Today July 15, 1915 Portland wireless telegraph stations were warned to stop interfering with ship stations. V. Ford Greaves was a Radio Engineer for the Bureau of Navigation, Radio Field Service making a tour of various Radio Districts. The Bureau of Navigation was the FCC of this time period. Wireless telegraph stations originally began operating as ship to shore communication. Now this new kind of communication was moving into the hands of the general public. The Oregonian - July 15, 1915 AMATEURS VIOLATE C.S. LAW - INSPECTION OF WIRELESS STATIONS IN OREGON BRINGS FORTH WARNING Seattle, July 12. --(To The Editor)-- I respectfully invite your attention to an article which you printed June 7, 1915 concerning an inspection of amateur wireless stations in the vicinity of Portland. I have carefully gone over the inspection reports submitted by A.W. Desart, Assistant Radio Inspector, and it appears that practically all the amateur stations inspected by him were operating in violation of the United States wireless laws. Letters of warning have been sent to the owners of these stations and others, and as soon as practicable the same stations will be re-inspected. If it is found that the stations have been operated other than in accordance with the laws and regulations since the letters of warning were received, it will be the duty of this office to report the violation. Many stations in Portland and its suburbs interfere with ships traffic for many miles along the coast and quite frequently even as far north as Puget Sound. Benjamin E. Wolf, Radio Inspector has been permanently detailed in charge of the Seventh District and will make every effort to see that the radio laws are properly complied with. It is my understanding that some of the amateur operators of Portland claimed that their stations do not come under the provision of the wireless laws so long as they are not engaged in interstate traffic. This is an erroneous impression. Stations which can interfere with interstate communication, whether commercial, government or amateur are required to be licensed and to comply with the laws and regulations. A precedent is established, as evidence by the following extract from the Radio Service Bulletin: [January 1915 issue] 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. V. Ford, Radio Engineer
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 07:49:19 +0000
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