| RSB Issue January, 1915 (No. 1) |
RADIO SERVICE PERSONNEL. R. E. Thornson, radio inspector at Seattle, resigned January 1, 1915, and R. H. Marriott, one of the radio inspectors at New York, has been transferred to Seattle. W. O. Hensgen, one of the radio inspectors at New York, resigned January 1, 1915, and C. C. Kolster, assistant radio inspector, has been detailed to New York. AMATEUR FINED. A. W. Eaton, of Los Angeles, Cal., who operated his amateur station without a license, was reported by the radio inspector of that district, and was found guilty and fined on November 24, 1914, by Judge Wellborn, of the United States district court. This case is interesting because the defendant contended that his station did not require a license, inasmuch as he could not interfere with commercial stations in the vicinity or transmit beyond the limits of the State in which his station was located. His conviction was obtained on the ground that he could interfere with the interception of signals from outside that State by licensed amateurs, and establishes a precedent in this regard. |
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March, 1915 (No. 3) |
RADIO SERVICE PERSONNEL. Changes March 1, 1915: The headquarters of L. R. Krumm, chief radio inspector, have been transferred to New York. W. D. Terrell, radio inspector in charge at New York, has been transferred to the radio division of the Bureau of Navigation at Washington. V. Ford Greaves, radio engineer of the Bureau of Navigation, has been transferred to the radio field service at large and will make a tour of the various radio districts. THE OHIO FLOOD. During the recent flood in the Ohio Valley, the Secretary of Commerce detailed J. F. Dillon, radio inspector in charge at Cleveland, to supervise the operation of commercial and amateur radio stations in the district and to cooperate with the authorities to expedite the exchange of messages relative to life and property. Fortunately the flood did not reach the proportions of the flood of two years ago, and land-line communication was not interrupted. However, Mr. Dillon arranged with the owners of several powerful amateur stations in the flood district to transmit messages if necessary. Before leaving the district Mr. Dillon inspected many stations with a view to organizing a chain of stations, so that communication can be maintained in the event of a recurrence of the conditions which prevailed during the flood of 1913. Several special amateur station licenses have been granted upon his recommendations. FALSE CALL LETTERS. Recently a list of amateur radio stations, published by private parties, came to the attention of the Bureau, and it was observed that several of the call letters of the stations were irregular and probably in some cases constitute violations of the law. Receiving stations and sending stations which are not required to be licensed under the law should use two-letter or other unofficial signals. All three-letter combinations and the numbers 1 to 9, followed by two or three letters, are official and can only be used by the stations to which they are assigned by the proper Government authority. Any station using an official call letter or call signal other than that properly assigned may be prosecuted for a violation of section 7 of the act of August 13, 1912. SPECIAL AMATEUR STATION LICENSES. The organization of a chain of stations in the Ohio flood district and the organization of the American Radio Relay League has caused an influx of applications for special amateur station licenses. The attention of all concerned is invited to the Laws and Regulations, edition of July 27, 1914, page 55, paragraphs 63 and 64. Applications will not be considered by the Department if these requirements are not complied with. The Bureau is satisfied that the American Radio Relay League is organized with a view to complying with the Laws and Regulations in all particulars, and radio inspectors in submitting their recommendations to the Department as to the issue of special amateur station licenses will give due consideration to an indorsement on an application by the proper officers of the league. If all the requirements of the Laws and Regulations are complied with, the Bureau will approve a limited number of special amateur inland station licenses for members of the league, authorizing the use of a wave length of 425 meters [706 kilohertz]. Very few, if any, special amateur station licenses will be approved for stations along the coast or in localities where the operation of such stations may interfere with maritime, Government, or commercial radio communication. All holders of special amateur station licenses or applicants therefor are warned that such licenses may be suspended or revoked if interference is caused by the working of the stations or if any of the Laws and Regulations are violated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
April, 1915 (No. 4) |
SPECIAL SERVICE. The attention of owners and operators of commercial radio stations is invited to the Laws and Regulations, page 54, paragraphs 49 and 50. General public service may be defined as paid business between coast and ship or ship and ship stations, on the wave lengths of 300, 600, or 1,800 meters, [1000, 500 or 167 kilohertz] conducted at a speed of not less than 20 words per minute. All special service, such as limited public service or other point-to-point communication, and all press items, must be conducted on some authorized wave length, not interfering with general public service. STATION LICENSES. Applications for station licenses (Form 761) must be submitted in the name of the person, company, or corporation controlling and operating the radio station and responsible under the law for the operation and for the radio accounts. The applications must be signed by the applicant or by an officer of the company or corporation. TRANSMISSION OF TIME SIGNALS BY NAVAL RADIO STATIONS. The transmission of time signals to vessels at sea by means of radiotelegraphy was first accomplished in the United States in 1905, and this service, enlarged and extended, has continued to the present time. This service is of the greatest value to mariners, as it furnishes a means by which the time, as given by the transmitted signals, may be compared with a ship's chronometer and the error of the chronometer found. Similar comparisons over a number of days enable data to be obtained by which not only the error may be found, but also the chronometer rate; that is, the rate at which it is gaining or losing. The noontime signals on the Atlantic coast are sent out through the coast radio stations by connection with Western Union telegraph lines from the United States Naval Observatory at Washington, D. C. By the operation of proper relays in electrical circuits, the beats of the seconds of a standard clock in the observatory are sent out broadcast as a series of radio dots, commencing five minutes before the time of the final signal. By omitting certain dots in a series, the comparison between the dots and the beats of the chronometer seconds can be checked until the instant of local noon (seventy-fifth meridian time) is reached. This is marked by a longer dot, which gives the time of exact noon. A comparison with the chronometer