WHA (970 AM) is one of the oldest radio stations in the United States, currently the flagship of Wisconsin Public Radio's talk-based Ideas Network. A historical marker outside the station's studios at the University of Wisconsin-Madison calls it the country's oldest, although some dispute this particularly since it is difficult for historians to agree on what exactly constituted a "broadcast" in the early days of radio. The best competitor against the station for this title is likely Charles Herrold's series of transmitters, which eventually became KCBS. Mediumwave radio transmissions (sometimes called Medium frequency or MF) are those between the frequencies of 300 kHz and 3000 kHz. ... A radio station is a site configured for broadcasting sound. ... A flagship is the ship used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships. ... Wisconsin Public Radio is a network of radio stations in the state of Wisconsin devoted to public radio programming. ... Plaque on Bascom Hall, UW-Madison. ... KCBS is an AM radio station in San Francisco, California, broadcasting at 740 kHz. ...

The name is also used for WHA-TV channel 20 (21 digital), flagship of the Wisconsin Public Television network. Digital television (DTV) uses digital modulation and compression to broadcast video, audio and data signals to television sets. ...

Experiments with spark gap transmitters stretch back to 1900. Professor Edward Bennett started using the call sign 9XM in 1914, and transferred it to the University of Wisconsin's. A year later, the call sign was transferred to the University of Wisconsin and used for many experiments in the physics department. Professor Earle M. Terry managed many of these tests, and he eventually decided that the station should start making regular weather broadcasts. From December 4, 1916 onward, the station transmitted regular reports in Morse code. The spark gap transmitter was the first practical way to send radio signals. ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... A professor is a senior teacher and researcher, usually in a college or university. ... In radio (including television), a callsign or call sign (also call letters) is a unique designation for amateur, broadcast, and sometimes military radio use, as well as for broadcast television. ... 1914 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The willingness to question previously held truths and search for new answers resulted in a period of major scientific advancements, now known as the Scientific Revolution. ... Composite satellite image showing the progress of a hurricane weather system approaching the east coast of America Weather comprises all the various phenomena that occur in the atmosphere of a planet. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... Morse code is a system of representing letters, numbers and punctuation marks by means of a code signal sent intermittently. ...

While most early radio stations in the United States were shut down when the country entered World War I, WHA's early transmissions were considered important enough to continue. It was apparently shut down for a brief period of time, but spent much of the war broadcasting weather information to ships sailing on the Great Lakes. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Italian barque Amerigo Vespucci in New York harbor, 1976. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ...

Voice broadcasts took some time to work out, as there were some significant fidelity problems. Terry hosted a party at his home in 1917 to listen to the first scheduled audio broadcast, although few of the guests understood the implications of being able to listen to a piece of music that could just as easily be placed in a nearby record player. The fidelity issues were worked out by February 1919 when a transmission was made for the U.S. Navy. 1917 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

Regularly-scheduled audio broadcasts began a year later in February 1920. A six day per week schedule began on January 3, 1921. The station received its WHA call sign on January 13, 1922. 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... In radio (including television), a callsign or call sign (also call letters) is a unique designation for amateur, broadcast, and sometimes military radio use, as well as for broadcast television. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

References

• Jeff Miller (editor). A Chronology of AM Radio Broadcasting 1900-1960. (http://members.aol.com/jeff560/chrono1.html)
• Randall Davidson. 9XM Talking: The Early History of WHA Radio. (http://www.portalwisconsin.org/9xm.cfm) PortalWisconsin.org