ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT
FEDERAL
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1945
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. WASHINGTON. 1946
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office:
Washington 25, D. C. Price 20 cents
COMMISSIONERS
MEMBERS OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[As of January 1, 1946]
CHAIRMAN
PAUL A. PORTER
(Term expires June 30,1949)
PAUL A. WALKER
(Term expires June 30, 1946)
RAY C. WAKEFIELD
(Term expires June 30.1947)
CLIFFORD J. DURR
(Term expires JUne. 30, 1948~
11
EWELL K. J'ETT
(Term. expires June 30, 1950)
CHARLES R. DENNY
(Term expires June 30, 1951)
WILLIAM H. WILLS
(Term expires June 30, 1952)
CHARLES R. DENNY, Acting Ohairman.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONSCO~IMISSION,
Washingt"", 25, D.O., April 3, 194fJ.
To the Oongress of the United State.:
In accordance with the requirements of section 4 (k) of the Com 
munications Act, the Eleventh Annual Report of the Federal Com 
munications Commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1945, is
submitted herewith.
Respectfully,
III
[ Page IV in the original document is intentionally blank J
SUMMARy _
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
vii
Chapter
I. GENERAL_________________________________________________ 1
1. Administrative_ __ __ _ __ ___ __ 3
2. Commission membership changes_____________________ 3
3. Staff organization_ __________________________________ 3
4. PersonneL '_ _____ ____ ______ _ 8
5. Appropriatiotls_ _____ ___ __ ____ _______ __ __ 3
6,. LegislatioD_ ________________________________________ 4
7. Litigation_ _________________________________________ 4
8. Dockets_ __ __ __ ___ _______ 6
9. InternationaL~_________________________________ 6
10. Indepartment Radio Advisory Committee______________ 7
11. Freqnency allocation~____7
II. STANDARD BROADCAST_____________________________________ 9
1. Materials and manpower_____________________________ 11
2. Proposal to extend band_____________________________ 11
3. North American Regional Broadcasting agreement______ 11
4. Clear channel hearing~___ ___ ___ __ __ 12
5. 1\'Iultiple owncrship~____________12
6. Sales priceR of broadcast stations___ ___________________ 12
7. Financial data______________________________________ 13
8. Statistics______ 14
III.NONS'~'ANDARDBROADCAST__________________________________ 17
1. General____ 19
2. Frequency modulation (FM) broadcast service__________ 19
3. Television broadcast scrvicc__________________________ 21
4. International broadcast 8ervice~__22
5. Noncommercial educational broadcast service___________ 22
6. ST (studio-transmitter) broadcast servicc_ _____________ 23
7. Relay hroadcast service_____________________ 23
8. Facsimile broadcast service~__________________23
9. Developmental broadcast service______________________ 24
10. Statistics______ __ ___ _____ ___ __ __ __ _ 24
IV. COMMON CARRIERS________________________________________ 27
1. Telephone (wire and radio)___________________________ 29
Service and facilities_____________________________ 29
Rates and tariffs________________________________ 32
Supervision of accollnts__________________________ 35
Economics and statistics_________________________ 37
2. Telegraph (wire, cable, radio)_________________________ 38
A. Domestic~________________________38
Service and facilities______________________ 38
Rates and tariffs_________________________ 40
Supervision of accounts___________________ 41
B. InternationaL ____________ ________ __ _________ 42
Service and faciIities______________________ 42
Rates and tariffs_________________________ 45
Supervision of accounts___________________ 47
Statistics____ ______________ ______________ 48
V. SAFETY AND SP;ECIAL SERVICES______________________________ 51
1. Marine services_____________________________________ 53
Coastal radiotelegraph stations___________________ 53
Coastal radiotelephone stations___________________ 53
Coastal harbor radiotelephone stations____ _________ 53
Marinere~ayradiotelegraph stations_______________ 53
Mobile press stations_ ___________________________ 53
v
VI CO:NTE:NT8
Chapter
V. SAFETY AND SPECIAL SERVICES -Continued
1. Marine8ervices~Continued
Relaxation of naval regulations .: •
Weather and hydrographic informatiou _
Studies of lifeboat radio equipment _
Approval of equipment _
Exernptiolls _
Fixed public and marine services in Alaska _
Publications •
. R:ulech~nges_-: - _
2. AVIatiOn radIO serVlces _
General . _
Aeronautical radio stations _
Aeronautical fixed radio stations _
Airport control radio stationf3~..~_.. _
Flight test radio stations~_
Flying school radio stations~_
Aircraft radio ::;tations _
Violations~~~_
Chicago International Civil Aviation Conference _
Proceedings in dockets 6714 to 6721 inclusive and
6757 _
3. Emergency radio services~~~~_
General~~~~~_
Police radio stations~~...;_~_
Municipal fire radio stations _
Forestry radio stations_., _
Spet.ial emergency radio stations~_
4. War emergency radio service~_
5. Experimental radio serviceB~_
General~~~~_
Railroad radio service~_~_
Mobile s,,:ryices __ :~_
Power utIlIty serVlCe _
Radio relay systems _
Rural telephone servicEL~__
Citizens radiocommunicat,ion service _
6. Miscellaneous radioserv~ces----------_--------------~
Geological radio stations~_
Relay pre.ssstations.-~~_
MotIon-pIcture statIoDlL~_
Provisional radio stations _
7. Statistics~_
8. Inspections~_
Ship inspectioDS _
Other inspections _
VI. RADIo OPERATORS~_
1. Commercial operators - _
2. Amateur radio service~_
3. Examinations~_
VII. TECllNICAL STUDlES~_
1. General__~_~~_
2. Sunspot cycle field intensity and noise program _
3. Low-frequency recording prograoo _
4. Very-high frequency broadcast recording program _
VIII. WAR ACTIVITIES~~_
1. Radio Intelligence Division~_
2. Foreign Broadcast InteUigence Service - _
3. FCC Assistance to the Board of War Communications__ •
~f~~i::~~~~=:::::~:::::::::::::::::::::=:::=:
ApPENDIX (publications)~__
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SUMMARY
Most far-reaching of all the activities of the Federal Communica 
tions Commission during the fiscal year was its reallocation of bands
of frequeIfCies in the radio spectrum to provide for the postwar develop 
ment of new services and the expanSIOn of existing ones. This was
made possible by the extension of the usable spectrum space from a
prewar ceiling of 300 to 30,000 megacycles through wartime inventions
developed to meet military needs. Even with the addition of this
space, the demand for channels still exceeded the supply, indicating the
vast amount of radio activity that may be expected in the postwar era.
Channels were allocated for FM, television, facsimile, rural tele 
phone systems, railroads, buses, trucks, autos, radar, personal walkie 
talkie, and many other types of radio service.
Standard broadcasting profits continued to rise. Total net income
of stations and networks (reported for the calendar year of 1944) be 
fore Federal income tax, was up 35 percent over the preceding year.
Concerned over the high prices being paid for stations, the Commis 
sion called the matter to the attention of the Congress. At the end
of the fiscal year, 931 standard stations, 46 FM stations and 6 television
stations were on the air.
Reductions in interstate rates on calls beyond 790 miles negotiated
by the Commission with the American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
will save users $21,000,000 annually. An annual saving of $2,000,000
will result from the Commission's order prohibiting surcharges by
hotels on interstate telephone calls. Construction of $70,000,000 worth
of wire telephone facilities was approved-an increase of 85 percent
over last year.
Substantial reductions were made in various overseas radiotelephone
rates and some new overseas radiotelegraph circuits were established.
Following in the wake of United Nations victories, radiotelegraph
circuits were re-established between the United States and France,
Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Czechoslovakia, and other European
countries. Effective May 1, 1945, a uniform 20-ce'nt per word rate
was established for telegraph service to Europe, Central America, West
Indies, Latin America) and the Philippine Islands reducing prewar
rates which had rangen as high as 36 cents per word to Europe and 48
cents to Latin America.
Expez'imentation in radio and electronics reached a new high due to
the pressure of military demands and the availability of Federal
funds for research. Experimental authorizations by the Commission
totaled 1,143-a 100-percent increase over the previous year. There is
active experimentation in the operation of radio relay systems for the
transmission of standard broadcast, FM and television programs, fac 
simile and telegraph messages as well as in the use of two-way radio
for land, marine, and air mobile units. .
In the course of enforcing regulations to promote the safety of life
and property at sea, Commlssion inspectors made 15,731 ship inspec 
tions, served 9,391 violation notices. The Commission examined 64,260
applicants for commercial radio operators licenses, issued 61,038
lIcenses.
VII
VIII SUMMARY
The Commission's technical research program includes its 'I-year 
old recording project to determine the effect of the sunspot cycle on
standard broadcast reception, studies of sky-wave interference in the
very high frequencies--bursts, Sporadic-E layer reflections and F2
layer reflections, and other vagaries ofpropagatIOn at these frequencies.
The Radio Intelligence Division (RID), established in 1940 par·
ticularly to monitor the ether lanes for wartime espionage.transmis 
sions and to guard communications vital to the war from interfer 
ence, discovered 46 unlicensed stations, investigated 1,445 complaints
of suspicious transmission or interference and furnished directions to
283 lost planes, many of them military craft.
The Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service continued the work
stalted in 1941 of monitoring several million words of text broadcast
by foreign stations daily and transmitting significant portions to our
Government and allied governments. At the end of the fiscal year,
listening posts were being maintained at Silver Hill, Md.; Portland,
Oreg.; the Island of Kauai of the Hawaiian Islands and Guam. The
FBIS also had access to monitored material of the British Broad 
casting Co.
HIGHLIGHTS OF ACTIVITIES JUNE 30, 1945, TO JANUARY I, 1946
In the 6-month interval from the close of the fiscal year to January
1, 1946, the Commission made substantial progress in its reconversion
prog-ram for communications in the postwar era.
The "freeze" on new broadcasting construction was lifted in October.
The postwar pattern for the immediate development of FM and tele 
vision was completed with the issuance of rules, standards of good
engineering practice, and plans allocating the frequencies over the
Nation. At the close of the calendar year, the Commission had issued
conditional gmnts to 200 of nearly 750 applicants for FM channels,
had on file 520 standard and 150 television applications. Indicative of
the vast number of conflicting claims of various applicants Was the
Commission's action of December 5 scheduling 271 public hearings for
the first 3 months of 1946.
The new Railro!,d Radio Service was authorized on a regular basis.
Experimental licenses were being issued for the General Mobile Serv 
ice. The first experimental license for the civilian use of radar was
issued December la. Amateurs returned to the air on certain bands on
November 15.
Another major rate reduction negotiated by the Commission with the
AT&T effectiveFebl~lary1, 1946, is expected to result in a $20,000,000
annual saving for telephone users. Commission representatives par 
ticipated in the Vnited States-British Commonwealth Telecommunica. 
tions Conference at Bermuda which resulted in arrangements for
sharply reduced rates between the United States and British points
throughout theworld, expected to go into effect by April 1, 1946. In
addition, arrangements were made Tor the establishment of a number
of new radio circuits and retention of existing wartime circuits to
certain British points. Since the end of the Wllr new radiotelegraph
circuits, operating at reduced rates, have been opened to various Fllr
Eastern points formerly held by the Japanese.