time at that instant gives its error referred to the seventy-fifth meridian time. Applying the difference in longitude, namely, five hours, between the seventy-fifth meridian and Greenwich, which is the standard meridian (or 0o longitude), the error of the chronometer referred to Greenwich time is determined. Time signals are now sent out on the Atlantic coast only through the radio stations at Arlington, Key West, and New Orleans. Signals from Arlington, which reach a zone formerly served by other coast stations, are sent out every day in the year twice a day, viz, at noon and 10 p. m., seventy-fifth meridian time. Time signals from Key West and New Orleans are sent out daily, including Sundays and holidays, commencing at 11.55 a. m., seventy-fifth meridian time, and ending at local noon. In case of failure of the Arlington high-power station, the signals are sent out by the small set in the same station, and the stations at Boston, Newport, Norfolk, and Charleston are notified, and they each send the signals broadcast. On the Pacific coast the time signals are sent broadcast to sea through the naval radio stations at Mare Island, Eureka, and San Diego, Cal., and at North Head, Wash. The controlling clock for each station is in the naval observatory at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Signals from Mare Island are sent out every day from 11.55 to noon, and from 9.55 to 10 p. m., one hundred and twentieth meridian standard time. Those from North Head, Eureka, and San Diego are sent out daily, excluding Sundays and holidays, from 11.55 to noon, one hundred and twentieth meridian standard time. To get the maximum clearness of signals, the receiving circuit should be tuned to that of the sending station. Arlington and Mare Island send on a 2,500-meter wave length [120 kilohertz], North Head and San Diego on a 2,000-meter wave length [150 kilohertz], Eureka on a 1,400-meter wave length [214 kilohertz], and Key West and New Orleans on a 1,000-meter wave length [300 kilohertz]. On the completion of the new radio station at the training station, Great Lakes, time signals will be transmitted from that station for the benefit of shipping on the Great Lakes, as well as the weather reports for that region, now transmitted by Arlington after the Atlantic coast weather bulletin, following the 10 p. m. time signals. RENEWAL OF STATION AND OPERATOR LICENSES. Applicants for renewal of station and operator licenses must submit the originals of old licenses with application for renewal of same. Operators should be sure to have their service records on the backs of their licenses complete at all times, giving the time of service at all stations at which they are employed. OPERATOR'S LICENSE SUSPENDED. A commercial operator recently applied to the examining officer at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a renewal of his first-grade license and upon examination of his expired license it was found that the service record on the reverse side contained a fraudulent entry. The operator has been severely reprimanded by the Secretary of Commerce, through the examining officer at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and his license has been suspended for a period of three months. COMMERCIAL OPERATOR REPRIMANDED. The attention of all operators is invited to the Laws and Regulations, page 74, paragraph 210, regarding the use of profane or obscene words in radio communication. Several cases of violations of this regulation have been reported to the Bureau recently. An operator, reported by the radio inspector of the first district, for abbreviating messages in a reprehensible manner, was severely reprimanded by the Secretary of Commerce, and future violations may be subject to more drastic action. AMATEUR PENALIZED. An amateur of Portland, Me., was reported recently for operating a station in that city without a license. Judge Hale of the district court of Portland found the amateur guilty and imposed a fine. RATES. The rate of 42 cents per word for radiograms transmitted to vessels at sea, at a distance of 400 miles, authorized for the South Wellfleet station of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America, was made effective on November 12, 1914. The increase in ship rates from 2 cents to 4 cents per word and the coast rate from 3 cents to 6 cents per word, authorized for the Pacific stations of the Marconi Wireless Co. of America for the North and South American service, was made effective on February 1, 1915. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
May, 1915 (No. 5) |
TRANSMISSION OF WEATHER REPORTS BY NAVAL RADIO STATIONS. Through cooperation with local offices of the United States Weather Bureau, weather forecasts are sent broadcast to sea through naval coast radio stations at certain times, varying with the locality. Coast stations are generally prepared to give local forecasts to passing vessels without charge, on request. Storm warnings are sent whenever received and the daily weather bulletins are distributed by the naval radio stations at Arlington, Va., and Key West, Fla., a few minutes after the 10 p. m. time signal. These bulletins consist of two parts. The first part contains code letters and figures which express the actual weather conditions at 8 p. m., seventy-fifth meridian time, on the day of distribution, at certain points along the eastern coast of North America, one point along the Gulf of Mexico, and one at Bermuda. The second part of the bulletin contains a special forecast of the probable winds to be experienced a hundred miles or so off shore, made by the United States Weather Bureau, for distribution to shipmasters. The second part of the bulletin also contains warnings of severe storms along the coasts, as occasions for such warnings may arise. Immediately following this bulletin, a weather bulletin for certain points along the Great Lakes is sent broadcast by the naval radio station at Arlington, Va., consisting of two parts. The first part contains code letters and figures which express the actual weather conditions at 8 p. m., seventy-fifth meridian time, on the day of distribution, at certain points along the Lakes. The second part of the bulletin contains a special forecast of the probable winds to be experienced on the Lakes, during the season of navigation--about April 15 to December 10. The points for which weather reports are furnished are designated as follows: For Atlantic coast and Gulf points, S = Sydney, T = Nantucket, DB = Delaware Breakwater, H = Hatteras, C = Charleston, K = Key West, P = Pensacola, and B = Bermuda; for points on the Great Lakes, Du = Duluth, M = Marquette, U = Sault Ste. Marie, G = Green Bay, Ch = Chicago, L = Alpena, D = Detroit, V = Cleveland and F = Buffalo. All bulletins begin with the letters U. S. W. B. (United States Weather Bureau) and the weather conditions follow. The first three figures of a report represent the barometric pressure in inches (002 = 30.02); the next figure, the fourth in sequence, represents the direction of the wind to the eight points of the compass: 1 = north, 2 = northeast, 3 = east, 4 = southeast, 5 = south, 6 = southwest, 7 = west, 8 = northwest and 0 = calm. The fifth figure represents the force of the wind on the Beaufort Scale, given below.
