Allison Park move. Lived at home until late '50 when the then mandatory draft caught up with most of my generation - went into the USN and became an "economic refugee" - stayed in military/government service till retirement in 2010. My call is K3FK and after Pop's (sk) inherited W3Fk and segued into GOLDEN CITY RADIO CLUB station still held by me et al. I'm still very HF radio active mostly CW, (QTH) just across South River from Annapolis proper. Still listen to 1020 KHz regularly and that freq is indelibly burnt into my brain - as is Saxonburg. Parents/siblings up there in Memorial Church grave yard. Dick (IRV) Irving/ K3FK