The Foreigu Broadcast Intellip:ence Service was transferred at the
end of the year to the War Department.
CHAPTER I
General
1. ADMINISTRATION
2. COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP CHANGES
3. STAFF ORGANIZATION
4. PERSONNEL
5. APPROPRIATIONS
6. LEGISLATION
7. LITIGATION
8. DOCKETS
9. INTERNATIONAL
10. INTERDEPARTMENT RADIO ADVISORY COMMIITEE
II. FREQUENCY ALLOCATION
1
[ Page 2 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER I-GENERAL
1. ADMINISTRATION
There were no significant administrative changes during. the fiscal
year.
2. COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP CHANGES
Paul A. Porter was given a recess appointment as Chairman of
the Commission by the President on December 21, 1944, to fill the
unexpired term of James Lawrence Fly, who resigned bn November
15, 1944. Mr. Porter's nomination as Chairman was· confirmed by
the Senate January 18, 1945. Commissioner E. K. Jett was desig 
nated by the President to serve as Interim Chairman from November
16,1944, until Mr. Porter's.recess appointment.
On March 30, 1945, Charles R. Denny was sworn in as Com 
missioner to succeed T. A. M. Craven, whose term expired June 30,
1944.
On July 23, 1945, William R. Wills was sworn in as Commissioner,
to succeed Norman S. Case, whose term expired June 30,.1945.
3. STAFF ORGANIZATION
The Commission's organization consists of four operating de 
partments: Engineering Department, Law Department, Accounting
Department, Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service. There are four
staff service units: The Office of the Secretary, Information Office,
Personnel Office, and the Budget and Planning Office.
An Administrative Board comprising the General Counsel Chief
Engineer, Chief Accountant and l:lecretary acts on matters delegated
to it by the Commission. A Rules Committee initiates, considers pro 
posals for new or revised rules, regulations, forms and procedures,
and advises the Commission 'with respect to such matters.
4. PERSONNEL
At the close of the fiscal year, the Commission personnel totaled
1,513, of whom 784 were in Washington and 729 in the field (151
outside the continental United States). The total number of em 
ployes in the Engineering Department was 700, Law Department
68, Accounting Department 119, Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Serv 
ice 331, and Administrative 295.
5. APPROPRIATIONS
For the fiscal year, the Commission was appropriated a total of
$6,312,343. Of this amount, $2,104,500 was for its regular activities;
$4,191,143 for its war activities, and $16,700 for printing and binding.
3
4 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMuNICATIONS COMMISSION
6. LEGISLATION
No legislation amending the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended
1
or directed to the functions of the Commission was passed
during the fiscal year. However, extensive heariugs were held before
the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce
1
pursnant to Senate
Resolution 187, Seventy-eighth Congress, second session, authorizing
a study of international comillunications by wire and radio, on the
.subject Qf merger of international wire and radio carriers. The
Commission cooperated with the committee in these proceedings,
and in hearings held before the committee during March and April,
1945, representatives of the Commission furnished testimony and
extensive data. On April 3, 1945, the hearings were adjourned sub 
ject to the call of the chairman of the committee.
7. LITIGATION
At the beginning of the fiscal year two cases involving the Com 
mission were pending in the Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia and during the .year four additional cases involving the
Commission were filed in that court. Of the two that were pending,
one was dismissed by the court on motion of the Commission, and
the Commission's action was upheld in the other. With respect to
the four cases filed during the year, two were dismissed and two
are still p·ending. Review of one of the cases dismissed in the court
of appeals has been granted by the United States Supreme Court
and is pending in that court.
At the beginning of the fiscal year there were also five cases in 
"olving the Commission pending in the district courts of the United
• States. Of these, judgment for the Commission was rendered in
four cases; two .of which were appealed to the Supreme Court, which
affirmed the judgments below. In the other district court case the
court ruled against the Commission, and this case is now pending in
the Supreme Court on appeal by the Commission.
Included in the above litigation were the following cases of
particnlar interest:
New York Telephone 00. v. United States.-In this action, which
was one of the five cases pending in the district courts at the beginning
of the fiscal year, the New York Telephone Co. songht to have set
aside an order of the Commission of December 14, 1943, made after
extensi"e hearings, requiring the New York Telephone Co. to make
certain adjustments in its acconnts. These adjustments relate to
certain transactions between the company and itsparent corporation,
American Telephone & Telegraph Co., under which the New York
Telephone Co. acquired from the American Telephone & Telegraph
Co. properties at a price in excess of original cost to American Tele 
phone & Telegraph Co. less accrued dcpreciation. The New York
Telephone Co.· recorded these transactions by entering in its books
the prices charged to it by American Telephone & Telegraph Co. The
Commission dIsapproved this accounting, holding that III transfers
of property between parent and affiliate the book figures of the parent
.company for the property in question should have heen used by the
affiliate. The New York Telephone Co. obtained review of this order
before a statutory three-judge court in accordance with section 402
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 5,
(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (47 U. S. C.~402
(a)). The motion of the Commission for summary judgment was
denied on August 28
1
1944
1
and an injunction was issued setting aside
the Commission's order (New York Telephone Co. v. United States,
56 F. Supp. 932). The case is now pending in the United States
Supreme Court on appeal by the Commission.
Hotel Surchargeca8t,~.-Fourof the five cases involving the Com-,
mission and pending in the Federal district cOUrts at the beginning
of the fiscal year involved the Commission's jurisdiction over charges·
made by hotels in connection with .interstate and foreignlong-di~tan('-e
telephone calls made hy their guests. On January 6, 1942, the Com 
mission instituted a proceeding for the purpose of determining.
whether charges by hotels made for or in connection with such calls,
are within the jurisdiction of the Commission under the Communica.:.
tions Act of 1934. In these proceedings, it was disclosed that certain
hotels in the District of Columbia and elsewhere made certain charges
known as "surcharges" or "'service charges" in connection with i.nter 
state and foreigntelepho~e'c>1l1s made by their guests, which were in
addition to the charges specified in the effective tariffs filed hy the tele 
phone companies supplying service to such hotels. After hearing, the
Commission concluded that it possesses jurisdiction with l'espet?t to
such charges by hotels, and by its order of December 10, 1943, dit'ected
the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and the Chesapeake & Po 
tomac Telephone Co. (D. C.) to filed tariffs showinR the eharges
collected by hotels or the eondition upon which telephone service is
furnished to hotels. On January 22, 1944, these companies filed tariffs
effective February 15, 1944, providing that telephone serviee is fur 
nished to hotels on the condition that use of the service by guests,
tenants, and others shall not be made subject to any charge in addition
to the toll charges set forth in the effective tariffs of the telephone
company. Similar tariffs were filed on behalf of all other companies
in the Bell system.
On February 14, 1944, the Hotel Association of 'Washington, D. C.,
instituted a suit pursuant to the provisions of section 402 (a) of the
Communications Act of 1934, to set aside the Commission's order of
December 10, 1943, which was dismissed by the court on June 6, 1945)
after the1iti~ationdiscussed below had been concluded in favor or
the CommiSSIOn.
On February 19, 1944, the Commission, having determined tbat
certain hotels in the District of Columbia were not complying with
the tariff provisions of the telephone companies effective February 15,
1944, relating to the making of charges in addition to those set forth
in the effective tariffs of the telephone companies, had a suit instituted
in tlie United States District Court for the District of Columhia pur 
suant to the provisions of section 401 (c) of the Commuuications Act
to enjoin violation ofsection,203 of the Communications Act. The dis 
trict court found the tariff prOliision involved to be valid and on June 8,
1944, issued an injunction against the defendant hotels prohibiting'
further violation of that tariff provision. On appeal by the defendant
hotels the action of the district court was upheld by the United States
Supreme Court in a decision affirming the holding below that the
tariff provision in question was a valid regulation of the use of tele 
phone service by subscribers and that departure therefrom constituted
a violation of the Communications Act. The Supreme Court held that
6 REPORT OF THE: FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
this conclusion clearly followed from provisions of the Communica 
tions Act vesting in the Commission a supervis07 authority over
"charges, practices, classifications, and regulations' connected with
interstate and foreign wire communication service and requiring that
provisions of the tariffs filed with the Commission governing such
service be "just and reasonable" (AmbaasadlJ1', 1M., et ol v. Vmted
States, decided May 21, 1945).
On February 23, 1944, and February 24, 1944, the United States, on
behalf of the Commission, instituted SImilar suits in the district courts
of the United States for the Southern District of New York and the
Northern District of Illinois, respectively, under section 401 (c) of the
Communications Act to enjoin violation of section 203 of that act by
certain hotels in New York City and Chicago and by the telephone car 
riers which furnish them service. In the New York case the court an 
nounced its decision on August 31, 1944, grauting the motion for iu 
junction (United States v. Ameman Telephone & Telegraph 00., et
al., 57 F. Supp. 451) which on appeal was upheld by the United States
Supreme Court in a per curiam decision on the authority of the pre 
viously decided case, discussed above, involving the Washington hotels,
(Hotel Astor, 1M., et al. v. Umted States, deCIded May 28,1945). In
the Chicago case an injunction against the hotels and telephone com 
panies involved was granted on June 9, 1945.
8. DOCKETS
The Commission heard 116 docket cases, of which 98 were broadcast,
17 common carrier, 1 hearing applicable to all services which was the
allocation proceeding; held 10 oral arguments, of which 5 were on
broadcast matters, 2 common carrier, 3 allocation proceedings. A total
of 380 motions, petitions and other pleadings were acted upon, of
which 304 were granted, 69 denied, 7 dismissed. Included in the total
of 380 motions, 352 were on braodcast matters (278 granted, 67 denied,
7 dismissed), 28 on telepbone and telegraph (26 granted, 2 denied).
9. INTERNATIONAL
Maintenance of complete records of all frequencies transmitted and
received by radio stations operating in the United States and its pos 
sessions was continued. These records assumed increased importance
because of the crowded spectrum and the unprecedented wartime
demand for frequencies by the armed forces. The Commission's
"Master Frequency List" was again revised and was used extensively in
connection with the frequency allocation hearing.
A complete course in telecommunications techniques was given one
engineer from Chile who was sponsored by the Commission. Shorter
courses were /!;iven three engineers from South American and Ouba
as holders of trade scholarships sponsored by the Inter-American
Training Administration of the Coordinator of Inter-American Af 
fairs. Twelve Chinese engineers sponsored by the Foreign Economic
Administration and the Office of War Information were given courses
concernin/!; the Commission's administrative practices and Standards
of Good Engineering Practice. A 1-year nonacademic program of
training in mdustry was prepared for six of the above Chinese
engineers.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 7
Treaty violations and interference Gases numbering approximately
~50were handled during the year, the more important GaseS being
presented diredly to the Department of State for transmission to
the respeGtive foreign administrations. Such action has resulted in
the elimination or alleviation of many serious problems of inter 
ferenGe and Gonsequently in the improvement of communiGations in the
United States. .
10. INTERDEPARTMENT RADIO ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee approved 3,631
new assignments and 635 deletions, bringing the number of assign 
ments reGommended by it sinGe its establishment to 40,363. Out 
standing assignments now total 34,040. During the year, 231 Ghanges
in assignments and 3,771 temporary assignments, whiGh are not in 
duded in the above figures, were made. A total of 8,739 appliGations
and requests were processed by the Gommittee during the year.