In order to simplify the code, no provision has been made for wind force greater than 9, strong gale, on the Beaufort Scale. Whenever winds of force greater than 9 occur, the number representing them is given in words instead of figures, thus: Ten, eleven, etc. EXAMPLES OF CODE. U S W B S 96465 T 91674 DB 94686 H 99886 C 01214 K 02622 P 03613 B 00065 Translation.
U S W B Du 995826 M 97635 U 00443 G 96046 Ch 95667 L 00644 D 00842 V 01054 F 01656 Translation.
RADIO-SERVICE PERSONNEL. V. Ford Greaves, radio engineer of the Bureau, is making a tour of inspection of the Pacific-coast stations. Harry Sadenwater, of New York City, has been appointed as an assistant radio engineer in the office of the chief radio inspector at that port. George B. MacMahon, clerk in the New York office, has been granted six months' leave without pay, on account of ill health, and is now on the Pacific coast. CHANGE IN ARMY RATES. The following changes in ship and coast station rates of the United States Army Radio Service, approved by the Secretary of War, will become effective on July 1, 1915: The radio rate for stations of the United States Army Radio Service is six cents per word for shore stations and four cents per word for ship stations, ten-word minimum. The charge, where the radio service is performed wholly between Army ship and shore stations, is, therefore, ten cents per word, and between two Army ship stations, eight cents per word. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July, 1915 (No. 7) |
RADIO SERVICE PERSONNEL. Benjamin E. Wolf, radio inspector in charge of the Bureau's exhibit at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, has been placed in charge of the Seattle office and Ellery W. Stone, assistant radio inspector at San Francisco, has been detailed to the exposition as the Bureau's representative. William F. Macomber has been appointed as an assistant radio inspector at San Francisco. R. D. Duncan, jr., assistant radio inspector at New York, has been transferred to the Bureau of Standards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August, 1915 (No. 8) |
RADIO SERVICE PERSONNEL. Charles Blankenship, of Everett, Mass., formerly radio electrician on the coast-guard cutter Gresham, has been appointed as an assistant radio inspector in the service of the Bureau of Navigation at Chicago, Ill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December, 1915 (No. 12) |
LOS ANGELES AMATEURS REPORTED FOR VIOLATIONS. During a recent visit of V. Ford Greaves, radio engineer of the Bureau, and Ellery W. Stone, assistant radio inspector at San Francisco, the following Los Angeles amateur radio stations were found to be operating in violation of the radio act, and the cases have been referred to the United States district attorney for prosecution: Hadys Hancock, Venice Pier, Venice, Cal, was found to be using a wave length in excess of 200 meters; maximum penalty, $100. Richard White, 435 Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, Cal., operating an amateur station without a license and using improper call letters; maximum penalty, $100 fine and imprisonment for not more two months. Ernest Underwood, 903 Commercial Street., Inglewood, Cal., using a wave length in excess of 200 meters; maximum penalty, $100. George Vodra, 211 South Avenue, Los Angeles, Cal., using an amateur sending station without either station or operator's license; maximum penalty, $100 and imprisonment for not more than two months. Stuart Dalton, 121 East Twenty-third Street, Los Angeles, Cal., using a wave length exceeding 200 meters; penalty, $100. Harry Blodgett, 1953 Bonsallo Avenue, Los Angeles, Cal., using a transmitting station for some time without station or operator's license; maximum penalty, $100 fine and imprisonment for two months. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
January, 1916 (No. 13) |
LOS ANGELES AMATEURS REPRIMANDED AND PENALIZED. Upon a recent inspection trip made by V. Ford Greaves, radio engineer of the Bureau, and Ellery W. Stone, assistant radio inspector at San Francisco, a number of amateurs were reported for violation of the fifteenth regulation of the act of August 13, 1912, for using a wave length in excess of 200 meters, and the following action in these cases has been taken by the Secretary of Commerce: V. M. Bitz, 825 West Fifty-third Street, Los Angeles, Cal., licenses suspended. Mark B. Cosby, 356 Hobart Avenue, Los, Angeles, Cal., licenses suspended. Stuart Dalton, 121 East Twenty-third Street, Los Angeles, Cal., penalty remitted. Hadys Hancock, Venice Pier, Venice, Cal., fined. Freeman High, 726 West Twenty-seventh Street, Los Angeles, Cal., licenses suspended. Horace Kemper, 173½ Loma Drive, Los Angeles, Cal., fined. Alfred McLaren, 534 West Forty-ninth Street, Los Angeles, Cal., licenses suspended. Ernest Underwood, 903 Commercial Street, Inglewood, Cal., fined. John Bradley, 120 Julien Avenue, San Francisco, Cal., who was reported by the radio inspector at San Francisco for violation of sections 5 and 7 of the act of August 13, 1912, for the use of fraudulent call signals and interfering with the commercial traffic being handled by the Hillcrest station of the Marconi company and the steamship J. A. Chanslor, has been reprimanded by the Secretary of Commerce, and his licenses have been suspended. LOS ANGELES AMATEURS REPORTED FOR VIOLATIONS. In addition to the list of names given in Bulletin No. 12, the following amateurs were found to be operating stations without proper licenses in violation of the radio act, and the cases have been referred to the United States district attorney for prosecution: George Hawley, 1257 Cypress Avenue, Los Angeles, Cal. Jack Hyams, 119½ Spring Street, Los Angeles, Cal. Edmund Whiting, 1047 Mignonette Street, Los Angeles, Cal. The maximum penalty for the above violation is $500 fine and confiscation of the radio apparatus unlawfully used. RADIO-SERVICE PERSONNEL. Charles C. Kolster, assistant radio inspector at New York, N. Y., has been promoted to the position of radio inspector at New Orleans, La., to succeed Arthur R. Rice, who resigned on December 9, 1915. Harry Sadenwater, assistant radio inspector at New York, succeeds Mr. Kolster. Charles Blankenship, assistant radio inspector at Chicago, Ill., has been transferred to the office of the chief radio inspector, New York, N. Y. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March, 1916 (No. 15) |
CHANGES IN PERSONNEL. R. B. Woolverton, radio inspector at San Francisco, Cal., has resigned, effective March 1, 1916, and V. Ford Greaves, radio engineer, will take charge of the San Francisco district temporarily. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
April, 1916 (No. 16) |
