amhistory



	OUTLINE OF AMATEUR RADIO HISTORY

	1894-1899 Marconi conducts his wireless experiments in Europe and sends a message across the English Channel. First article on building a wireless set appears.

	1901 Marconi sends a wireless signal across the Atlantic.

	1900-1908 Thousands of Americans experiment with wireless. Few at this time are interested in it as a hobby only.

	1904 J.A. Fleming develops the 2 element (Diode) vacuum tube.

	1906 Lee deForest develops the 3 element (Triode) vacuum tube. R.A. Fessenden uses the Alexanderson Alternator to make the first voice and music transmissions.

	1908 A possible beginning of amateur radio. Prior to this time, interest in wireless had primarily been either as an experimenter or as an entrepeneur. By 1908, definite hobby interests exist among users.

	1909 The first radio clubs are formed. Spark and the longwaves (300-6000 meters) are king.

	1913 Edwin Armstrong develops the regenerative receiver and also discovers that the "Audion" (Triode) can oscillate. CW (continuous wave = Morse code by radio) is born.

	1914 The ARRL is organized by H.P. Maxim to help relay messages, given the limited range on 200 meters at that time. (25 miles).

	1914-1917 The number of amateurs increases from 1200 to over 6000. The ARRL has an effective traffic handling network set up. The ARRL starts a little magazine called "QST".

	1917 The US enters WWI. All amateurs are ordered to dismantle their transmitters and receivers. With no radio operations, and 4000 hams in uniform, QST ceases publication.

	1918 Major Armstrong develops the superheterodyne receiver while serving in France.

	1919 Woodrow Wilson becomes the first President to speak over radio when he broadcasts a speech to American Troops in Europe.

	1920 "Amateur Police Radio" becomes popular. Amateurs operated as an intersystem police communications service to relay broadcasts of crimes and stolen vehicles.

	1921-1922 The Transatlantic tests are a success. Amateurs discover that frequencies below 200 meters (above 1500 kc) work even better. Amateur Broadcasting ("Citizen Radio") is popular with up to 1200 amateurs, but is prohibited in 1922 with the first broadcast regulations issued.

	1923 The amateur census is at 14,000. Shortwave development continues.

	1920 Amateurs get new bands at 80, 40, 20, and 5 meters. Spark prohibited on the new bands.

	1925 The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) formed. Amateurs finally are successful in working around the world on shortwave.

	1926 Crystal control of transmitters developed. A Federal Court declared the Radio Act of 1912 to be unenforceable in regards to broadcasting and the shortwaves. The "Summer of Anarchy" commences in the broadcast world, but amateurs stay within their bands.

	1927 The Radio Act of 1927 creates the Federal Radio Commission. The word "amateur" is used for the first time in a Federal Statute.

	1929-1936 Despite the Depression, Amateur Radio enjoys it's greatest growth--from 16,829 to 46,850. Low cost components make it possible to build a quality station for $50. VHF phone operation becomes popular with the superregenerative receiver (developed by Armstrong) and the modulated oscillator. Phone operation begins to appear on some HF bands. But C.W. and crystal control are still number 1.

	1933-1934 The Communications Act of 1934 creates the Federal Communications Commission. Amateur Licenses are reorganized into Class A, Class B, and Class C. Major Edwin Armstrong develops wideband FM.

	1936 H.P. Maxim, founder of the ARRL and it's first President, dies.

	1940-1941 With the war raging in Europe, our ability to have international QSO's (radio contacts) is severely limited. When the US enters the War, all amateur activity is suspended.

	1942-1945 Except for WERS (the War Emergency Radio Service) on 2 1/2 meters, no amateur operations take place. New "UHF" tubes and circuits are developed as a result of the war.

	1945 A major battle develops over postwar frequency allocations. The ARRL (amateurs), Major Armstrong (FM Broadcasting), and Brigadier General David Sarnoff (RCA/NBC Television) all fight over the low end of the VHF spectrum between 44-108 Mc... On November 15, 1945, amateurs are allowed back on the air -- but only on 10 and 2 meters.

	1945 CQ magazine is first published.

	1946 The military leaves our HF bands in stages, hams gradually get their frequencies back, all except for 160 meters.

	1948 Single Sideband is fully described in the amateur publications. The FCC creates Class A and Class B CB radio between 460--470 Mc.