A proposed international frequency allocation table covering the
range from 10 kiloGydes to 30,000 megaGyGles was coordinated with the
alloGation table proposed by the Commission and this will be the basis
{)f the United States proposal at the next International Telecom 
munications Conference.
II. FREQUENCY ALLOCATION
To enable the radio art to take advantage of the important wartime
techniGal advances, to meet the greatly increased demands for the
use of radio and to faGilitate orderly planning for postwar develop 
ment, the Commission held ·Gomprehensive hearings during the fiscal
year for a Gomplete review of the spedrum. The proGeeding was
entitled "In the Matter of AlloGation of Frequencies to the Various
Classes of Non-Governmental ServiGes in the Radio Spedrum From
10 Kilocycles to 30,000,000 Kilocydes."
The hearings opened on September 28, 1944, pursuant to an order
issued August 15, 1944. The Commission sat en bane. The prelimi 
nary hearings lasted through November 2, 1944, for a total of 25 hear 
ing days. A total of 4,559 pages of testimony were taken, 543 exhibits
were received, 231 witnesses testified. Testimony at the Commis 
sion's hearings on the use of radio for railroads, September 13-18,
1944, was incorporated in the allocation hearing by reference.
Extensive Gooperation in preparing for the allocation hearing was
provided by the Radio Technical Planning Board, which was organ 
ized in September 1943, by a committee composed of the representa 
tives of the Radio Manufactm'ers Association and the Institute of
Radio Engineers. It was sponsored by nonprofit associations and
societies having an important interest in radio.
The Commission issued a proposed report on allocations from 25,000
to 30,000,000 kilocycles on January 15, 1945. Hearings on this pro 
posed report were held from February 28 to MarGh 3, inclusive, and
Qn March 12. In addition, closed hearings were held March 12 and
13, to Gonsider evidenGe classified as a military secret. A final report
on this section of the spectrum, was issued May 25, 1945, with the
exception of the portion from 44 to 108 megacycles, for which the
8 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Commission offered three alternative proposals concerning the posi 
tion of FM. Hearings were held on this latter section on June 22
and 23, and a report issued on June 27, 1945.
Salient points of the allocation above 25,000 kilocycles are discussed
in the various sections of this annual report dealing with the res('ec 
tive subjects. FM was located in the 88 to 10(; megacycle regron.
Commercial television was assigned 13 channels below 300 megacycles,
with the 480-920 band being assigned for experimental television.
Channels were allocated for a number of new services such as rail 
road radio, citizens radiocommunication service, rural telephone
service and industrial and medical service.
The new allocations were to become effective as soon as the Com 
mission could prepare regulations and standards of good engineering
practice and as soon as manpower and materials become available.
A report on the proposed allocation below 25,000 kilocycles was
issued on May 21, 1945.
CHAPTER II
Standard Broadcast
1. MATERIALS AND MANPOWER
2. PROPOSAL TO EXTEND BAND
3. NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL BROADCASTING AGREEMENT
4. CLEAR CHANNEL HEARING
5. MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP
6. SALES PRICES OF BROADCAST STATIONS
7. FINANCIAL DATA
8. STATISTICS
9
683380-46-2
[ Page 10 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
2. PROPOSAL TO.EXTEND BAND
CHAPTER II-STANDARD BROADCAST
1. MATERIALS AND MANPOWER
Due to the continuation of wartime restrictions on the use of equip 
ment, material, and manpower for the construction of new broadcast
stations, authorizations for new broadcast facilities have been confined
in general to 250-watt stations where the necessary equipment and
manpower have been shown to be available.
Several changes in Commission policy on authorizations were
ordereddurin~the fiscal year. .
The policy ill effect on July 1, 1944, permitted the installation of
stations where equipment and manpower were shown to be available
and War Production Board approval of the construction could be
obtained. A number of new stations were authorized under this policy
until December 1944 at which time, the War Production Board advised
that manpower was becoming increasingly scarce and that construction
should be restricted to those cases where the service would contribute to
the war effort. Accordingly, on January 16, 1945, the Commission
decided to restrict grants to localities not receiving primary broadcast
service from any existing stations. Changes in existing facilities were
permitted only ifsubstantial construction was not needed and the cost
was less than $500.
All applications on file on January 16, 1945, were automatically held
in status quo unless the applicant specifically requested immediate
consideration on the basis that the application met the requirements of
the new policy.
The Commission's proposed report on frequency allocation below
25,000 kilocycles issued on May 21, includes a plan to extend the low 
frequency end of the band so as to include 540 kilocycles. The addition
of 540 kilocycles to the standard broadcast band would open one new
channel for the use of st.....dard broadcast stations. The number of
stations that may be assigned to this new channel will be dependent on
the classification of the frequency as a clear, regional, or local channel.
The Canadian Government at present uses the new channel under spe 
cial arrangement for a 50-kilowatt station at Calgary, Alberta. Any
extensive use of the channel by the United States will require revision
of existing Treaties and Agreements with North American countries.
3. NORTH AMERICAN REGIONAL BROADCASTING AGREEMENT
The existing agreement with Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Newfoundland,
Haiti, San Domingo, and the Bahamas (North American Regional
Broadcasting Agreement) relative to joint use of frequencies in the
standard broadcast band expires in March of 1946 and efforts are being
made to extend the treaty for another year. Need for revision of the
11
12 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
agreement has become apparent, particularly with respect to clarifica 
tion of some of its requirements. In addition, changes will bere~
quested if 540 kilocycles is added to the standard broadcast band and
Commission rules governing dear channels are changed as a result of
the forthcorning clear channel hearing. The matter of extension and
possible alterations will be discussed at the Inter-American Conference
in September 1945.
4. CLEAR CHANNEL HEARING
A general public hearing to determine what changes, if any, should
be made in the present policies on allocation of clear channels in the
standard broadcast band, was ordered by the Commission on February
20,1945. The date was later fixed for January 14, 1946.
Commission studies have shown that there are still large areas in the
N alion which receive no radio service at all during the daytime hours
and no primary radio service at night. Moreover, the Commission has
received many applications for authority to use power in excess of
50,000 watts which is the maximum power now permitted a clear
channel station.
Committees composed of both industry and Government represen 
~ativesare now engaged in various studies in preparation for this hea1' 
mg.
5. MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP
Order No. 84A promulgating section 3.35 of the Rules and Regula 
tions effective on May 31, 1944, provided that no license shall be
granted for a standard broadcast station directly or indirectly owned,
operated or controlled by any person where such station renders or
will render primary service to asub~taI;ltialportion of the primary
service area of another broadcast station directly or indirectly owned"
operated or controlled by such person. Provision was made, however,
for exceptions .where the public interest, convenience, and necessity
would be served by such multiple ownership.
Since the effective date of this regulation the Commission has ap 
proved 19 applications fQr the severence of multiple ownership of
broadcast facilities. In addition, there were pending at the close of'
the fiscal year 5 applications which provide for the sale of facilities
to comply with this policy. Where a licensee is required to dispose
of facilitws to meet the terms of the regulltti,on, the Commission has
issued a certificate pursuant to section 112M of the InternalRevenue
Code, which affords the licensee an opportunity to treat the sale as an
involuntary conversion of property with a resulting effect on the gain
realized for income tax purposes.
6. SALES PRICES OF BROADCAST STATIONS
The profitability of broadcast operation and the wartime restric 
tions on the construction of new stations resulted in a sharp increase
in the sales prices of broadcast facilities. From an examination of'
applications for the sale of existing stations it became apparent to,
the Commission that licensees were selling their stations for amounts 
far in excess of the value of the physicalas~et~to betran~ferred.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 13
In letters to the Senate Interstate Commerce Committee, and the
House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, the Commission
called attention to this trend and requested congressional dIrection
as to the policy it should follow in passin/; on the sale of radio
stations where the sales prices are in excess of the going concern and
physical property values. In its letter the Commission pointed out:
The Congress has had before it proposals to limit the amount of consideration
to the value of the physical properties (of radio stations) traIisferred but no
provision of tbis character hns been adopted. The statute'.,does make clear
that the frequencies: are not in any way the property of the,Uce:ns~s.Tbe
Commission bas rejected and is nrevared to reject any transfer which on its
faee involves a consideration for~efrequency. The Commission, apparently
consistent with congressional policy, has approved transfers that involve goibg 
concern values, gOOd will, etc; T]]el'e'remtiins, however, a serions question "of
policy- and one on which the law isn-ot clear. as to whether the CommisBiQn
should a.pprove a transfer. whereip the amount of the consideration' is over
and beyond any amount which can' be l'easoul1bly allocated tophysicaJ valUes
plus going-concern arid good will. even thoUgh the written reeord does not itself
show an allocation of a sum tor the; frequency. Our concern in this regard is
heightened by the tremendously high prices which radio stations.are. com 
manding in the present state of the market. This is illustrated bytbe fact
tlbatone local station was sold for a·balf million dollars and sonie regional
stations are selling fol," a million or more.
It is the Commission's policy to disapprove of transfers~hich-obviOUSly
represent the ,activities of a promoter or broker. who is simplytl,lW-p.iring
licenses and trafficking inthem. Under the present state of the law. however,
it i-s Dot clear that the -Commission has either the duty· or the power to dis 
approve of atl'3nsf~merely because the price is inordinately high-even though
it may well be deduced that a substantial value is placed onthe,fl'equ~ncy.
In the absence of a clear congressional policy on this subject, we tl10Ugh best
to draw the matter to the attention of your own Committee and, the, a:6use
Committee on Interstate and ForeignCommerce. '
7. FINANCIAL DATA
All networks and station.,.-Four major and five regionalnetworks
and 875 standard broadcast stations in the United StatesIHawaii,
Alaska, and Puerto Rico reported net revenues from the sare'of time
amounting to $246,339,532 in 1944 as compared with $195,704,153
reported by 9 networks and .841 standard broadcast stations for the
previous year, or an increase of. 25cB7 percent. In addition, these
networks and stations received $28,959,079 in 1944 from the sale, of
talent and other incidental broadcast activities as <lOmpared with
$19,613,621 for the previousyear
1
an increase of 47.65 percent in this
class of revenue. After, qeducting operating expenses, and before
Federal income tax, these stations and networks reported' operating
income amountiug to $90,272,851 as compared with $66,475',586 for
the previous year, an increase of 35.80 percent.
The four major netw01'ks.-The four major network companies
(CBS), Atnerican (formery Blue), Mutual, and NBC) and their 10
key stations reported total revenues from the sale of time aggregating
$84,068,954 in 1944 as compared with $71,027,292 for 1943. .The net
revenues from the sale of time amounted to $63,656,085 'in' 1944 and
$54,479,894 in 1943 and these amounts plus revenues from the sale of
talent" etc., gave combined broadcast revenues of thes" PcetWorks and.
stations of $79,030,449 in 1944 as compared with $64,301,538 for th"
previous year; and broadcast income (revenues less expenses before
Federal income tax, and excluding net lossess from other than stand-
14 BEFORT OF TIlE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
'ard'broadcast operations amounting to $741,680 for 1944 and $351,092
for 1943) amounted to $20,283,746 for 1944 and $19,455,701 for 1943,
or an increase of 4.26 percent.
