Re: WTIC (AM) anniversary broadcast

["David W. Harris" <dwh@totalnetnh.net>]

There has been some discussion here regarding the suitability of WTIC's
transmitter site.  The New York Times had a number of items about the
move to Avon Mountain in 1928 and 1929.  I had a chance to check out 3
of the articles during lunch today.  Apparently a lot of thought went
into the 60-acre site and this article appearing 12/2/28 (section 11,
page 21) indicates there was some concern about the amount of
interference the recently authorized 50 kw transmitter might cause:

"The site is approximately 700 feet above sea level, and is about eleven
and one-half miles by road, or nine miles air line, from the centre of
Hartford.  It is expected that the location and nature of its terrain
will enable listeners in Hartford and further east to tune in other
stations than WTIC after the transmission plant is put into place.  More
than ninety pieces of land have been examined in the last nine months in
the search for a suitable location for WTIC's plant.  Many tests have
been made to insure the best possible surroundings for the transmission
of high power.  Building plans have been drawn, all equipment is
ordered, and actual work on buildings is under way.  WTIC's present
installation probably will be kept intact for emergency."

Then there's this from 9/1/29 (section 9, page 15):

"Station WITC's [sic] new transmitting plant atop Avon Mountain, west of
Hartford, Conn., is now operating on the 1,060-kilocycle channel,
equivalent to 283 meters.  WITC divides time with WBAL, Baltimore.  The
new outfit is capable of using fifty kilowatts, but only five kilowatts
on the air will be sanctioned by the Federal Radio Commission.  The
studio is in the Travelers Building at Hartford.  The antenna towers,
which rise 200 feet, are erected on porcelain insulators.  The tuning
house, midway between the two towers, is grounded to a large copper
plate buried in the earth.  From the plate thirty-six copper wires
radiate for a distance of 200 feet, thus perfecting a system designed to
prevent any appreciable loss of energy in the broadcast of programs."

On 9/8/29 (section 10, page 14) the Times gave bewildering details of
the shared time arrangement with WBAL.  If I read it correctly, WTIC got
to use 1060 for 24-hour periods starting at 7 p.m. ET on Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays:

"This will give each station three nights a week, but both will have a
couple hours for early evening broadcasts on other nights, both stations
being on the air every evening either before or after 7 o'clock."  The
article also says WTIC's "new 50,000-watt transmitter, said to be the
finest and most powerful in New England, is all ready to begin."