Company History

"This is W9XA, operating on 26,450 kilocycles. We are located  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in   the  United States of America.   Reports  of  reception   from  outside  the continental  limits  of  the   United States  will  be appreciated." . . . "The time is now 12:10 
by the Noon Hour Clock from KCKN, in Kansas City, Kansas."

      The above broadcast was made December 28^th, 1938. W9XA was the first experimental FM radio station in the mid-west. W9XA was licensed to Commercial Radio Equipment Company, which later changed it's name to Commercial Radio Monitoring Company.

      Commercial Radio Equipment Company was established in 1932 by Everett L. Dillard, with locations in Washington DC, Hollywood California and Kansas City, Mo, . (Mr. Dillard passed away June 28th., 1988 in Titusville, Florida).
      Mr. Dillard  was known originally in the industry through his ownership of Radio Station WLBF-AM in Kansas City, Kansas, of which he constructed the original transmitter and applied for the original license in 1926.
      In 1932 Dillard sold his station (which later became KCKN-AM on 1310 kHz), and founded a new company, Commercial Radio Equipment Company, located at 216 E. 74th. street in Kansas City, Mo. Along with providing precision frequency measuring services, CREC manufactured quartz radio crystals, provided Allocational Engineering, transmitting equipment and services to radio and TV stations.
          In 1937 Dillard established the experimental high-frequency station W9XA-FM and moved operations to 7134-36 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri. His work in high-frequency broadcast contributed to the adoption of FM as the standard modulation for commercial high-frequency broadcasting. A flyer sent to all of our customers at the time stated "On May 28th, 1938, Commercial Radio Equipment Company coincidental with the FCC, Granted W9XA, our High Frequency Broadcast Station an increase to 1000 watts on a clear channel of 26,450 kilocycles" W9XA was the first experimental FM radio station granted a license in the Midwest (NOTE: according to our records, we were the first such station in the world, but the FCC no longer has the records of this time frame, and I can not verify this fact).
      At the time it was considered to be a "ultra-high frequency broadcast station". The license was granted by the FCC for the purpose of exploring channels in the range from 25 - 27 and 41 - 44 megacycles to determine their coverage possibilities for regular broadcast service.
      On December 22, 1938 Radio Station KCKN started simulcast on W9XA. During this  time W9XA received mail from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America, the British Isles, Mexico, Canada, British West Indies, and many other distant places with comments about it's reception in these remote location. Continued here . .