Average broadca8t income per 8tation.-In general, standard broad 
cast stations, reported a substantial improvement in the results of
operations for 1944. Excluding the 10 key stations, of major net 
works for which the reports did not include adequate segregations of
expenses between these stations and network operations, the average
broadcast income of clear channel stations with operating power of
50,000 watts, unlimited time, amounted to $496,247 per station in 1944,
or an ,increase of 24.01 percent over 1943, and such income reported
by the clear channel unlimited time stations with operating power of
5,000 to 20,000 watts averaged $129,534 per station, or an increase of
109.43 percent oVer the corresponding amount reported for 1943. The
a'veragebroadcast income reported by regional unlimited stations
amounted to $114,380 per statIOn in 1944 as compared with $79,784 in
1943, an increase of 43.36 percent. Local unlimited time stations re 
potted average broadcast income of $12,682 per station in 1943 and
$23,421 in 1944, showing an average increase of 84.68 percent. Broad 
cast income reported by local unlimited time stations afliliated with
major networks averaged $25,815 per station in 1944, or an increase of
70.86 percent over the average for 1943, while local unlimited time
stations not afliliated with a major network reported an average in 
Crease of 85.58 percent over 1943.
Stations t'eporting los8e8.-There were 41 of the 875 stations report 
ing losses (total broadcast expense in excess of total broadcast
revenues) in 1944 as compared with 94 of the 841 included in the
statistics for 1943. The average loss per station in 1944 was $3,764
while the average loss in 1943 amounted to $5,348. Only 27 of the
stations reporting losses in 1944 were affiliated with the major net 
works whlIethere were 42 in 1943.
, Stationsafliliated with major network8.-The total number of sta 
tions affiliated with major networks and included in the statistics for
1944 Was 689 and for 1943 was 604. The average broadcast income of
the 689 stations amounted to $94,004, an increase per station of 28.82
'percent OVer the average of $72,975 for the 604 stations in 1943.
t, Employe8 and compensation.-There were 34,281 persons employed
by the 4 major' and 5 regional networks and 875 standard broadcast
stations as of December 31, 1944, with a total pay roll for the year of
$99,773,425. For 1943 the 4 major and 5 reglOnal networks and 841
standard, broadcast· stations reported total pay roll of $82,171,023,
and 81;S06employes as of the end of the year. '
8. STATISTICS
As of June 30) 1945,Johe:e were 931 s,tandard stati,ms licensed and'24
under construction. JJurmg the year, 33 new statIOns were added, 2
Were deleted.
The Commission received 822 formal applications for new stations
and changes in exiting facilities, granted 418 ; received 704 applica 
tions for renewal of lIcenses, granted 1,064 renewals and extensions;
issued 214 special authorizations.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 15
New stations authorized
Call letters
KALL..._._.
KOMI _
KOOK
KCRA ...
KFLW .
KOAIL .
KNAK _
KNOE _
KPKW _
KSMA ._
KXOA _
WATT _
WBAC ._
WCMA _
WDAD _
WFEB _
WHGB _
WHNG _
WHTB. _
WJXN _
WKIX.__ ._._
WKWF.•_~__
WKVM _
WLAT_._.__
WLEE _
WMLT~__
WMSA _
WNEX _
WNHC~__ , __
WPAG ._
WPIK. _
WSSv _
WSTN _
Permittee and location
Power Frequency
Time designation
(watts) (ke)
Abrillia S. Hinckley, George C. Hatch, (» 910 Unlimited DA.
and Wilda Gene Hatch, a partnership,
dfba.~Salt Lake City Broadcasting Co.,
Salt Lake City. Utah.
Ricbard "V, JOY and Donald C, McBain. 250 )340 Unlimited.
dfb as Palm SprinJ;'S Broadcasting Co.,
Palm Sprinl1:S, Calif.
Herman Anderson, Tulare, Calif.._____ ...
Wl '240 Do.
Ewing C. Kelly, David R. 11 cKinley, and
250 1340 Do.
Vernon Ranson, dlb as Central Valleys
Broadcasting Co., Sacramento, Calif.
Do.Reraln Publishlnl"{ Co. of Klamath Falls, 250 1450
Klamath Falls, Oreg.
Albert E. Buck and 1\1erlCl H. Tucker, a
Wl '230
·Do.
partnership, dfb as Rio Grande Broad-
casting Co., GBUUD, N. Mex.
Do.Granite District Radio Broadcasting Co., 250 1400
BRit Lake City, Utah,
James A. Noe, Monroe. La_______ .... -._.
250 1450
Do.
Western Radio Corp., Pasco. Wash __ ._
250 1340 Do.
Hugh G. Shurtliff, Charles A. Shurtliff,
250 1450 Do.
Mareby Cardella (Della) Shurtliff, and
Cleo Agnes Center, Santa Maria, Calif.
Do.
Lincoln Dellar, Sacramento, CaUL. _______
250 1490
Midwestern Broadcasting Co., Cadillac,
250 '240 Do.
Mich.
Robert W. Rounsaville, CIClveland, Tenn.
250 1340
Do.
Corinth Brooocasting Co., Inc., Corinth,
250 '230
Do.
Miss.
Indiana Br()oocast, Inc., Indiana, Pa_..__ .
250 1450 Do.
Alabama Broadcasting Co., Inc., Byla-
250
1340 Do.
cauga, Ala.
Do.Herbert Kendrick and O. L. Hash, a 250 1400
partnership, dfb as Harrisburg Broad-
casting Co., Harrisburg, Pa.
D:r,lm'.
Henderson Radio Corp., Henderson. N. C.
250 890
Voice oj TaIloot\ga. Inc., Talladega, Ala___
Wl 1230
U tmited.
P. K. EWing,Jr., F. C. Ewing. a partner-
250 1490 Do.
sbip, dlb as Ewing Broadcasting Co.,
Jackson, Mis.".
Do.Inter-City AdvertJsJng Co., Columbia, Wl 1490
S. C.
John M. Spottswood, Key West, Fla______ .
500 '500
Do.
American Colonial Broadcasting Corp.,
250 1230
Do.
'\VestafArecloo, Puerto Rico.
Do.Loys Marsdon Hawley. Conway, S. C. ___
250 1490
Thomas Garland Tinsley, Jr., Richmond,
250 1450
Unlimited exceptwhen
V •. WBBIoperates.
George T. Morris, Wilmer D. wnler, and
250 1340
Unlimited.
J. Newton Thompson. d/h as Dublin
BroadcflSt.ing Co., Dublin, Oa.
Do.
Brockway Co., Massena, N. Y ____________ .
250 1340
:Macon Broadcasting Co., Macon, Ga__ .___
250 1<00 Do.
Elm City Brofldeasting Corp., New
250 1340 Do.
Raven, Conn.
WashtenawDroadcastln~Co., Inc., Ann 250 '050 Daytime.
Arbor, Mich.
Do.Potomac Broadcasting Corp., Ale"andrla,
250
730
V •.
Sout.hside Virginia Broadcasting Corp.,
250 1240
Unlimited.
Petersbufl!", Va.
Do.
Charles P. Blackley, Staunton, Va______._~
250 1<00
Stations deleted for flscal year ending June 80, 19.q5
Call1etters
KCRJ__ . __.~._
WFEB_•. _
1 Kilowatts.
Ora.n~eand location
Central Arizona Broadcasting Co.\ Jerome, Ariz. (licensee voluntarily
submitted license for cancellation . .
Alabama Broadcasting Co., Inc.• Sylacauga, Ala.. (C. P. only. Request
for extension ot time within which to meet procedural .reQuirement:! of
Commission Statement of Policy of JlUl. 26, 1944, denied Sept. 26, 1944
and application designated for hearing. Granted Dec. 12, 1944).
Date aide·
letion
Aug. 8, 1944
Sept. 26, 1944
[ Page 16 in the original document is intentionally blank J
CHAPTER III
Nonstandard Broadcast
1. GENERAL
2. FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) BROADCAST SERVICE
3. TELEVISION BROADCAST SERVICE
4. INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST SERVICE
5. NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCAST SERVICE
6. ST (STUDIO-TRANSMITTER) BROADCAST SERVICE
7. RELAY BROADCAST SERVICE
8. FACSIMILE BROADCAST SERVICE
9. DEVELOPMENTAL BROADCAST SERVICE
10. STATISTICS
17
[ Page 18 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER III-NONSTANDARD BROADCAST
1. GENERAL
Due to the continued wartime restrictions on manpower and mate 
rials, the construction of commercial frequency modulation (formerly
designated as high frequency broadcasting}, television, and facsimIle
broadcast stations has been negligible during the past fiscal year. The
authorization of new construction has been limited to those cases
where the applicant was pursuing a program of technical research
and developmont. Some additional construction has gone forward in
the international broadcast service employed for psychological war 
fare. Few new stations have been authorized in the remaining non 
standard broadcast services.
FM and television stations built before the outbreak of the war have
continued to furnish broadcast service. Many of these stations could
not be fully completed and have been licensed to operate with available
equipment until conditions permit the completion of constrnction.
Smce the manufacture of receiving sets was discontinued early in the
war, the extent of public participation in these new services has neces 
sarily been limited.
There has been increased planning for the postwar construction
of frequency modulation (both commercial and noncommercial educa 
. tional) and television broadcast stations. Many applications were
filed, although no action was taken on them under the wartime "freeze"
policy.
A number of experimental television and developmental broadcast
stations were authorized during the year for technical research and
development. Due to the relatIve newness of services in the portion
of the spectrum used in FMand television broadcasting, many technical
subjects need further study in order to provide the most efficient use
of these frequencies. Considerable progress has been made during
the year on such studies.
The frequency allocation provides the basis for postwar planning
of station construction, design of transmitting and receiving equip 
ment, and the basis for the adoption of rules and standards relating
to the allocation and operation of the various classes of broadcast sta 
tions in the high frequency portion of the spectrum.
2. FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) BROADCAST SERVICE
The only new FM station authorized during the :year was an existing
experimental station which was granted permissIOn to operate on a
commercial basis. As of June 30, 1945, 53 commercial FM broadcast
stations were authorized, 46 being licensed and in regular operation.
Although the Commission's rules provide for a minimum daily oper 
ating schedule of 6 hours per day (except Sunday), some stations are
furnishing a program service throughout the day and evening.
19
20 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
The large amount of interest in FM is indicated by the 429 applica 
tions for new stations on file at the end of the fiscal year and hundreds
of requests for information and application forms. Predictions by
witnesses at the allocation hearing indicated the possible establishment
of several thousand FM stations within a few years after the war,
or several times the number of standard broadcast stations now in
operation.
The choice of channel space for FM broadcasting was the subject of
a thorough review bv the Commission at the frequency allocation
hearing. For severaI'years there had been concern that FM broadcast 
ing in the vicinity of 50 megacycles would be subject to serious skywave
interference, nullifying to a great extent the possibilities of interfer 
ence-free reccption expected of FM. The Commission has been con 
ductiug a recording program for over Z years, measuring the extent
and intensity of skywave signals from existing FM stations; the data
collected during this program served to emphasize tr.e amount of
interference that would be expected when a large number of FM sta 
tions were installed and in operation in the vicinity of 50 megacycles.
