Despite heady competition from Miami and Jacksonville, Tampa Bay’s WDAE-AM became Florida’s first licensed radio station, signing on May 15, 1922, from the headquarters of its licensee, the Tampa Daily Times.
Because radio was so new, still much the purview of experimenters and hobbyists, the newspaper took it upon itself to educate its readers on how to achieve the best listening results. An article published in the Tampa Daily Times two days later, headlined “How to Make Radio Plant for Indoors,” said that an outdoor antenna was preferable, but where impractical, an indoor “loop” would suffice. “The loop aerial is made up of several turns of wire wrapped on a square frame, both ends being connected to the receiving instruments.”
Listeners of the broadcast tests the first few days were generally thrilled, but some were critical: “Your test came fine last night with the exception of heavy static. Also voice sounds like operator was too close to the microphone and talked too fast.” Broadcast reports were received from Winter Park, Key West, “and points to the north.”
Read more about historic WDAE and subsequent Florida radio and television stations and the people who made them great in Towers in the Sand: The History of Florida Broadcast. Now on sale at 50% of the cover price – just $14.99 plus tax with free shipping—personally signed by the author. Click here
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Florida’s first radio station, WDAE-AM in Tampa, made the most of the day’s technology (or showmanship!) with this “radio car.” (Reproduced by permission from State Archives of Florida, Burgert Brothers photographer)