AMATEUR OPERATORS' LICENSES SUSPENDED. The radio inspector, customhouse, Boston, Mass., has reported to the Bureau violations of the radio laws by amateurs in his district, resulting in the suspension of their license privilege by the Secretary of Commerce for periods of from one to three months: Two at New Haven, Conn., reported for operating a radio station without a license for the station and without having an operator's license; licenses suspended for one month and two months, respectively. One at Stoneham, Mass., reported for using profane and abusive language in transmitting messages; license suspended for three months. The operators mentioned above have been notified that should they be reported for other violations of the radio laws, such leniency may not be shown them by the department. AMATEUR PENALIZED. An amateur radio operator at Stamford, Conn., has been indicted in the United States District Court at New Haven, Conn., for violation of sections 1, 2, and 3 of the act of August 13, 1912, entitled "An act to regulate radio communication." The jury reported a verdict of guilty, charging the defendant with operating a radio station without a license for the station, and also without having an operator's license, and a penalty was imposed by Judge Thomas. |
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May, 1916 (No. 17) |
LOS ANGELES AMATEURS FINED FOR RADIO VIOLATIONS. On March 23, 1916, four amateurs, all residents of Los Angeles, Cal., appeared before Judge Oscar A. Trippet, of the United States District Court, and entered pleas of guilty to Federal indictments returned last December charging them with operating radio stations without first having obtained licenses from the Government. Fines were imposed by Judge Trippet and the offenders were admonished to be more cautious in future. The trial of two other amateurs, who pleaded not guilty, has been set for next July. The maximum penalty for the above violation is a fine of $100 and imprisonment for a period of two months. BOSTON AMATEUR PENALIZED. On April 19, 1916, the radio inspector at Boston, Mass., reported an amateur in his district for violation of sections 1, 3, and 7 of the act of August 13, 1912. The case was referred to the United States district attorney for prosecution. A verdict of guilty was rendered in the district court and a fine imposed. The maximum penalty for the above violation is a fine of $500 and confiscation of the apparatus unlawfully used. |
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December 1, 1916 (No. 24) |
RADIO SERVICE PERSONNEL. H. C. Gawler, who has been serving as captain in the Signal Corps, Massachusetts National Guard, on the Mexican border, has returned to his duties as radio inspector at Boston, Mass. Charles Blankenship, assistant radio inspector, who has been in charge of the first district during the absence of Radio Inspector H. C. Gawler, has been granted annual leave, at the expiration of which he will be assigned to the port of Norfolk, Va. Ellery W. Stone, assistant radio inspector at San Francisco, Cal., is making an extended inspection trip through southern California and points in New Mexico and Arizona. Otto R. Redfern, formerly manager of the Duluth (Minn.) station of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America, has been appointed an assistant radio inspector in the service of the Bureau at New York, N.Y. Joseph H. Hallock, of Underwood, Wash., has been appointed assistant radio inspector in the service of the Bureau and has been temporarily assigned to Norfolk, Va. Upon the assignment of Assistant Radio Inspector Blankenship to the port of Norfolk, Mr. Hallock will be assigned to duty in the fourth and fifth districts. The temporary appointment of H. D. Hayes as assistant radio inspector at San Francisco, Cal., has been extended for a period of three months. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 1, 1917 (No. 27) |
CLASSIFICATION OF SPECIAL STATIONS. There seems to be some misunderstanding concerning the classification of special stations, as provided in the Laws and Regulations, edition of July 27, 1914, pages 55 and 56. Experiment stations.--In the case of experiment stations, such licenses are issued for the purpose of conducting experiments for the development of the science of radio communication, or the apparatus pertaining thereto, to carry on special tests using any amount of power or any wave lengths, at such hours and under such conditions as will insure the least interference, and where the owners of such stations desire to conduct the usual amateur communications, or engage in the amateur relay league work, this work should be performed on certain authorized wave lengths covered by a license issued for the purpose. It has been found that practically all experiments for the development of radio apparatus can be conducted on an artificial antenna. It may be necessary on special occasions to make tests with some other station for the purpose of determining some special characteristic of the station, this of course, being permitted. Technical and training school stations.--In the case of technical and training school stations, these licenses are issued principally for the purpose of training radio operators, and it is believed that most of this work can be conducted without exceptional power and on wave lengths not exceeding 200 meters. Some of the schools turning out the largest number of operators have not found it necessary to do outside transmitting. This part of the training is conducted on buzzers arranged on an interior circuit. Should such stations desire to take part in the amateur relay league work, they should apply for special amateur licenses. Relay work should be conducted on a special wave length designated by the bureau, and ordinary outside communications should be conducted on a wave length not exceeding 200 meters. Special amateur stations.