QST/April 1916/Special Licenses

by Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska (editors)

 The relay of February 22nd has had a lot of influence upon the matter of Special Licenses! We succeeded in opening the eyes of the authorities and our ability through our relay stations to get a message broadcast over the entire country, puts us on a much higher plane than we ever enjoyed before. This has brought up the question of issuing Special Licenses.

Every one who knows anything about wireless, knows that we could not handle any long distance relay work on 200 meters wave length. Everyone knows that many of the relay stations who assisted in the February 22nd relay from Rock Island Arsenal used wave lengths nearer 500 than 200. This is contrary to the law unless the station has a Special License.

The law must be observed. Nothing ever succeeded for any length of time or ever will succeed if it violates the law. The ability to relay messages all over the country, has proven that there should be more Special Licenses distributed among the League stations. This was a hard thing to preach before the February 22nd relay. The ears of the authority were deaf to entreaty to a large extent unless it could be shown absolutely essential that a Station have a Special License. We think we have noticed a little change in this particular. If a station is in the interior, away from the seacoast, and in the hands of a person who will be on the job regularly, and who has a First Grade Commercial License, and is so located geographically that he can handle through relay traffic to advantage, it is very likely that his chances of securing a Special License are better than they have ever been before. Our league stations should bear this in mind. We are the better class of stations and it has come to be understood that we are not all in the game for a few Weeks and for a little temporary amusement. We really can be depended upon, and members of the League who think they ought to have Special Licenses, and who can meet the requirements mentioned above, ought to communicate with their District Radio Inspector and secure application blanks for Special Licenses. These should be filled in carefully and exactly, preferably in typewriter, and sent in to Headquarters at Hartford. If a favorable recommendation is to the interests of the League, it will be given and the applicant then stands a pretty good chance of favorable action from Washington.

But remember OM, there is nothing doing, absolutely nothing doing unless you are on the job regularly, are away from the seaboard, and hold a First Grade Commercial License.