There was divergence of opinion as to the expected amount and effect
of skywave interference in the future, some believing that the char 
acteristics of FM transmission and reception would serve to minimize
the deleterious effects of skywave transmission, and others believing
that the service would be severely degntded during summer seasons
and during timesof high sunspot activity. Following the allocation
hearing the Commission proposed to place FM in the vicinity of 100
megacycles. In order to obtain additional data relating to radio
wave propagation, a closed hearing was held on March 12 and 13,
194f>, since much of this material was classified. This hearing was at 
tended by the Commission, members of its staff, and inilustry and
broadcasting personnel who had been cleared by the military for the
purl'0se.
8mce it appeared at the time that the production of FM equip 
ment could not be resumed in 1945, or even in the first part of
1946 unless Japan capitulated, and since the Commission desired to
have as much information as possible before it prior to making a
decision about the F'M band, the Commission announced on May
25 that it would withhold the allocation for FM pending further
propagation measurements to be made during the summer of 1945.
Subsequently, however, the War Production Board advised the Com 
mission that the manufacture of FM, AM and television transmit 
ters and receivers might begin at an earlier date than was originally
indicated to the Commission, and that it would probably not be
possible for the War Production Board to give 90 days advance
notice to the Commission before the resumption of production. Ac 
cordingly, the Commission on June 5, 1945, ordered a further argu 
ment and hearing in order that a final decision might be reached
at the earliest possible date.
Many factors are involved in a decision of this natnre, including
ground wave coverage, skywave interference, transmitting and re 
ceiving equipUlent, present investment, and ot4ermatte~sof a minor
character. Based on the testimony and data before It, the Com 
mission was convinced that a superior Fl\i broadcast service would
bll furnished by operation in the vicinity of 100 megacycles and,
accordingly, on June 27, 1945, it allocated the band of 88 to 92 mega-
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 21
cycles for noncommercial educational FM broadcasting and the band
of 92 to 106 megacycles for commercial FM broadcasting. In ad 
dition, the band of 106 to 108 megacycles was allocated to facsimile,
with the provision that if in the future this band would not be
required for facsimile, it would be available for FM.
3. TELEVISION BROADCAST SERVICE
Throughout the fiscal year commercial television broadcast sta 
tions have also been subject to the freeze policy, and no new com 
mercial television broadcast stations were placed in operation. At
the close of the fiscal year six commercial and three experimental
television broadcast stations were furnishing· a television service.
Under wartime rules, commercial television broadcast stations need
operate only 4 hours per week, as compared to the 15 hours .a week
previously required.
Considerable interest was shown during the year in establishing
experimental television broadcast and relay stations for the purpose
of developinl;( television equipment and techniques, and 20 experi 
mental teleVIsion broadcast stations were authorized. Of the 47
experimlmtal television stations authorized at the end of the fiscal
year, approximately half are relay stations used for transmitting
television programs from the studio or from other points of pro 
gram origination to the television broadcast transmitter. Experi 
mentation began in the transmission of television programs over a
series of relay stations between ·Washington and Philadelphia, and
the satisfactory results obtained indicated that prospects are good
for future network television broadcasting on a large scale. City-.
to-city relaying of television material may, of course, also be car 
ried on by the use of coaxial cable, and it is likely that the postwar
period will employ both methods for network television.
While commercIal television constrnction has been restricted under
wartime freeze policies, applications have been accepted and at the
end of the fiscal year 118 applications for new stations were on file.
The great amount of interest in television broadcasting indicates
that dozens of cities and their surrounding areas will have television
broadcast service as soon as equipment can be constructed and
installed. .
Much testimony was presented during the frequency allocation
hearing concerning the prospects of postwar television. Considerable
controversy arose as to whether television should proceed with pres 
ent channel widths in the portion of the spectrum now employed
for televisionbroadcastin~or whether emphasis should be placed
on television experimentatIOn and operation in the higher bands
where wider channels are available for pictures having greater de 
tail and color. While the higher frequencies offer the only oppor 
tunity for a large number of channels of sufficient width to provide
this form of television service, insufficient information appeared to
be available upon which to guarantee the lrompt establishment of.
television broadcasting in this portion 0 the spectrum. It ap 
peared that it would be some time before transmItting and receiv 
ing equipment would be adequately developed and standards could
be adopted for the establishment of television broadcasting in the
upper frequency range. The Commission, therefore, provided as
22 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
many 6-megacycle channels as possible, (13) between 44 and 216 mega 
cycles for immediate postwar television broadcasting; in addition,
the band from 480 to 920 megacycles was provided for experimental
television broadcasting, lookmg toward the fntnre establishment of
a superior television service in this range.
4. INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST SERVICE
During the past fiscal year, the installation of new international
broadcast stations in the United States has been completed in ac 
cordance with' plans made at the beginning of the war to provide
expanded facilities for the needs of psychological warfare. A total
of 36 international broadcast stations, including five 200-kilowatt
transmitters, are now operating. At the close of the European war
the emphasis was shifted to west coast operations, where 10 trans 
mitters licensed to international broadcast licensees and 6 transmitters
leased from point-to-point companies, as well as 1 transmitter in
Hawaii, were employed to concentrate programs on Japan and Jap 
anese-held areas on a round-the-clock schedule. Meanwhile, on the
east coast 26 transmitters continued to operate on somewhat reduced
schedules with programs for Europe, Africa, and Central and South
America, with the emphasis shifted from psychological warfare to
troop entertainment and news. All international broadcast stations
continue to be programmed and operated under the direction of the
Office of War Information and the Office of Inter-American Affairs.
During the latter part of the fiscal year several conferences were
held with representatives of the Office of War Information, the Office
_of Inter-American Affairs, the State Department, and licensees of
international broadcast stations concernmg the postwar status of
international broadcasting. No policy has as yet been formulate(! con 
cerning this matter.
5. NONCOMMERCIAL EDUCATIONAL BROADCAST SERVICE
This service was established in 1938 to provide a service for organ 
ized nonprofit educational agencies to advance their educational work
by transmitting programs to schools in an edncational system as well
as educational and entertainment programs to the public. At the end
of the fiscal year 6 such stations were in regular operation, constI'uction
permits for 6 others were outstanding, and 22 applications for new
stations were on file. Although the authorization of new stations in
this service has not been restricted, the severe limitations on equipment
and personnel have not permitted much progress in this service during
the war. •
A great deal of testimony was presented at the frequency allocation
hearing indicating the expected rapid postwar development of FM
broadcasting by educational institutions. Witnesses stressed the need
for an adequate number of channels to provide facilities for the many,
educational stations being planned, including State-wide networks
of educational stations in many States.
The Commission has provided for this expected growth by allocat 
ing 20 FM channels in the band 88 to 92 megacycles, adjacent to the
commercial FM band of 92 to 108 megacycles. FM receivers will in 
clude both bands. enabling noncommercial educational FM to grow
with commercial FM, both services being available to the public.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 23
6. ST (STUDIO-TRANSMITTER) BROADCAST SERVICE
ST broadcast stations are used to provide program circuits between
the studio and transmitter of FM and international broadcast stations.
Radio circuits of this type are particularly desirable where the main
transmitter is located on a mountain top or other isolated places and
where it would be difficult to install and maintain adequate wire cir 
cuits having high fidelity and low noise level characteristics and at
the same time be relatively free from failure due to sleet storms and
other maiutenance problems. Although only a few ST broadcast sta 
tions are in operation, these furnish satisfactory service with a mini 
mum of interruptions. No additional ST broadcast stations were
authorized during the fiscal year, but it is probable that many will
be installed as SOOn as the constmction of new FM broadcast statiolls
is resumed. Largely the result of wartime research and development,
higher frequencies than those now employed for ST broadcasting
(330 to 344 megacycles) appear desirable for this purpose and, ac 
cordingly, the Commission has provided a band from 940 to 960 mega 
cycles for this service. In addition, higher frequency bands allocated
for fixed and mobile services will be available for experimentation in
the ST broadcast service, aud certain television chaunels may also be
used on the basis of no interference to television operation.
7. RELAY BROADCAST SERVICE
In connection with standard and other classes of broadcast stations,
relay broadcast stations are used for the purpose of transmitting pro 
gram marerial to the main station when wire circuits are not available.
In addition, relay broadcast stations may be used for emergency pro 
gram circuits between tbe studio and transmitter of broadcast statIons
during failures of regular wire circuits. Various factors during the
war have resulred in the limired use of relay broadcast equipment but it
is expecred that in the future the use of these stations will again
expand.
Construction of these stations during the past fiscal year has been
autborized where it was shown that the required materials were avail 
able witbout priority and that a need for the service existed. During
the year 23 construction permits were granted, and the total number of
stations authorized as of June 30,1945, was 560.
Some changes in frequency allocations for relay broadcast stations
were announced by the Commission following the allocation hearing.
8. FACSIMILE BROADCAST SERVICE
Experimentation in facsimile broadcasting has been continued on a
limited scale during the past fiscal year by the three stations authorized
in this service. However, considerable interest has been shown in fac 
simile, and two construction permits for facsimile experimentation
were granted during the year.
During the frequency allocation hearing a number of witnesses testi 
fied to the expected importance of facsimile broadcasting during the
postwar period, indicating that transmission speed has increased con 
siderably and that fidelity of reproduction has been improved. There
was testimony to the effect that facsimile broadcasting would be an
24 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
important service to the public and that atieqQ&te frequencies should be
provide for this purpose.
The Commission has provided a band of 2 megacycles (106 to 108
megacycles) adjacent to the FM band and the band 460 to 470 mega 
cycles for facsimile broadcasting. In the event that the 106- to 108 
megacycle band will not be required for this service in the future, this
band will be available for assignment to FM broadcast stations, and
FM receiver manufacturers have been encouraged to include the entire
band of 88 to 108 megacycles iu their receivers.
Should multiplex transmission of souud aud facsimile on the same
FM broadcast channel prove to be entirely feasible without degrading
the sound service with receivers used by the public, such multiplex
operation may be authorized. In addition, the Commission has an 
nounced that it will authorize FM broadcast stations to transmit
simplex facsimile over their FM broadcast transmitters during periods
not required for sound broadcasting.
9. DEVELOPMENTAL BROADCAST SERVICE
Developmental broadcast stations are authorized for the purpose of
conducting research, development, and experimentation relating to
broadcast equipment and techniques when such work requires the use of
radiation. The past fiscal year has seen a great amount of interest
develop in this service, and the number of stations authorized has
increased during the year from 4 to 27. The accelerated interest in
broadcasting in the high frequency portion of the spectrum·has, of
course, been reflected in this service, and many licensees are conducting
programs of research relating to the development of equipment and
the measurement of signal intensities and service areas in high fre 
quency broadcasting. The research programs conducted by licensees
of developmental broadcast statious have in the past contributed mate 
rially to the development of high standards in broadcast equipment,
and it is expe.cted that the same result will follow from many of the
problems now being investigated.