--In the case of special amateur stations, a wave length in excess of 200 meters is permitted for the special amateur relay work, or emergency work such as that performed in the flood districts, and ordinary communications between special amateur and general amateur stations should not in any case be conducted on wave lengths in excess of 200 meters. It should be borne in mind by applicants for experiment, technical, and training school, and special amateur station licenses, that the special wave lengths in excess of 200 meters, or power in excess of one-half kilowatt or one kilowatt, depending upon the location of the station, can not be granted for ordinary amateur work, and where stations given special licenses make use of this special power and these special wave lengths for ordinary amateur communication, and such stations are reported to the Bureau for causing interference, their station licenses may be suspended or revoked. It should also be understood by the holders of special station licenses along the coast that the wave lengths of 300 meters and 600 meters authorized for these stations are solely for the purpose of "listening in" as required by the regulations, and are to be used for transmitting only in the event of an emergency such as is contemplated in the regulations. Where it is desired and appears necessary that two classes of license be issued to a station, two applications should be sent in, one to cover each class of service, as, for example, experiment and special amateur, or experiment and general amateur. Recently, there have been several applications received at the Bureau for experiment licenses where it appeared that the stations were to be used for limited commercial service. All applicants for special licenses should furnish the Bureau, through the radio inspector, a statement covering completely the service which is to be conducted by the stations, and indicating the necessity for special power and wave lengths. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NOTE: Publication of the Radio Service Bulletin was suspended during World War I. (During the war, every radio station in the United States was either closed down or taken over by the U.S. Government). Issue #27, dated March 1, 1917, was the last issue produced before the suspension. The publication started up again after the war with issue #28, dated August 1, 1919. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September 2, 1919 (No. 29) |
GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL CALLS. It will be noted that in the "List of Radio Stations of the United States" some vessels and call letters appear in the commercial and also in the Government list. The reason for this is that at the present time it is not known when they will be released from Government service. When they enter the commercial service, the commercial calls only should be used. EMERGENCY LICENSES AND TEMPORARY PERMITS. Operators holding emergency licenses and temporary permits should arrange to take an examination and secure a regular license as early as possible. The holders of such licenses and permits can not be employed if regularly licensed operators are available. Operators holding second-grade licenses should endeavor to secure first-grade licenses, so as to be available for senior operators in charge of stations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
October 1, 1919 (No. 30) |
RESTRICTIONS ON RADIO AMATEURS REMOVED. Effective October 1, 1919, all restrictions on amateurs and amateur radio stations are removed. This applies to amateur stations, technical and experimental stations at schools and colleges, and to all other stations, except those used for the purpose of transmitting or receiving commercial traffic of any character, including the business of the owners of the stations. The restrictions on stations handling commercial traffic will be removed as soon as the President proclaims that a state of peace exists. Attention is invited to the fact that all licenses for transmitting stations have expired and that it will be necessary for amateurs to apply to the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Navigation, for new licenses. AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS. Before operating transmitting stations it is necessary to take an examination and secure an operator's license and have on file with the district radio inspector a formal application for station license. If there will be delay in issuing your station license, the radio inspector can assign radio call letters when the application is received. All amateurs should be familiar with the Radio Laws and Regulations. This publication can be procured from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Price, 15 cents. All transmitting sets should be inductively coupled. Stations having what is known as plain aerial, or the spark gap directly in the antenna circuit, will not be licensed where they do not comply with regulations 3 and 4 of the act of August 13, 1912. The List of Radio Stations of the United States, edition of June 15, 1919, does not contain amateur stations. This publication can be procured from the Superintendent of Document, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Price, 10 cents. A list of amateur stations may be published about the 1st of January, 1920. Any additional information required by amateurs may be obtained from the radio inspectors of their districts. Their addresses follow:
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February, 2, 1920 (No. 34) |
RANGE OF AMATEUR STATIONS. On January 21 the Bureau received a radiogram from an amateur radio station in Hartford, Conn., which was sent direct to an amateur station in Washington, using a wave length of 200 meters. This indicates the range of such stations on a 200-meter wave length when the apparatus is efficient. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 1, 1920 (No. 35) |
EXECUTIVE ORDER. Whereas, pursuant to authority of Executive orders of April 6, 1917 and April 30, 1917, certain radio systems and stations were taken over by the Government and certain restrictions were placed on the operation of other radio systems and stations; I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, do hereby authorize, order, and direct as follows: All radio stations taken over by the Government of the United States and now held by it under authority of Executive orders of April 6 and April 30, 1917, respectively, including all systems, lines, and property taken possession of or received, operated, supervised, or controlled under authority of said Executive Orders shall, at midnight on the 29th day of February instant, be returned and delivered to the respective owners thereof. All restrictions placed under authority of said Executive orders of April 6 and April 30, 1917, on all radio stations not necessary to the Government for naval communications shall be removed, to take effect at midnight on the 29th day of February instant, from which time the control and operation of all radio stations not owned, controlled, or operated by the Government independently of action taken by or on behalf of the Government under the aforesaid Executive orders of April 6 and April 30, 1917, shall be subject to the provisions of the act to regulate radio communication approved August 13, 1912. The enforcement of this order is hereby delegated to the Secretary of the Navy, who is authorized and directed to take appropriate action in the premises.
