KDKA medium wave & short wave coverage in 20s & 30s

[tce]

I am researching the broadcast ministry of Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, which began on Oct 15, 1922 on KDKA. Accounts tell of (in addition to the normal worship service) messages were delivered to the Far North from Shadyside Presbyterian on Christmas Day that year. Apparently, the church became a regular feature of the short wave broadcast in 1924. In 1929, a broadcast was sent to the Byrd expedition in Antarctica.

Based on transmitter power, antenna pattern and KDKAs clear-channel status, what would be the expected night-time coverage of its medium wave broadcast band signal in the 1920s, the 1930s and 1940s.?

Can a similar coverage be estimated for the short wave transmissions?

Thanks for any help on these questions & other relevant subject you might suggest.

Tim Engleman

 

[TomT]

My mother (who died 5 years ago, aged 102) remembered her father listening to KDKA in Pawtucket (Providence) R.I. in the mid twenties. She would have been in college at that time, though living at home (Pembroke~Brown University grad. 1926)

Of course, not that many people had radios in that era. My grandfather was a printer & tinkerer.

 

[w9wi]

I am researching the broadcast ministry of Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, which began on Oct 15, 1922 on KDKA. Accounts tell of (in addition to the normal worship service) messages were delivered to the Far North from Shadyside Presbyterian on Christmas Day that year. Apparently, the church became a regular feature of the short wave broadcast in 1924. In 1929, a broadcast was sent to the Byrd expedition in Antarctica.

Based on transmitter power, antenna pattern and KDKAs clear-channel status, what would be the expected night-time coverage of its medium wave broadcast band signal in the 1920s, the 1930s and 1940s.?

Can a similar coverage be estimated for the short wave transmissions?

Thanks for any help on these questions & other relevant subject you might suggest.

Tim Engleman

Back then, "clear-channel" meant what it said: no other station in the U.S. or Canada broadcast on KDKA's frequency at night. There weren't nearly as many sources of electrical noise in the home as there is today either. I would imagine KDKA could be easily *heard* pretty much nationwide at night. It was probably of "entertainment quality" anywhere east of the MIssissippi.

Shortwave coverage would have been worldwide, although I have no idea what the interference situation was on shortwave back then.

 

[TomT]

1932 White's Radio Guide: KDKA--50,000 watts on 980. No other stations on 980, although KJR Seattle with 5000 watts and WCFL with 1500 watts shared 970; while the WBZ (25K) and WBZA twins shared 990 with XEK Mexico City.