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KDKA's roots began with the efforts of Frank Conrad who operated KDKA's predecessor 75 watt 8XK from Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania from 1916. Although 8XK is widely believed to have been the first US radio station to conduct regularly scheduled broadcasts, the issue is disputed (with SJN, 6XF, 6XE, 2XG, 1XE, 2XN, and 2ZK being among the other contenders). Conrad's musical offerings proved unexpectedly popular and his operations continued until his employer, the Westinghouse Electric Company, realized the potential of this new medium and applied for an official broadcasting license in 1920. The KDKA callsign was assigned sequentially from a list maintained for the use of US-registry maritime stations, and on November 2, 1920, KDKA broadcast the US presidential election returns from a Westinghouse building in East Pittsburgh.
KDKA became a full-service radio broadcaster, carrying music, news, and sports, a format that continued until 1990.
Today, KDKA is a news and talk radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours per day with 50,000 watts using a non-directional antenna, both day and night. Its transmitter is located in Allison Park, Pennsylvania .