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Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Discussion pertaining to Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron, and SW Ontario
paul8539
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Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by paul8539 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 5:13 pm

Just wanted to wish 8MK, now known as WWJ, a happy 100th birthday.



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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by Deleted User 15342 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:35 pm

Happy Birthday WWJ. 100 years and still going strong.



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audiophile
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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by audiophile » Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:21 pm

Happy Birthday!


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MWmetalhead
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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by MWmetalhead » Thu Aug 20, 2020 8:58 pm

The two biggest lies in this town:

Fred Jacobs invented the classic rock format (although Mr. Jacobs is most responsible for its propagation, WMET in Chicago was doing the format in 1981);

WWJ was the first commercial radio station in America (if 8MK counts as the beginning of WWJ, then one also should count the experimental licenses of the station now known as 740 KCBS).

Nonetheless, being the second earliest commercial radio station still in service is an extremely impressive feat and one deserving of major accolades.



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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by CK-722 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:22 pm

There are many other stations who had experimental licenses. Many of these were at Physics and Engineering Departments at various colleges, including MAC/MSU, the station later licensed as WKAR. In terms of commercial licenses issued, it was about 4th, behind KDKA, WABC, and WBZ. KDKA was experimental with the call letters 8ZZ for a couple months after the date often quoted as the sign on. Not questioning whether WWJ is close to 100 years old, just questioning the details. A few years ago, WFDF was claiming to be the oldest radio station in Michigan, and if operation under the callsign 8ZH is included, it may have been. I have not seen the history they used to make that claim. I will have to call Gary Flinn and see if he has any information.

https://www.oldradio.com/archives/gener ... ldest.html
Last edited by CK-722 on Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:48 pm, edited 4 times in total.


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MWmetalhead
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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by MWmetalhead » Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:33 pm

I thought only KDKA predated it (if we use commercial license + being on the air as the measuring stick)? What were the other stations, out of curiosity?



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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by CK-722 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:39 pm

WABC and WBZ. But time signal station WWV operated in the AM BC band in 1919 on 600 kHz before moving to Shortwave, even before KDKA. WWV even broadcast music at times in their early History. History can be complicated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWV_(radio_station)


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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by MotorCityRadioFreak » Fri Aug 21, 2020 2:12 am

Isn't KDKA the only radio station east of the Mississippi to start with K? Just remembered (or I think I remember) that being the case.


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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by kc8yqq » Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:00 am

MotorCityRadioFreak wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 2:12 am
Isn't KDKA the only radio station east of the Mississippi to start with K? Just remembered (or I think I remember) that being the case.
If you are asking about current stations, there are many exceptions. The closest to us is KTGG (Okemos, MI).

From Michiguide.com: "1984: Call sign KTGG assigned in error - 'K' call signs are supposed to issued west of the Mississippi River only, with 'W' signs issued east. It's likely the error occurred when someone at the FCC read MI as being Missouri (MO) or Minnesota (MN) instead of Michigan."



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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by Deleted User 3751 » Fri Aug 21, 2020 7:50 am

Isn't KDKA the only radio station east of the Mississippi to start with K? Just remembered (or I think I remember) that being the case.
These K's are still current east of the Mississippi

KTGG
OKEMOS MI

KFIZ
FOND DU LAC WI

KQV
PITTSBURGH PA

KYW
PHILADELPHIA PA

KFNS
WOOD RIVER IL

KSGM
CHESTER IL

KOTC-LP
JEFFERSON CITY MO

KWAM
MEMPHIS TN



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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by CK-722 » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:26 am

Michigan now even has an NCE-FM station with K calls. It's KDTI Rochester Hills, on 90.3 with 37 watts. It airs Air-1. The tower is in Rochester, 1.5 miles NW of Yates, just west of the Bloomer Recreational Park. It's near South Street, "where all the hippies meet".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KDTI


Is THAT where they got the idea for the 486-SX?

Same (x, y, z), different (t)

Your bullet missed my trial balloon.

RTN Price. Not guaranteed. As of 12:30, 157.71 Down 0.22.

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Re: Happy 100th Birthday 8MK / WBL / WWJ

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Aug 22, 2020 1:43 pm

I'll give WWJ some credit; in its official press release, it declared itself the first "continuously broadcasting AM station" as opposed to the very first commercial radio station.



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