Wfir

WFIR is the second-oldest radio station in Virginia and one of the oldest commercial radio stations in the country. The station you listen to now for Roanoke Valley news, weather, and talk shows began long ago as the radio hobby of Mr. Frank E. Maddox. Maddox built and operated amateur station "3BIY" until his employer, the Richardson- Wayland Electrical Corporation, convinced him in 1924 to build a commercial station. Richardson-Wayland sold radios and parts, and management knew they could sell more radios if people simply had something to listen to. Roanokers could hear nothing at all during the day and could pick up only sporadic signals at night. A Richardson-Wayland store front in the 1920s. The original transmitter broadcast from a few doors down at 106 Church Street. Close scrutiny of this photo suggests it is the original transmitter built by Frank Maddox in 1924. The map to the left represents confirmed reports of WDBJ reception, all limited to the Eastern U.S. The 5' x 4' transmitter for Roanoke's new 20 watt blowtorch (many modern stations broadcast at 50,000 watts!) went in the back of Richardson-Wayland's shop at 106 West Church Avenue next to the current Texas Tavern. Mr. Richardson converted his office into an impromptu studio. Thus was born the radio station initially known as WDBJ. The first musician to go on the air on WDBJ's assigned frequency at 1310 AM was Raymond Jordan. On June 20, 1924, a banjo player accompanied Jordan on the fiddle for several selections:"Soldier's Joy," "Turkey in the Straw," and "Darling Nellie Gray. Seven miles away, near present-day Lewis-Gale Clinic, a group of the station's promoters gathered in the parlor of S. H. McVitty. McVitty owned one of the few factory-built receiving sets in the area and the broadcast reportedly came in loud and clear! A 15-year-old Vinton High School dropout by the name of Hayden Huddleston assisted Maddox in those early days. Huddleston, the "Red-Headed Announcer," eventually became Roanoke's first radio and TV superstar. He worked in broadcasting for 60 years, including as host of The Hayden Huddleston Show and Klub Kwiz. The latter aired for an amazing 19 years and is perhaps Roanoke's most successful show. Most anyone else who heard WDBJ in these heady days listened on homemade radios that Maddox and Huddleston built themselves.