The above order is printed in full for the information of all concerned. LAND STATIONS REOPENED. Attention is invited to the fact that the following coast stations are opened to public service for communication with vessels at sea:
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May 1, 1920 (No. 37) |
APPLICATIONS FOR RADIO CALL LETTERS. Applications for radio call letters for ships should be filed with the collectors of customs at the various ports at the time application is made for the official number and signal letters and not before such time. When the official number has already been assigned, the application should give the number, and, in case a vessel has had a former name, the name should be given. All particulars regarding the hours of service, class of service, rates, etc., should be reported without delay in order that the information can be published in the RADIO SERVICE BULLETIN. When it is very inconvenient to apply to the collector of customs, application may be made to the radio inspector. LAND-STATION LICENSES. All commercial land stations, experimental and technical and training stations are required to obtain a license before operating, as required by section 1 of the act of August 13, 1912. The filing of the application or the assignment of radio call letters does not constitute authority for operating a station. Owners of stations who fail to comply with the above requirements may expect action to be taken in accordance with the above-cited act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
June, 1, 1920 (No. 38) |
CHANGE IN RADIO INSPECTION DISTRICTS. The headquarters of the eighth district has been transferred from Cleveland, Ohio, to Detroit, Mich. The office of the inspector is in the Federal Building. The office of the fourth district at Savannah, Ga., has been closed. The work of this district is being handled by the inspector of the third district, Customhouse, Baltimore, Md. BROADCASTING HYDROGRAPHIC AND WEATHER REPORTS. Hydrographic and weather reports are broadcasted (this service begun May 1, 1920) from the United States naval radio stations on the following schedules and wave lengths:
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September 1, 1920 (No. 41) |
NORMAL WAVE LENGTH. Every coast station open to general public service is required to have a normal sending and receiving wave length of 600 meters, and all general public service with ship stations must be conducted on 300, 600, or 1,800 meters. The department interprets the radio laws and the London Convention to require that every coast station, excepting general and restricted amateur, shall have a normal wave length of 600 meters for use in case of distress or emergency, and licenses issued for such stations so indicate. The indication of a 600-meter normal wave length for a special station does not mean that the station shall use this wave length for its normal business. All radio communication, other than general public service, must be conducted on some authorized wave length other than 300, 600, or 1,800 meters, but the station is required, when open and no special business is being conducted, to listen in with the receiving apparatus tuned to receive the 600-meter wave length and must be prepared to transmit on 600 meters if necessary. The Radio Laws and Regulations, edition of August 15, 1919, page 52, paragraphs 38 to 50, inclusive, bear on this subject, and paragraph 44 provides that all coast stations shall listen in at intervals of not more than 15 minutes and for not less than 2 minutes, with the receiving apparatus adjusted to receive a 600-meter wave length. The act of August 13, 1912, section 4, regulation 11, requires general public-service coast stations to listen in at intervals of not less than 15 minutes and for a period of not less than 2 minutes with the receiver tuned to receive messages of 300-meter wave lengths. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
April 1, 1921 (No. 48) |
RESTRICTIONS ON SPECIAL AMATEUR STATIONS. It has been brought to the attention of the Bureau that amateur operators have been purchasing radio equipment which can not be satisfactorily adjusted for the amateur wave length of 200 meters, and because of this they have been applying for special licenses. Radio inspectors are not authorized to recommend special amateur station licenses except in accordance with paragraph 63 of the "Radio Communication Laws of the United States." The number of special amateur station licenses must be limited, and very few will be approved for stations along the coast or in localities where the location of such stations may interfere with maritime, Government, or commercial radio communication. WARNING TO AMATEURS. Amateurs desiring to continue the operation of their stations must apply for renewal of their station and operator licenses at time of expiration. The operation of stations after the licenses expire is a violation of section 1, act of August 13, 1912, penalty $500, and the apparatus or device so unlawfully used and operated may be adjudged forfeited to the United States. Amateurs discontinuing the use of their stations should surrender their licenses to the radio inspector of the district for cancellation. Where amateurs fail to make application for renewal of their licenses at the time of expiration, their names may not be included in the next radio call book and the call letters assigned may be rescinded and assigned to other stations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September 1, 1921 (No. 53) |
EXAMINATION FOR RADIO INSPECTOR. The U. S. Civil Service Commission will hold an examination on October 5 next for radio inspector and assistant radio inspector to fill vacancies which may occur in the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce. For further information apply to the Commission. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 1, 1921 (No. 56) |
WARNING TO AMATEURS. The Bureau has received a number of complaints recently of amateur stations using wave lengths in excess of those authorized in their licenses which has resulted in much unnecessary interference. Amateurs should, if possible, have their wave lengths measured to avoid violating the law. Attention is invited to the 15th regulation, section 4, act of August 13, 1912, and the penalties provided in this section, following the 19th regulation on page 13, Radio Laws and Regulations. It has also been reported that a number of amateur stations are using more power than necessary, which is a violation of the 14th regulation, section 4, act of August 13, 1912. The penalties noted above apply to violations of this character. BROADCASTING SERVICE. Applicants for radio-station licenses desiring to use their stations for broadcasting market reports and weather forecasts should submit with their application a letter from the Chief, Bureau of Markets, or the Chief of the Weather Bureau, indicating that this service is desired. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
February 1, 1922 (No. 58) |