	1951 The FCC completely reorganizes the amateur license system. The Class A, B, and C Licenses are replaced by the Advanced, General, and Conditional Class respectively. Three new license classes are created--the Amateur Extra, Novice and Technician.

	1952 The FCC allows phone operation on 40 meters, which had been CW only. The 15 meter band is opened.

1953 The FCC starts issuing "K" calls to amateurs in the 48 states due to the increased ham population.

1955 Technicians are given 6 meter privileges to help populate the band and encourage experimentation. The ARRL and most hams oppose 2 meters for Technicians.

1956-1960 A gradual technical revolution on 2 fronts: Transistors find their way into the hamshack, first in power supplies, then audio sections, then receivers and finally QRP transmitters. But most equipment was still 100% tubes. Also, SSB is catching up on AM in terms of popularity. By the 1960's, SSB pulls ahead of AM.

1958 The ham population is 160,000--3 times the 1946 total. The FCC has to issue "WA" calls in the 2nd and 6th call areas, as the "W" and "K" 1x3 prefixes have run out. Slow Scan TV is first described in QST.

1960 Wayne Green fired as CQ editor, forms 73 magazine.

1961 OSCAR I, the first amateur satellite, is launched. Thousands of Amateurs copy it's 50 mw beacon on 144 Mc sending out ".... .."

1963 The amateur population is over 200,000, but CB licenses now outnumber hams.

1964 A ham in the White House? Barry Goldwater, K7UGA/K3UIG is the Republican Candidate for President. (He is defeated).

1967 The FCC announced the new Incentive Licensing rules: over the next 2 years, General and Conditional operators would lose 50% of the 75-15 meter phone bands, the "First Class" idea was dropped, the Advanced Class was reopened to new applicants, Extra and Advanced Class operators get exclusive subbands on 80-15 and 6 meters, the Novice license term is doubled to two years, but Novices lose their 2 meter phone privileges.

1968 The FCC authorizes SSTV in the Advanced/Extra Class subbands. Generals and Conditionals get SSTV later.

1970 The amateur population is 250,000 but stagnant. The license fees and Incentive Licensing are blamed. Meanwhile, 2 meter FM is starting to boom.

1971 The Japanese are starting to dominate the amateur markets. National, Hammarlund, Hallicrafters and Gonset were beginning to fade away, but Drake, Ten-Tec, Heathkit and Collins were still going strong.

1972 A national 2 meter FM bandplan was announced, 146.52 was chosen as the national simplex frequency.

1978 Technicians finally get all privileges above 50 MHz, and can obtain a RACES Station authorization. The Novice license is made renewable.

1979 The World Administrative Radio Conference, or WARC-79, takes place in Geneva. The ARRL, IARU and other groups have been preparing for years. We lose nothing and gain 3 new bands at 10, 18, and 24 MHz, which are phased in over the next 10 years.

1983 A ham in space!! Owen Garriott, W5LFL, becomes the first amateur to operate on board a Space Shuttle. He makes hundreds of QSO's on 2 meters.

1984 The 10 year license replaces the 5 year one. The FCC stopped giving examinations, turning the duty over to the new Volunteer Examiner Program. The HF phone bands are expanded. The amateur population is up to 410,000.

1987 Novices and Technicians get 10 meter SSB privileges from 28.3-28.5 MHz. Novices also get phone operation on portions of 220 and 1296 MHz.

1989 Amid growing calls for a code free license, the ARRL comes out in favor of one. (The ARRL's version does not include voice privileges on 2 meters).

1990-1991 MARS operations increased as amateurs became involved in Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

1991 Amateur Radio gets it's first code free license--the "No Code Technician". "Regular" Technicians are renamed "Technician Plus". The first all amateur Shuttle, the "Atlantis", goes into space.

1991-1998 Amateur Radio grows from 500,000 to over 710,000 hams. The ARRL is at its highest membership ever. Schoolchildren talk with hams in space. Our Public Service activities are wanted and appreciated. And Amateur Radio looks forward to the next Millennium, confident that it will evolve and grow.



	Major Armstrong