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WDAL (Jacksonville, Florida)

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WDAL was an AM radio station in Jacksonville, Florida, licensed to the Florida Times-Union beginning May 19, 1922, which was deleted on December 22, 1923, and temporarily reactivated in October 1925.

History

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On December 1, 1921, the U.S. Department of Commerce, which regulated radio at this time, adopted the first regulations formally establishing a broadcasting station category, which set aside the wavelength of 360 meters (833 kHz) for entertainment broadcasts, and 485 meters (619 kHz) for market and weather reports.[1] WDAL was the third Florida broadcasting station to receive a license under the new regulations, which was issued for operation on both the 360 and 485 meter wavelengths on May 19, 1922, to the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union.[2] The call letters were randomly assigned from a sequential roster of available call signs.

After a series of test transmissions, WDAL made its formal debut on May 23.[3]

WDAL was deleted on December 22, 1923.[4] However, in October 1925 the newspaper received authorization to temporarily revive the station, in order to broadcast World Series results.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ "Amendments to Regulations", Radio Service Bulletin, January 3, 1922, page 10.
  2. ^ "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, June 1, 1922, page 3. Limited Commercial license, serial #409, issued to the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Florida for a three month term.
  3. ^ "WDAL is the Official Call of the Florida Times-Union Radio Broadcasting Station", as reprinted in "1922: Radio Comes To Florida" (Chapter 3), Towers in the Sand: The History of Florida Broadcasting by Donn R. Colee Jr., 2016.
  4. ^ "Strike out all particulars", Radio Service Bulletin, January 1, 1924, page 7.
  5. ^ "Associated Press to Broadcast Games", Editor & Publisher, October 3, 1925, page 67.
  6. ^ "Radio to Play Important Part in Big Series", Tampa Times, October 2, 1925, page 14-A.