Harry Hayman was an electronics engineer and had worked at the FCC prior to being granted a Construction Permit on November 12th, 1953 to build and operate a new Morningside, Maryland AM broadcasting station at 1580 kHz.

Glenn Miller, grandson of Harry Hayman writes:

I am pleased to report that Harry Hayman is retired and living in Boca Raton, Florida. He is 87 years old, has 4 children and 8 grandchildren (I am his second grandchild).

Harry Hayman writes:

I rented the original land from Duval B. Evans for the station and tower. He owned a convenient piece of property and he was willing to rent it to me.

I didn't have enough capital to run the station for the length of time that it would have taken me to get profitable. Maxwell Richmond contacted me to take him as a partner. Which I did. But he wasn't a very pleasant person and my wife and I didn't get along with him very well. He made an offer to me for full ownership and I sold out to him.

I then returned to work at the Census Bureau on Univac One. From there I went to work at the Navy. From there I went to work at NASA on the Apollo project. When the Apollo Project was ending, I took early retirement from Federal Civil Service. Then I took a position as Executive Director of the IEEE Computer Society for thirteen years.

And here I am now retired in Florida.

 

The FCC assigned 250 watt daytime only operation to the station on 1580 kilocycles. Estimated construction cost $9,420; first year operating costs $28,140; anticipated first year advertising revenue $31,200. The call letters WPGC, representing Prince Georges County were issued late in the year.

The tower for WPGC-AM was erected in April 1954 and broadcasts began in mid-May from a garage in Morningside on a hill on the farm of Duval B. Evans on Walters Lane off Suitland Road. Harry Hayman was President & General Manager of the new independent station which aired 'Hillbilly Music' for 25% of its broadcast day. On September 15th, 1954, WPGC - AM's power was increased to 1,000 watts (250 watts Critical Hours).

Within 6 months of its on air debut, Maxwell Evans Richmond, (President & sole owner of WPGC, Inc.) purchased WPGC-AM from Harry Hayman for $10,000 on November 10th, 1954.

 

 

Miscellaneous Audio

2/29/04

Ed Walker on: Ralph Tabiken & Harry Hayman - 1:12

 

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