10. STATISTICS
Number of stations in the nonstandard broadcast service for fiscal year ending
Jll,ne 30, 1945
Class of station
Hlgh·frequency broadcast (Exp.) __~_
High.frequency broadcast (Temp. class II Exp.)_
High-frequency broadcast (FM) _
Low-frequency relay . . __
Bigh·frequency relay • _
Television (Exp.) " _
Television (Commerclal)_, _
InternationaL_ _ _
DevelopmentaL _
ST (Studio-Transmitter)~._._
Facsimile .._. _
Noncommercial educationaL _
Class II (Exp.) _
TotaL ' _
Licenses or
As of June
New
CP's sur- As of June
.30,1944 renderodor 30,1945
abandoned
----
3 0 2 1
3 0 2 1
52 1 0 53
254 16 9 261
292 7 0 29ll
ZI 20 0 47
9 0 0 9
37 1 0 38
,
23 0 27
• 8 0 0 • 8
3 0 0 3
8
,
0 12
10: I
0 0 1
72 13 760
I Includes 3 confidential stations.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 25
Nonstandard broadcast applications
Service
Relay broadcasL . _
International broadcast._
Television broadcast (Commercial) ..
Television broadcast (Exp.) _
Facsimile broadcast.. ._
High·frequency broadcast (Exp.) , _
High-frequency broadcast (FM) _ _
Hlgb·freQuency broadcast ('I'smp. class II Exp.)
Noncommercial educational broadcast.._
Developmental broadcast. _
ST (Studio-Transmitter) broadcast._
Class II broadcast (Exp.) ._ _ _
TotaL _
-'683380-46--3
AppHca- Authoriza- Special
tions Hons authoriza·
receiVl.'d issued tions
113 105
.,
28 18 28
97
•
17
92 Il3 87
0 0 0
1 0 21
325 14 22
5 0 1
42 10 0
52 34 11
2 2 1
0 0 0
757 252
.,.
[ Page 26 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER IV
Common Carriers
1. TELEPHONE (WIRE AND RAmO)
2. TELEGRAPH (WIRE, CABLE, AND RAmO)
(8) DOMESTIC
(b) INTERNAtIONAL
27
[ Page 28 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER IV-COMMON CARRIERS
1. TELEPHONE (WIRE AND RADIO)
SERVICE AND FACILITIES
Oonstruction Of wire faoilities.-The year showed a marked in 
crease in construction activity. As materials were released from
military use, the industry expanded its construction activities to
meet the constantly growing demands for toll service. Two hundred
and twenty applications were received for supplementing existing
facilities of which 199 involved construction projects ranging up to
$9,480,000, 2 covered leasing, 8 purchases. Two hundred and ten
applications were approved, including 26 filed during the 1944 fiscal
year. The estimated total construction cost was $70,091,140, an
increase of $60,508,901 over the preceding fiscal year.
Wire telephone applications for construction approved by the Oommission from
July 1, 19,'i.q. to June 30, 1945
I
Number Estimated
Route
Miles of Miles of
Period of appli- construction
miles oC
coaxial open wire
cations cost
cable
units placed
placed
--
July 1, 19.34 to June 30, 1930________
----- 7 $1,145,851 234.3 189 0
July 1,1935 to June 30, 1936______________
15 275,625
"
0 475
July 1, 1936 to June 30,1937______________
50 5, 551, 702 206 0 17,045
July 1, 1937 to June 30, 1938______________
.. 3,931,000 400 0 1,212
July 1, 1938 to June 30, 1939______________
45 6, 960,123 IJ4Jl 780 1,967
July I, 1939 to June 30,1940______________
72 9,070,952 ],209.2 168 3,501
July 1, 1940 to June 30, 194L_____________
137 38, 3UI, 399 5,263 0 15, 521
July 1,1941 to June 30, 1942______________
16. 45,046,250 5,099.7 1,790 34, 083
July 1, 1942 to June 30, 1943 ______________
48 8,683,627 418 0 4,001
July I, 1943 to June 30, 1944______________
121 9,582,239 574.8 0 7,968
July 1, 1944 to June 30, 194.5______________
210 70,091,140 2,378.3 7,902 2,963
TotaL____________________________
91. 198,647,908 16,552.3 10,829 89,736
Fourteen applications involving construction cost estimated at
$17,576,215 were received during the year which were still pending
before the Commission at the close of the year.
Approximately 1,700,000 miles of toll message channels were added
to the Bell system facilities-an increase of 18.5 percent over the total
miles in service at the beginning of the year. Of this increase 85
percent resulted from the use of carrier systems.
,The use of the EB emergency type of carrier channels continues
to grow. Of the 1,700,000 total channel mile increase, about 500,000
miles were of the EB type.
Planned wire projeots.-In our tenth annual report, reference was
made to the American Telephone & Telegraph Go.'s program for
installing 6,000 to 7,000 route miles of coaxial facilities during the
next 5 or 6 years. During the year under report, the Commission
authorized the construction of 1,112 route miles of this type of cable
29
30 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
carrying 7,902 coaxial unit miles and involving an estimated expendi 
tnre of $20,286,000. Coaxial units are designed for the transmission
of. high frequencies suitable for both telephone and television trans 
mISSIon.
Volume and speed of toll service.-The clemand for telephone toll
service continnes to grow to new peak levels. During the year 730, 
000,000 toll board calls were handled by the Bell system and 621, 
000,000 short haul calls were handled through Bell operated boards
other than toll boards. These figures represent increases over the
preceding year of 11 and ;l percent, respectively. Traffic of the long
lines department of the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. in 
creased from 175,000,000 to 196,000,00 calls-an increase of 12
percent.
The average time required to complete toll board calls in June
1945 was 3.4 minutes-an increase of 0.1 minute when compared with
a year ago.
Abandonments.--Three applications were tiled pursuant to section
214 of the Communications Act requesting authority to discontinue
toll service to three towns on the 'Vestern Union telephone network.
Authority in each of these casps Was granted by the Commission,
since adequate telephone toll service is provided by the Bell system
to these points.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Board of 'Val' Communications
Order No. 10, the Commission has been notified of the closing of 1
small rural exchange, 10 telephone toll stations, 166 telephone toll
stations with telegraph listings, and the removal of 7,620 miles of cop 
per wire, 874 miles of iron wire, 231 miles of steel wire, 31 miles of cable
and 459 miles of poles. Except in the case of the small rural exchange
serving a very few subscribers, these ahandonments have not affected
service and result mainly from the substitution of cable for aerial wire
rontes and the involuntary removal of telephone stations. The ma 
terials salvaged, particularly copper, as a result of these operations,
are available for future construction, thus supplementing the nation's
stockpile of critical materials.
Interstate and foreign telephone toll service at Maryville, Mo., and
surrounding rum areas.-On February 20, 1945, the Commission issued
an order instituting an investigation to determine whether adequate
and comprehensive telephone service was available to persons residing
at Maryville, Mo., and its surrounding rural areas. This action was
taken by the Commission because it appeared that the subscribers of
the People's Telephone Exchange, Inc., which operated a telephone ex 
change serving Maryville and its surrounding areas, had no interstate
and foreign telephone service except to certain nearby communities
in Iowa. It further appeared that the Hanamo Telephone Co., which
also operated a telephone exchange in Maryville, connected with the
lines of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. by' means of which inter 
state and foreign telephone toll service was avallable to its subscribers;
and that the Peoples Telephone Exchange requested both Hanamo and
Southwestern Bell to establish a connection with its facilities, but that
such relluests were refused. Accordingly, the Commission's order also
directed Southwestern Bell and Hanamo to show cause why the Com 
mission should not order each or either of them, pursuant to section
201 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to establish a
physical connection of their facilities with those of the, Peoples Tele-
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 31
phone Exchange, and also directcd Southwestern Bell to show cause
why the Commission should not order it, pursuant to section 214 of
the Communications Act, to extend its lines to connect with the fa 
cilities of the Peoples Telephone Exchange.
The proceedings in this matter are pending further action by the
Commission, it appearing that since the Commission's order of in 
vestigation was issued, the Hanamo and Peoples companies have been
consolidated into the Nodaway Telephone Co., and that interstate and
foreign telephone toll service is now available to all subscribers of both
companies. It appears that physical consolidation of the two exchanges
will be accomphshed in the near future.
D07nestic radiotelephone services.-New developments in the radio 
communications art have indicated the apparent feasibility of ex 
tending common carrier communications service via radio, to all types
of mobile vehicles on land, the sea, and in the air. This m"!'tns tllRt
the mobile common carrier radio services heretofore limited exclusively
in operation £01' communications between waterborne vessels and shore
connections will probably be extended to passengers in airborne craft
as well as to persons in automobiles, .trains, busses, and other vehicles
where wire communication is not feasible. Great public interest has
already been evinced in this service by such groups as doctors, delivery
services, truck and bus carrierorganizations, taxicabs, etc. Many Bell
system companies, serving some of the principal cities of this country,
have filed applications for experimental anthorization to inaugurate
this service.
The wartime developments in the art have also opened the way to a
great extension in the field of radio relays. Thesedevelopment~look
to the installation of radio relay telephone circuits which will further
extend and enhance existing radio telephone and wire networks help 
ing to make available radio telephone service to rural or isolated areas
where snch service was not before feasible. A further major develop 
ment along this line relates to the experimentation being conducted
with a view to the use of these circuits for the transmission of both
aural and visual program material, aircraft and ship position report 
ing service, etc. During the fiscal year, experimental authorizations
for the construction of stations of this type were granted to American
Telephone &Tele~raphCo., International Business Machines Corp.,
General Electric vo., Raytheon Manufacturing Co.
Fixed publio and marine services in Alaska.-During the fiscal year,
781 apphcations relating to the operation of both telephone and tele 
graph common carrier stations III Alaska were "ranted. Included
among these were 49 authorizations for new facilities, bringing the
total count of Alaskan common carrier stations to 648.
IntB1"1ULtional radiotelephone circuits.-A new circuit was established
between the United States and Quito, Ecuador during the United
Nations Conference, and a new circuit was also opened between San
Francisco and Khabarovsk, USSR, to snpplement the existing New
York-Moscow circuit. During the fiscal year the New York-Rome
radiotelephone circuit was re-established, with Ita1cable operating the
foreign terminal. Construction of facilities for a circuit between San
Juan, P. R., and St. Thomas, V. 1., was authorized but as of June 30,
1945, the circuit had not yet been opened to the public. Radiotelephone
tests which were conducted with Afghanistan indicated that a circuit
with such country could not be operated on a satisfactory basis until
32 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
more efficient equipment is installed at the foreign terminal. Similarly
the establishment of a new direct circuit to China is contingent upon
the installation of new equipment at the Chinese terminal. During
the fiscal year, a number of so-called cue channels used for controlling
program transmission, were established on a temporary basis by the
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and by certain of the radio 
telegraph carriers.
As a result of the end of the war in Europe, the Board. of ""Var Com 
munications on May 10, 1945, canceled all of its orders restricting
public radiotelephone service and the Office of Censorship undertook
to formulate the necessary rules relating to the censorship on all of
this service.
During the fiscal year 81 applications were received for point-to 
point telephone service and 82 authorizations were issued. As of June
30, 1945, there were 16 licensed radiotelephone stations (including 3
domestic stations used for short distance toll telephone service within
the United States).
