[Hallicrafters] Thank You to all that have responded.

[Glen Zook]

The Class "D" Citizen's Radio Service was created
primarily as a means for the corner drug store, the
local gasoline service station, etc., to be able to
have short-range inexpensive radio communications. 
Unfortunately, the FCC also put in the provision that
it could be used for "personal" communications.  It
was not long before many people realized this
"loophole" and started using it as a "hobby" band.  In
fact, when the service was first created, the FCC even
pointed out that it was NOT illegal to work stations
of different licensees.  This opened "Pandora's Box"!

Originally the FCC issued licenses for no charge.  The
applicant had to fill out form 405A.  However, the
callsigns that the FCC was issuing were illegal under
international treaty!  They were issuing licenses that
had the FCC district (not the amateur radio district
but the FCC district office number) followed by the
letter "W".  For example, someone in the Chicago area
might get a call 18W1234, someone in the Dallas area
might get a call 10W1234.

Unfortunately, those blocks of call signs were already
assigned to various foreign nations.  As such, the FCC
had to rescind those call signs and start issuing the
call signs like KWH1234 and KWH12345.  Previously the
3 letter and 3 number call signs were only issued to
commercial FM two-way radio stations.  Thus, since the
Class "D" Citizen's Radio Service was a land mobile
service, the FCC just added a number, or two to make
the "new" call signs.

At first there was no charge for a license.  Then the
FCC went through various license charges.  Finally,
when the entire band got so "out of hand" in terms of
enforcement, the FCC just threw up their hands and
said that no license was required!

The various letters to the editor of the magazines
from 1959 until 1961 exhibit the same complaints that
are about the band today!  Unlicensed operation,
"shooting skip", too much power, profanity, etc. 
Basically, nothing has changed in the over 45 years
since the Class "D" Citizen's Radio Service was
established!

Glen, K9STH


 
--- "Duane Fischer, W8DBF " <dfischer at usol.com> wrote:

Now, why was Citizens Band created, by whom and for
whom? Then how did one get a license before 1969 when
it cost twenty dollars (KCS75650) and why did the FCC
simply not bother to enforce regularions in the early seventies?

=====
Glen, K9STH

Web sites

http://home.comcast.net/~k9sth
http://home.comcast.net/~zcomco

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