BROADCASTING. Because of the rapid development of radio broadcasting during the last three months, the value of such service to the public, and the limitation of wave lengths which can be assigned for this service, it has been found necessary to take precautions to protect the broadcasting service from interference. It was decided first to regulate broadcasting by the larger stations by requiring special authority to do so on special wave lengths. It later became apparent that some restriction must be placed on amateur stations, and the privilege of amateur broadcasting was temporarily withdrawn pending the adoption of a plan which would be acceptable to the amateurs engaged in radiotelegraphic communication. Two plans have been suggested: First, the use of 200 meters [1500 kilohertz] between certain hours each day, and, second, the use of the wave length of 175 or 225 meters [1714 or 1333 kilohertz] for broadcasting only. If the second plan is agreed upon with the wave length of 175 meters, this authority could be given in the ordinary amateur licenses. The use of 225 meters will require special licenses. The Bureau would like to have any practical suggestions from radio inspectors and amateurs which will be helpful in reaching a satisfactory solution of this question. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 1, 1922 (No. 59) |
RADIO TELEPHONE CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON. At the suggestion of President Harding, Secretary Hoover held a conference on the 27th of last month of representatives of various radio interests to investigate the development and regulation of the radio telephone. Experts from the various interests, including the amateurs, attended the meeting and were given opportunity to express their opinions. At the conclusion of the conference Secretary Hoover appointed the following committees to look into the different phases of radio telephone communication: Legal: Representative Wallace H. White, chairman; A. J. Tyrer, Deputy Commissioner of Navigation; W. D. Terrell, chief radio inspector, Bureau of Navigation; Senator Frank B. Kellogg. Technical: Dr. S. W. Stratton, Director of Bureau of Standards, chairman; Maj. Gen. George O. Squier, U. S. A.; Capt. S. W. Bryant, U. S. N.; Prof. A. L. Hazeltine, Stevens Institute, Hoboken, N. J.; Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith, secretary, Society Radio Engineers, New York City; Edwin H. Armstrong, Columbia University, New York City; Prof. C. M. Jansky, jr., University of Minnesota; W. A. Wheeler, Department of Agriculture; J. C. Edgerton, Post Office Department. Amateurs: Hiram Percy Maxim, chairman, Hartford, Conn.; Edwin H. Armstrong; Prof. C. M. Jansky, jr.; Prof. L. A. Hazeltine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
April 1, 1922 (No. 60) |
REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE RADIO BROADCASTING OF WEATHER, CROP, AND MARKET INFORMATION. 1. Forecasts, warnings, and weather reports issued by the Weather Bureau and crop and market reports issued or approved by the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates shall be broadcast only from radio stations authorized and licensed to do so by the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce. 2. Broadcasting of weather forecasts and information and crop and market reports shall be confined to radio stations properly equipped for the work and operated by persons holding a commercial second-class or a higher grade of license. 3. No plant will be licensed by the Bureau of Navigation to disseminate weather forecasts and information or crop and market reports, except on the approval of the Chief of the Weather Bureau and of the Chief of the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates, respectively. 4. The call letter and location of the station and the official authenticity of the information shall be announced preliminary to each broadcast, and is approximately as follows. This is located at . The weather forecast and reports issued by the U. S. Weather Bureau are as follows; or, market and crop reports, approved by the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates, are as follows: 5. The laws pertaining to the issuance of weather forecasts shall be observed. Violators of the following law will be prosecuted. SEC. 61. Whoever shall knowingly issue or publish any counterfeit weather forecast or warning of weather conditions falsely representing such forecast or warning to have been issued or published by the Weather Bureau, United States Signal Service, or other branch of the Government service, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned not more than ninety days, or both. (Act of March 4, 1909, C 321, 35 Stat., 1088.) 6. All broadcasts shall be according to schedules approved by the Weather Bureau or by the Bureau of Markets and Crop Estimates. No forecasts based on a. m. observations shall be broadcast after 7 p. m. of the same day; no special warnings based on special observations shall be broadcast after midnight of the same day; and no forecasts or warnings based on p. m. observations shall be sent after 7 a. m. of the succeeding day, 75th meridian time applying in all cases. 7. Stations authorized to broadcast official weather forecasts and information crop and market reports will use a wave length of 485 meters [619 kilohertz] unless otherwise licensed to do so by the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce. This special wave length shall be used for no other purpose. 8. License to broadcast weather forecasts and information and crop and market reports shall be revocable at any time that it may be in the public interest to do so.--Submitted by Department of Agriculture. RADIO BROADCASTING. At the present time two wave lengths are assigned for broadcasting--the wave length of 485 meters [619 kilohertz] for Government reports, such as crop and market estimates and weather forecast furnished by the Department of Agriculture; the wave length of 360 meters [833 kilohertz] for important news, items, entertainment, lectures, sermons, and similar matter. Stations conducting this service must have limited commercial licenses and be operated by radio operators licensed by the Department of Commerce holding commercial second-class licenses or higher. Applications for licenses should be made through the radio inspector of the district in which the station is situated. The radio inspection districts are as follows: 1. Headquarters, Boston, Mass. (radio inspector, customhouse): Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut. 2. Headquarters, New York, N. Y. (radio inspector, customhouse): New York (County of New York, Staten Island, Long Island, and counties on the Hudson River to and including Schenectady, Albany, and Rensselaer) and New Jersey (Counties of Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Union, Middlesex, Monmouth, Hudson, and Ocean). 