RATES AND TARIFFS
Rate reductions-American Telephone &, Telegraph 00. long lines
department, and AS80ciated Bell system companies.-Following ne 
gotiations by the Commission with the American Telephone & Tele 
graph Co. the Bell system agreed to effect an annual reduction in rates
for long distance interstate telephone service anywhere in the United
States beyond the distance of 790 miles and for foreign long distance
telephone servicc beyond 810 miles between points in the United States
and points in Canada, effective July 1, 1945. It is estimated that such
reduced rates will save USers of long distance telephone service ap 
proximately $21,000,000 a year. Individual reductions range from
10 to 37 percent, varying with distance and type of service. Coast-to 
coast daytime station-to-station calls are reduced from $4 to $2.50
by reason of this reduction. When the Commission was created in
1934, the rate for a coast-to-coast caU was $10.25. The Commission has
been successful in obtaining- subsequent reductions in this rate as
follows: 1936, $8.50; 1937, $7.25; 1940, $4.
Special telephone charge8 of hotels, apartment houses, and cluDS on
interstate and foreign communications.-The United States Supreme
Court on May 21, 1945, afflrmed the decision of the Federal district
court in Washington, D. C., enjoining various hotels in that city from
continuing to collect surcharges on mterstate and foreign telephone
toll calls. This injunction was to enforce a provision included in
message toll telephone tariffs filed by the Chesapeake & Potomac Tele 
phone Co. (Washington, D. C.) with this Commission, effective Feb 
ruary 5, 1944, providing that "message toll telephone service is
furmshed to hotels, apartment houses, and clubs upon the condition
that use of the service by guests, tenants, members, 01' others shall
not be made subject to any charge by any hotel, apartment house, or
club in addition to the message toll charges of the telephone company,
as set forth in this tariff." Identical tariff provisions had also been
filed by the other Bell system telephone companies. The Supreme
Court held that under the Commumcations Act of 1934, as amended,
the tariff provision in question was a valid regulation of the use of
telephone service; that a departure from this regulation was a viola-
REPOH'r m' THE FEDEHAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 33
tion of the Conlffiunications Act; and that a prosecution of an action
to restrain such violation was authorized.
The Supreme Court, on~fay28, 1945, in a per curiam opinion, also
affirmed a decision of the Foderal district court in New York, N. Y.,
enjoining various hotels in that city from c01ltinuing to collect sur 
charges on interstate and foreie..l\l telephone toll ellls in violation of
a tariff regulation of the New York Telephoue Co. like tile above 
quoted regulation of the Chesapeake company. In this case, the New
York Telephone Co. and the American Telephone"" Telegraph Co.
were also enjoined rrOln :furnishing interstate and foreign long dis 
tance telephone service to snch of the defendant hotels as continued
to violate the tariff regulation in question. On June 8, W45, an in 
junction was granted by the Federal district court in Chicago, Ill.,
enjoining the collection of surcharges byvul'ious hotels in that, city
and enjoining the Illinois Bell Telephone Co. and the American Tele 
phone"" Telegraph Co. from giving interstate foreign toll service to
any defendant hotel which continued to collect surcharges iu violation
of the tariff provision in question.
These enforcement proceedings were instituted by the Attorney Gen 
eral at the CommissIOn's request, to enforce the tariff provision in
question. (See Pl'. 5-6 for further discussion of the Supreme Court
and the district court decisions.) .
Complaints have been filed with the Commission by certain hotel
associations against the Bell system telephone companies attacking the
reasonableness of the tariff prohibition against collection of sur 
charges. At the request of the cOlnplainullts, however, the hearings
on these complaints have been postponed indefinitely.
Itis estimated that elimination of these hotel surcharges will result
in a saving to the users of the service of approximat.ely $2.000,000
annually.
Reductions in rates faT oveTseas l1w88age toll and progrlJJJn transmis 
sion 8e1'vice8.-In the Commission's annual report for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1944, it was indicated that the American Telephone ""
Telegraph Co. had filed amended tariffs to become effective August 1,
194'[, reducing the 3-minute week-day an,l Sunday rates for Overseas
message toll telephone service between the United States on the one
hand and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Haiti, and Puerto
Rico, on the othel' hand, and that rates for overseas program transmis 
sion channels would be redneed hetween the United States and the
countries named, except Puerto Rico.
Following these changes the rates for overseas message toll service
were SUbstantially reduced between the United States and COSb1 Rica,
Curacao, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Surinam on
September 1, 1944; to and from Bahama Islands, Jamaica, and Hawaii
on November 1, 1944; Bermuda on December 1, 1944; Trinidad on
February 1,1945; and Great Britain on June 23,1945. The charge for
a three-minute telephone call between New York City and London is
now $12 as compared with the former week-day rate of $21-
On May 1, 1945, reduced rates -for night message toll service were
established to and from Brazil. The charges for program tra:llsmis_
sian channels are based on the message toll telephone rates and con 
current reductions followed for this service. Prior to the close of the
year the company had filedamende~tariff schedules redueing the rates
for message toll llnd program serVlCes between the United States on
34 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
the one hand and Switzerland and Italy on the other hand. It had also
reported the progress of negotiations tending toward lower rates to
Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Holland, Norway, Paraguay,
Portugal, Russia, and Uruguay.
Effective August 4, 1944, Press 'Wireless, Inc., established rates and
regulations for "Leased Radiotelephone Service." This service per 
mits a customer to select the frequencies desired by means of remote 
control apparatus on his premises.
Effective Angust 26, 1\)14, Press 'Virelcss, Inc., established rates for
voice scheduled transmission service. This serviee permits for the first
time the transmission of multiple address press messages by voice.
On Septembcr 24, 1944, Prcss 'Wirelcss, Inc., established point-to 
point addressed program transmission service between New York and
the liberated area of Belgium and the occupicd area of Germany, and
on November 15, 1944, to and from the Philippines.
Effective November 21, 194·1, the Public Utilities California Corp.
reduced rates Tor both interstate and intrastate message toll telephone
serv!(~c,the total annual savings to users being approximately $8,500.
Effective December 20,1944, the Lorain County Radio Corp. discon 
tinued report charges in connection with ship telephone service on the
Great Lakes.
Effective January 1, 1945, as a re,sult of the purchase of the Bridge 
port Telephone & Telegraph Co. (Calif.) by the Interstate Telegraph
Co., a reduction was made in rates lor message toll telephone service.
Effedive January 18, 1945, R. C. A. Communications, Inc., estab 
Jished rates for program transmission and reception service between
New York and France.
Effective March 4, 1945, R. C. A. Communications, Inc., established
rates for monthly program transmission service between New York,
N. Y., awl Buenos Aires, Ar:rentina.
Effective March 13, 1945, the Bell Telephone Co. of Pennsylvania,
the Diamond State Telephone Co. and the New Jersey Bell Telephone
Co. discontinued the so-called "qualified toll line service." Under this
service a lO-eent additional charge was a.pplicable on message toll
cans between certain exchanges in New Jersey and certain exchanges
in Delaware and PennsylvanIa. .
Effective April 15, 1945, the American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
reduced the rates for monthly program transmission service between
New York and London, resulting in a savings of approximately
$150.000 annually.
Effective May 7, 1945, R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced the
rates for program transmission service between the United States
and Ecuador.
On .June 12, 1945, the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. filed
amended tariff schedules effective on Jnly 15, 1945, establishing rates
and regulations for ship telephone service through its new coastal
harbor station at Eureka. Calif.
On June 29, 1945, the New England Telephone & Telegraph Co.
filed amended tariff schedules, effective Augnst 1, 1945, reducing the
landline charges in connection with ship telephone service through
its coastal harbor radiotelephone station at Boston, Mass.
Bell sy8tent Ucen8e 8er1Jice contract8.-The Commission, acting: in
close cooperation wit.h the committee designated by the National
Association of Railroad and Utilities Commissioners, is continuing
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 35
its investigation of services performed by the American Telephone &
Telegraph Co. for the Bell system associated companies and the Amer 
ican Telephone & Telegraph's long lines department, allegedil in
fulfillment of the obligations imposed by the "license contract' be 
tween the American company and the 21 assoCIated operating tele 
phone companies. Studiesare being conducted which include analyses
of services rendered, the cost incurred in performing such services, and
the reasonableness of the methods used in allocating such costs among
the operating companies, including the long lines department.
Divi,r.;10Tt of revenue co'ntTacts between Anterican Telephone & Tele 
graph 00. and the "',"ociated companie8.-During 1944 and 1945 the
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. entered into new contracts
with most of the associated companies for the division of revenues
from interstate telephone toll service on hauls of more than 40 air 
line miles. Under these contracts the long lines department and the
associatJ~(l~{)mpanyagreed to divide net operating income from this
business (before Federal income taxes) on the basis of the relative
book cost of plant contribnted by each of the contracting companies.
The procedures for separations conform substantially to those con 
sidCI'ed at the public hearings. The results of operations under the
new contract are being carefully studied.
Rate sched'u.les.-At the close of the year, 345 communication
carriers had turiffs an(1 concUrrences on file with the Commission.
Numerous irregu]al'i6es ill the rate schedules were corrected or
eliminated through correspondence with the carriers.
Special pe}'Jni88ion.-During the year, 43 applications for special
permission to make changes in the tariffs or to file tariffs to become
effective on less than statutory notice were received from telephone
carriers, all of which ,,'ere granted. .
SUPERVISION OF ACCOUNTS
New York Telephone 00. aceounting.-On January 2, 1945, a
three-judge district court, upon complaint by the New York Tele 
phone Co., permanently enjoined and set aside the Commission's order
of December 14, 1943, directing the New York Telephone Co. to
charge $4,166,510.57 to its appropriate surplus accounts, which
amount, after investigation and hearings by the Commission, was
found to represent an inflationary write-up in the company's plant
accounts. In a proceeding described in the last annual report of the
Commission, the Commission had found that such write-up resulted
from certain transfers of property to the New York Telephone Co.
by its parent company, the American Telephone & Telegraph Co.,
at "prices" in excess of the net book cost to the parent company. This
case is now pending before the United States Supreme Court. (For
further discussion of the district court's decision see p. 4.)
Uniform. systmn of accounts.-Several amendments were made to
the uniform system of accounts prescribed by the Commission.
These amendments, simplified the accounting requirements without
sacrifice of records of essential accounting information. Among these
amendments, for example, were provisions for direct credits to the
telephone plant accounts of amounts representing property con 
tributed to telephone carriers and the concurrent elimination of the
liability account for such contributions. This change in accounting
procedure simplifies the utilization of the accounts in rate case..,;;;.
36 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Some progress was made toward a general revision of the uniform
system of accounts for class A and class 13 telephone companies, pre 
scribed by the Commission on June lfI, 1935. Changes in the com 
lnunications art and in the nature of the operations of the carriers
as well as advancement:::; in the science ofacconnting~particularly
those that tend to make the books of account more informative. lead
to the natural outmoding of many of the requirements of a uHlform
system of accounts and lead to the need for a comprehensive revision
of such a system. .
