W3XE Test Pattern
circa 1932-33

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Beginning on Tuesday, June 28, 1932, Philco began operating an experimental television station in Philadelphia. The initial call letters were W3XE. For a brief time, these call letters were also used in Pittsburgh by Philco engineers. The exact reason is not clear. In 1941, the station went commercial taking the call lettersWPTZ and operating on Channel 3 in Philadelphia. It later became KYW-TV in 1965.

This is the test pattern that W3XE used during the thirties. We know it dates from the 1932 - 1933 era of the station's operation. It is possible that it was the station's first test pattern.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photo courtesy of Norman Gagnon's website, GGN Information Systems
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The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com