KFPJ's intended transmitting wavelength of 246 meters corresponds to 1220 kilohertz.
Evening (South Dakota) Huronite, March 21, 1924, page 1:
ELECTION RETURNS BE BROADCASTED BY RADIO FROM HURON
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New and Novel Method Will Be Tried Out in Gathering Returns and
Getting Them Out Over State.
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WILL HAVE HALL HERE
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Returns Will Be Compiled and Placed on Blackboard at Legion Hall.
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An entirely new method of gathering election returns and broadcasting them over the entire state so that persons sitting in their own homes will be kept in touch with the counting of the votes every hour Tuesday night, is being worked out here.
The Evening Huronite and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader with the cooperation of Merle F. Buck, radio operator at station 9-CGA at Huron, the broadcasting stations at State college, Columbus college, University of South Dakota, School of Mines, broadcasting stations at Yankton, Pierre and Platte, amateur A. R. R. L. stations over the state, the Huron Chamber of Commerce and the Coolidge, Johnson, Sterling and McMaster political headquarters, are planning to concentrate the election returns from all over the state, using the radio where possible and otherwise telephone and telegraph.
The returns gathered from all sources will be compiled at the Chamber of Commerce rooms and will be broadcasted from Huron by Mr. Buck promptly on every hour, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 o'clock Tuesday night. The other radio broadcasting stations are being asked to cooperate and rebroadcast by radiophone, so that every person in the state with a radio receiver set can get the returns from a source wholly unbiased as rapidly as they can be compiled.
A special broadcasting license has been applied for to enable station 9-CGA to broadcast before 10:30. This station is now "talking up" this work with other stations, letters have been sent to the active operators, and many of them have assured the movement their hearty and complete support. There is every indication that the proposition will go through, and that every section of the state will have first hand information as rapidly as the data can be gathered.
To take care of the local fans, the American Legion hall has been secured, and a large blackboard with the names of all counties, columns for the several candidates, and the total number of precincts from each county is being arranged for. As rapidly as the returns are received they will be placed on this board so that all interested can get the returns first hand. In order to aid in defraying the expenses of gathering the returns, a "free will offering" will be taken up at the door of the hall during the evening. The expense will be heavy owing to the large number of telephone calls and the telegrams that will be necessary in addition to the radio returns.
Further information as to what wave length will be used in sending and broadcasting the returns, will be announced later. Any stations not already communicated with, that will help out in this work are asked to communicate with Box 345, Huron, S. D.
Evening (South Dakota) Huronite, March 22, 1924, page 1:
ALL BROADCASTING STATION TO HELP ELECTION NIGHT
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Huron Will Be Center of Attraction Tuesday Night in Furnishing Returns to All Having Receiving Sets.
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ARE ALL ENTHUSIASTIC
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Operators Say It Will Be Big Thing to Put Over--Buck Gets His Permit.
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Every owner of a radio receiving set can get the latest compilation of figures on the election returns Tuesday night without leaving the comforts of his home, through the co-operation of all broadcasting stations in South Dakota with the various political headquarters in the state working in conjunction with The Evening Huronite and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, the returns will be compiled at Huron and will be broadcasted from here, all other broadcasting stations in the state picking up the returns and re-broadcasting them for the benefit of those with receiving sets in their localities.
Merle Buck of Huron, city manager of the American Radio Relay league, has received a special permit to broadcast returns from Huron Tuesday night. His call will be KFPJ. He will work with amateurs in gathering in returns after 1030 p. m., on 200 meters, and will work with the broadcasters of the state in compiling returns and in broadcasting the results all through the night on 246 meters. Returns will be received principally in code, but will be broadcasted by radiophone.
Word received today from all broadcasting stations in the state are to the effect that they will cooperate in every way possible, and will pick up the returns broadcasted from here on the even hours of 9, 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 o'clock, and will broadcast from their several stations.
Broadcasting Stations
For the convenience of amateurs with receiving sets who wish to get the returns, and so that they will know about where to tune in for them, the following are the cooperating stations, their calls and the meter they, will use:
Huron, Merle Buck, call KFPJ, 246 meters.
Brookings, State college, KFDY, 360 meters.
Sioux Falls, Columbus college, WFAT, 256 meters.
Vermillion, state university, WEAJ, 283 meters.
Yankton, Yankton Radio Appliance company, WNAX, 244 meters.
Rapid City, School of Mines, WCAT, 240 meters.
Pierre, D. McNeil, 9-CLS, 207 meters.
The station at Platte is torn down and will not be in commission.
Total figures will not be given in the early returns, just the total number of precincts heard from, number of counties and the majorities. In the late returns the total figures for each candidate may be given.
This is an entirely new venture for radiophone, in this section of the country at least, and its success will depend on the co-operation secured from all stations, amateur as well as broadcasting.
Local Arrangements
Special telephone and telegraph connections will be installed in the Huron Chamber of Commerce rooms where the returns will be gathered and compiled. The Argus Leader will have its special leased wire there, and a special telephone connection will be put in to the A. E. Buck home for handling the radio returns.
For the convenience of the local fans, four large blackboards will be hung on the east wall of Legion hall, these showing the counties of the state arranged in congressional districts, with columns for each of the candidates. As rapidly as the returns come in, they will be posted on these boards, so that all available information will be readily accessible, and comparisons can be made.
In order to help defray the expenses, a collection box will be convenient to the door to unable those who want to contribute to the cause to do so.
Evening (South Dakota) Huronite, March 24, 1924, page 1:
LEGION HALL BE HEADQUARTERS ELECTION NIGHT
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State Organized to Bring in Returns to Huron by Radio Telephone and Telegraph Tomorrow Night.
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For the first time in several years Huron fans will have a chance to get election returns from all over the state Tuesday night in a manner that will be of real service to them.
The returns as rapidly as they come in by telephone, telegraph and radio, will be posted on large blackboards in Legion hall, where all who are interested can get them through the courtesy of the Evening Huronite, co-operating with the Argus Leader, the Chamber of Commerce, the Sterling, Hiram Johnson, McMaster, Coolidge and Democratic headquarters.
Merle Buck, who is handling the radio returns, was busy yesterday getting his station tuned up to 246 meters on which he will broadcast the returns over the state at 9, 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 o'clock. He talked with most of the amateurs and all the broadcasting stations yesterday, and reports that all are anxious to cooperate and enthusiastic over the proposition of helping to gather and send in the returns.
The Argus Leader is putting in a special wire at the headquarters to handle the returns, both incoming and outgoing.
Every thing is all set, and all are invited to make use of Legion hall and get the returns. Contributions to help take care of the expenses will be taken up at the hall.
It is requested that no one call up and ask for the returns, as the telephones will be kept busy all night gathering in returns from points not covered by the radio.
Evening (South Dakota) Huronite, March 26, 1924, page 2:
BREAKDOWN OF RADIO SPOILS BROADCASTING
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A breakdown at Merle Buck's radio station here caused a rather embarrassing situation last night in connection with the endeavor to broadcast returns of the election over the state.
Just before the first broadcasting period was reached, his microphone went out of commission, and it was a new one just secured for the occasion. It was necessary to telephone the returns to Pierre and have them broadcasted by Conductor D. McNeil there, and it is possible that many with receiving sets did not get them as he was broadcasting on a 207 meter wave length while Buck's meter was 246. However, the party was a success for those who thronged the Legion Hall, the large blackboards giving everybody a chance, to get in the returns.
The practicability of using radio for returns was proven by the results obtained during the evening, however, and The Huronite is already making arrangements for handling the general election this fall.