Prewar television stations


This is a list of pre-World War 2 television stations of the 1920s and 1930s. Most of these experimental stations were located in Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States. Some present-day broadcasters trace their origins to these early stations.
All television licenses in the United States were officially "experimental" before July 1941, as the NTSC television standard had yet to be developed, and some American television broadcasters continued operating under experimental licenses as late as 1947, although by then they were using the same technical standards as their commercial brethren.

List

Television
Call sign
Television
Call sign
Television frequency*Television channel
City/locationOn airOwner Original broadcast systemCurrent broadcast system
Baird Television Ltd. via BBC transmitter 2LO831 kHzLondon, England, United KingdomSeptember 30, 1922– June 1932Mechanical television 30 lines/25 frame/s
W2XB WRGB2.15 MHz6Schenectady, New York/Albany, New York, USAMay 10, 1928General Electric Co.Mechanical television 24 lines/21 frame/sNTSC-M from 1942–2009; now ATSC digital.
W1XAY 3.5 MHzLexington, Massachusetts, USAJune 14, 1928–March 1930The Boston PostMechanical television 48 lines/18 frame/s
W3XK1.605 MHz & 6.42 MHz,
later 2.00–2.10 MHz		Wheaton, Maryland/Washington, D.C., USAJuly 2, 1928–1932Charles Jenkins LaboratoriesMechanical television 48 lines
W2XAL New York City, USAAugust 13, 1928–1929Mechanical television 48 lines
W1WX
2120 kHzBoston, Massachusetts, USASpring 1929–1931Mechanical television 48 & 60 lines/15 frame/s
W2XBSWNBC2.75–2.85 MHzFormerly Channel 1;
moved to VHF Channel 4 from 1946–2009 ;
allocated to digital channel 28 from 1999–2018;
moved to channel share with WNJU on channel 36 from 2018–present		New York City, USA1929–1932, 1936–presentNational Broadcasting CompanyMechanical television 60 lines/20 frame/s1941–2009, NTSC-M; now ATSC digital
3UZ. Experiments carried out on the radio station after it had officially closed down for the night.930 kHzMelbourne, Victoria, Australia1929Mechanical television
3DB. Experiments carried out on the radio station after it had officially closed down for the night.1180 kHzMelbourne, Victoria, Australia1929Mechanical television
W9XAPWNBQ-TV
now WMAQ-TV		VHF Channel 5Chicago, Illinois, USAAugust 27, 1930–August 1933. 1948-present.National Broadcasting CompanyMechanical television1948–2009 NTSC-M; now ATSC digital
VE9EC41 MHzMontreal, Quebec, Canada1931–1935La Presse and CKAC radioMechanical television 60–150 lines
W6XAOKCBS-TVFormerly on Channel 1, now VHF Channel 2Los Angeles, USAJune 1931– 1933, 1937– 1948 as experimental Don Lee station; May 6, 1948–presentDon LeeMechanical television, film only, 80 lines/20 frame/s1948–2009, NTSC-M; now ATSC digital
Amateur radio station 4CM136 metresBrisbane, Queensland, Australia1934Dr Val McDowallEarly experiments with electronic television
W6XYZKTLA-TVFormerly on Channel 4, now VHF Channel 5Los Angeles, USAJune 1942– 1946 experimental, Jan. 22, 1947– presentParamount1947–2009, NTSC-M, now ATSC digital
W2XABWCBS-TV2.1–2.2 MHzNow VHF Channel 2New York City, USAJuly 31, 1931– February 1933,
1939–present		Columbia Broadcasting SystemMechanical television 60 lines/20 frame/s1941–2009, NTSC-M, now ATSC digital
W2XWVWNYWChannel 4, Channel 5 New York City, USA1938– presentAllen B. DuMontUnknown1944–2009 NTSC-M, now ATSC digital
W3XEWPTZ –VHF Channel 3Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA1932–presentPhilco CorporationMechanical television1941–2009, NTSC-M, now ATSC digital
W9XBKWBKB Formerly on Channel 4, then on VHF Channel 2, Now on VHF Channel 12Chicago, Illinois, USA1940–presentBalaban & Katz1944–2009, NTSC-M, now ATSC digital
W9XZVLater KS2XBS VHF Channel 1Chicago, Illinois, USA1939–1953
2LO BBC One831 kHzUHF London, United KingdomAugust 22, 1932– September 11, 1935Mechanical television 30 lines/12.5 frame/sNow DVB
BBC Television Service BBC One45 MHzUHF London, United KingdomNovember 1936– September 3, 1939, June 7, 1946 – presentMechanical television 240 lines and electronic television 405 line /25 frame/sNow DVB
EIAR – Stazione sperimentale radiovisione di Monte MarioRAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana40.54 MHz, 44.12 MHz VHF and UHF Rome, ItalyJuly 22, 1939– May 10, 1940Electronic television 441 lines / 21 to 42 frame/s.Now DVB
EIAR – Stazione sperimentale radiovisione Torre Littoria 40.50 MHz, 44.00 MHz Milan, ItalyApril 12–28, 1940Electronic television 441 lines / 21 to 42 frame/s.
Radiovision PTT later Paris Television then RTF TF137 MHz later 42–46 MHz UHF Channels 21–69 Paris, FranceNovember 1935 – 1937 later 1938–1939 then 1943–1956 Mechanical television 60 then 180 line later electronic television 455 then 441 line/25 frame/sNow DVB
Fernsehsender Paul NipkowBerlin/Potsdam, Germany1935–1944 Electronic television 180 lines/25 frame/s/50 fields/sec
Moscow test broadcasting station МТЦ LW bandMoscow, USSR, now Russia1931–1941Mechanical television
USSR TV Первый канал49.75 MHz 56.25 MHz TV channels:R1 Moscow, USSR, now Russia1938–1941, 1945-1949Electronic televisionNow SECAM, PAL also DVB
Doświadczalna Stacja TelewizyjnaTelewizja PolskaTVP channels: TVP1, TVP2, etc.Warszawa, Poland1935–1939 Mechanical televisionNow PAL and DVB
Television
Call sign
Television
Call sign
Television frequencyTelevision channel
City/locationOn airOwner Original broadcast systemCurrent broadcast system