3. Headquarters, Baltimore, Md. (radio inspector, customhouse): New Jersey (all counties not included in second district), Pennsylvania (counties of Philadelphia, Delaware, all counties south of the Blue Mountains, and Franklin County), Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia. 4. Headquarters, Savannah, Ga. (the work of this district is being performed by the radio inspector of the third district, radio inspector, customhouse, Baltimore, Md.): North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Porto Rico. 5. Headquarters, New Orleans, La. (radio inspector, customhouse): Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico. 6. Headquarters, San Francisco, Calif. (radio inspector, customhouse): California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Arizona. 7. Headquarters, Seattle, Wash. (radio inspector, 2301 L. C. Smith Building): Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. 8. Headquarters, Detroit, Mich. (radio inspector, Federal Building): New York (all counties not included in second district), Pennsylvania (all counties not included in third district), West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan (lower peninsula). 9. Headquarters, Chicago, Ill. (radio inspector, Federal Building): Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan (upper peninsula), Minnesota, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
January 2, 1923 (No. 69) |
RADIO INSPECTOR EXAMINATION, NO. 54 (ASSEMBLED) MARCH 7, 1923. The United States Civil Service Commission announces an open competitive examination for radio inspector on the above date at any of the places listed hereon at which examination is requested in applications received in time to mail examination papers. Vacancies in the positions of radio inspector and assistant radio inspector in the Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce, at $1,800 to $2,200 a year (plus "bonus," see below), and in positions requiring similar qualifications at these or higher or lower salaries, will be filled from this examination, unless it is found in the interest of the service to fill any vacancy by reinstatement, transfer, or promotion. Range in salary.--The entrance salary within the range stated will depend upon the qualifications of the appointee as shown in the examination and the duty to which assigned. Bonus.--Appointees whose services are satisfactory may be allowed the increase granted by Congress of $20 a month. Citizenship and sex.--All citizens of the United States who meet the requirements, both men and women, may enter this examination: appointing officers, however, have the legal right to specify the sex desired in requesting certification of eligibles. For these positions in the Bureau of Navigation men are desired. Duties.--The duties of radio inspectors will be primarily to inspect the radio apparatus on steamships, to insure its compliance with the law, and to inspect shore stations. The inspectors may be also called upon to examine radio operators. The duties of radio inspectors require some office experience, therefore competitors should outline fully in their applications any office experience they may have had. The duties of assistant radio inspectors will be primarily the assisting of radio inspectors in the enforcement of the wireless communication laws. Assistant radio inspectors will be required to inspect the radio equipment on board vessels and in land stations, which involves the carrying of 30 or 40 pounds of testing and measuring instruments. The inspection work requires a knowledge of the installation and operation of the several types of radio installations, including the adjustment and tuning of transmitters and receivers. Subjects and weights.--Competitors will be examined in the following subjects, which will have the relative weights indicated.
Applicants must attain an eligible rating in the first subject. Education and experience.--Applicants must have received a bachelor of science degree from a school of recognized standing, such educational training to have included a special course in radio or kindred sciences, or show that they are senior students in such institutions; or have had the equivalent of a high-school education and at least two years' experience in special radio work, such as the manufacture, installation, or adjustment of commercial or governmental wireless apparatus. It is essential that applicants be wireless telegraph operators. Statements as to education and experience are accepted, subject to verification. Age.--Applicants must have reached their twenty-first but not their fiftieth birthday on the date of examination. These age limits do not apply to persons entitled to preference because of military or naval service, but such applicants must not have reached the retirement age. Retirement.--Classified employees who have reached the retirement age and have served 15 years are entitled to retirement with an annuity. The retirement age for railway mail clerks is 62 years, for mechanics and post office clerks and carriers 65 years, and for others 70 years A deduction of 2 1/2 per cent is made from the monthly salary to provide for this annuity, which will be returned to persons leaving the service before retirement with 4 per cent interest compounded annually. Photographs.--Applicants must submit to the examiner on the day of the examination their photographs, taken within two years, securely pasted in the space provided on the admission cards sent them after their applications are filed. Proofs or group photographs will not be accepted. Photographs will not be returned to applicants. Residence and domicile.--Applicants may be examined at any place at which this examination is held, regardless of their place of residence; but only those who have been actually domiciled in the State or Territory in which they reside for at least one year previous to the examination, and who have the county officer's certificate in the application form executed, may become eligible for permanent appointment to the apportioned service in Washington, D. C. Oral examination.--Applicants may be required to report either in Washington, D. C., or elsewhere, for oral examination to determine their personal characteristics and address, tact, judgment, adaptability, and general fitness for the performance of the duties of the position. An applicant who fails to pass the oral examination will not be eligible for appointment. Applicants will be notified of the date and place of the oral examination. Applications.--Applicants should at once apply for Form 1312, stating the title of the examination desired, to the Civil Service Commission, Washington, D. C., or to the Secretary of the United States Civil Service Board at any place listed hereon. Applications should be properly executed, excluding both vouchers and the medical certificate, and filed with the commission at Washington in time to arrange for the examination at the place selected by the applicant. The exact title of the examination, as given at the head of this announcement, should be stated in the application form. Preference.--Applicants entitled to preference should attach to their applications their original discharge, or a photostat or certified copy thereof, or their official record of service, which will be returned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||