Original cost 1'estatements a1uZ disposition of plant acquisition ad 
justme-nts.-Efforts were cOlltinned toward appropriate adjustment
of carriers' accounts reflecting amounts, reported as valid cost of conl 
municating plant, in excess of prescribed original cost. Such amounts
included in plant acquisition adjustment accounts were reduced
during this year to the extent of approximately $.3,000,000. In certain
instances amounts were disposed of immediately through charges to
income or surplus; in others the Comnlission approved amortization,
through charges to income or surplus,over periods ranging up to
15 years. These reductions ,vere accomplished wit.hout resort to
formal proceedings. Reductions in larger amounts are expected to
be effected in the future.
Oontinuing property records.-The date for completion of con 
tinuinl( property records has been extended from June 30, 1945, to
June 30, 1946. Requirements of the uniform system of Ilccounts
with respect to the plllns for the installation Ilnd mllintenance of
continuing property records have been the subject of conferences
among representatives of this Commission and those of State com 
missions Ilnd the carriers. The carriers have substantilllly complied
with such requirements. .
Pacific 00a8t restatement8.-As a result of further studies by the
Commission and exchanges of views with the West Coast Telephone
Co. and the State commissions of Oregon and IVashington, the re 
corded investment of the telephone company was reduced by
approximately $1,800,000 .
Depreciation.-Further studies were pursued regarding the changes
in, and the property of, the depreciation rates of common carriers
by wire and radio, in view of the vital importance of this work to
the regulatory duties of the Commission with respect to rates and
charges.
Relief and pensions.-A study was made of the proposed revision
by the Bell system telephone companies of their actuarial computa 
tions and the resultant payments into their pension-trust funds, the
revision being necessitated by the alleged increase in wage and salary
scales. Certain studies were made with respect to the propriety of
the methods used by certain carriers to determine the adequacy of
the pension-trust funds. Consideration was given to the matter of
charging current operating expenses with the cost of pensions based
on service prior to the adoption of the pension plan. Other studies
were also made of the data which were submitted by communication
carriers regarding their pension plans.
Pe'fIJTI.8Ylvania Telephone Oorp. accownting.-On February 16, 1944,
the Commission ordered a general investigation into the accounting
performed, and the accounts, records, and memoranda kept by the
Pennsylvania Telephone Corp. with respect to all entries made in its
REPOR1' OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 37
account 100.4 "Plant Acquisition Adjustment," and further ordered
that all charges to operating expenses which were made on or after
January 1. 1943, for the purpose of amortizing the amounts in said
account 100.4 be suspended, pending determination by the Commis 
sion as to the reasonableness and propriety of such charges. The
company was also ordered to appear and show cau:::e ,vhy the Com 
mission should not refer the matter of certain apparent accounting
violations to the Attornev General of the United States fOl' the insti 
tution of appropriate proceedings. These violations involved the
practice of making charges to operating expense to amortize amounts
in its account100.4~without the prior authorization or the Commis 
sion, as required by the Commission's accounting orders and fpgula 
tioilS. Hearings in this mater were helel in March 1944, in conjunc 
tion with the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, and further
hearings are pending.
lIfi,cella:neous.-Other activities of the Commission in this field
include:
Completed studies in the offices of two large tclephone companies of
the policies and practices of the carriers in extending credit and the
accounting performed for uncollectible items.
Continued studies of the relative magnitude of the earnings of the
carriers in relation to their investments.
Continued,studies of American Telephone & Telegraph Co. long
lines department, with respect to plant additious, working capital
requirements, depreciation reserves, receipts and payments for lease
and joint use of plant
l
and division of revenues from jointint~rstate
business with other participating carriers.
The annual report' form (Form M) for telephone companies was
revised to reflect the changes in the methods of classifying em 
ploves (referred to in the report for the fiscal year 1944), to pro 
vid~a more consistent method of reporting the carrier's deprecia.,.
tion practices, and to eliminate parts of several schedules of detailed
information not deemed necessary of compilation during the war 
time shortage of personnel.
After extended conferences among representatives of the Com 
mission, the State commissions, and the telephone industry, amend 
ments simplifying and clarifying the "standard practices for the
establishment and maintenance of continuing property records by
telephone companies" were adopted by the CommissIOn.
ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
Econorrdc studies.-Basic economic studies were begun in 1945 on
several questions related to the telephone industry, One of these
concerned the availability or service. A preliminary report on some
aspects of the availability of landline communications service was
prepared and published III October 1944. While such study dealt
with both telegraph and telephone service, the most striking result
of the analysis was the disclosure of the declining trend which pre 
vailed between 1920 and 1940 in the availability of telephone serviee
to farmers. Between those years the number of telephones on farms
decreased 39 percent while the number of farms with the dwelling
lighted by eleetrieity increased 34 percent.
38 REPonT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Statistics and general studies.-Annual reports containing finan 
cial and operating data were filed by 156 commOn carriers, and 41
controlling companies for the calendar year 1944. The number of
common carriers reporting includes 129 telephone and 27 wire tele 
gr\lph, ocean cable, and radiotelegraph carriers.
Considerable data are shown in the publication "Statistics of the
Communi~ationsIndustry in the United States," which is published
annually. A few financial and operating items are shown in the
following table, which were compiled from the aunual reports filed
by telephone carriers:
Telephone carriers
Itelll
Investment in plant and equipment-.~~_._
Depreciation and amortization reserves. • ._. ••
Net investment in plant and equipmenL. _
Local service revenues. ., __ " . ._. _
Toll s\.lfvice revenues..~.._. • _
Total operating re\'enues J • _
Operating expenses I. • _
Taxes, including iucome and excess profits _
Net operating income after all taxes _
Net income , _
Dividends paid, . • _
Company telephones:
Business _
ResidentfaJ . _
Average number of calls originating per month:
Local 2~• _
Toll 2~•~_
Number~ofemployes at end of October:
!'tIale~• __~_
Female ,~_
Total pay roll for the year~_
1944
$5,856,316,360
$1,987,628,404
$3, 868, 687, 956
$1,052, 143, 099
$766, 100, 211
$), 004-, 4-06. 4-70
$1, 234, 521,876
$138,581,635
$231,303,2.')9
$183,740,662
$185,670, &32
8,339,007
15,044,664
3,225,654,898
132, 586, 772
365,308
102,230
2&3,078
$807,llO,401
11>43
$5,749,4,04, 257
$1,815,817,128
$3,933,587, 129
$1,015,417,529
$083,249,008
$1, 779, 244-, 520
$1,143,350,306
$393,854,121
$242, (}to, 393
$194, 244, 1168
$181,860,721
8, BB9, 888
14,683,24{
3,232,537,623
121,494, 120
368,603
103,330
265,273
$752, 259, 155
Percent,
increase or
(decrease)
1.86
9.46
(1.65)
3.62
12.13
7.03
7.97
ll.36
(4.44)
(5.41)
2.09
(.61)
2.46
(.21)
9.13
(.89)
(I. 06)
(.83)
7.29
I Intercompany gcnoral service and license fees and rents amounting to approximately $35,000,000 for
each of the yeara 1944 and 1943, have not boon eliminated.
2 Partly estimated.
2. TELEGRAPH (WIRE, CABLE, RADIO)
(a) Domestic
SERVICE 'AND FACILITIES
Integration 01 domestic telegraph ,,!/8tems-Oonsolidation 01 tele 
graph faeilities.-Following the Commission's final report and order
authorizing and approving merger of Western Union and Postal facili 
ties (discusscd at length in our teuth annual report), ''''estern Union
has, with the exception of 8 functional offices, completed the consolida 
tion of duplicating telegraph offices. Between October 7, 1948, and
June 80, 1945, the followiug offices have been closed: Functional, 87;
tributary, 687; branch, 580; agency, 4621 joint, 27. As part of the
consolidation program, 105,682 duplicate call boxes and 3,682 duplicate
teleprinter customer tie lines were removed. The remova.l or abandon 
ment of duplicating trunk pole lines has 110t, as yet, been undertaken
although local and branch line facilities comprising 6,000 miles of wire
and 824 miles of pole line have been removed.
During the year, Western Union opened new offices as follows:
Tributary, 24; branch, 82; ageney, 169; joint, 88; and the company
;lIstalled 1,988 new customer teleprmter tie lines.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 39
Integration of Postal Telegraph employes into the Western Union
system.-In the course of the hearings on the application of the West·
ern Union Telegraph Co. and Postal Telegraph, Inc., to merge various
commitments were made by tVestern Union on matters of seniority, job
assignment and wage parity of employes affected by the merger.
Compliance with these commItments was subsequently incorporated by
the Commission as a condition in numerous orders issued under sec 
tion 214 of the Communications Act authorizing Western Union to
close former Postal functional offices. Disputes arose subsequent to
merger and numerous complaints were received by the Commission
with respect to compliance by Western Union wlth its commitments.
Arbitration machinery was established by the National War Labor
Board in June 1944, for the settlement of these disputes and under this
machinery, integration of the two labor forces was substantially com 
pleted. An employe election was held by the National Labor Relations
Board and in January 1945, the AmerIcan Federation of Labor was
certified as the collective bargaining representative for employes in six
of the seven divisions of the Western Union system. Thereupon, the
A. F. of L. challenged the authority of the arbitrator to continue the
settlement of disputes presented to him by ex-Postal employes and, at
the dose of the fiscal year, the National tVar Labor Board suspended
further arbitration of these disputes outside New York City pending
disposition of the union's protest.
Oon8truetion of wire facilitie8.-During the year undcr report, 102
applications fer wire telegraph construction certificates were filed with
the Commission and 8 wcre on hand from the preceding year. Of
thcse 104 were granted and H werc pending at the close of the year.
The authorizations involved the construction of 2H9,965 channel miles
of carrier systems at an estimated cost of $1,162.H51 and the leasing of
approximately 2,214 miles of circuits by the applicants. .
A notable improvement in Western Uuion's method of handling
traffic in the Pacific coast area resulted from the inauguration 011 De 
cember 30, 1944, of the company's reperforator switching office in
Oakland, Calif. This large office, operating direct channels to many
cities in the country, provides methods for the rapid relaying and
routing of telegraph mes...,ages in this important arca.
New telegraph carrier systems were installed by'Western Union duro
ing the year between Chicago and St. Louis and between New York and
Washington. Carrier systems provide high wade communication
channels at relatively low cost and definitely tend to improve the stabil•.
ity: of transmission.
Speed of service.-The quality of telegraph service supplied by West·
ern Union continued to improve as the merging of personnel and facili 
ties progressed. The average time required for the fastest 95 percent
of ordinary full rate messages to be relayed through a telegraph
message center (for Western Union and former Postal offices com 
bined) in June, 1944, was 9.8 minutes. In June 1945 the performance
had improved to 8.8 minutes. The percent of such messages completed
in 15 minutes was 82 and 87.8, respectively.
The volume of TWX connections (Teletypewriter Exchange Serv 
ice operated by the Bell Telephone system), declined from 1,214,791 in
June 1944 to 1,095,687 in June 1945-a rednction of 10 percent. The
40 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
average time required to establish T'VX connections between subscrib 
ers has improved from 1.8 minutes in June 194:1 to l.Gn~inutes.
Domestic mdiotelegraph.-As in the case of radiotelephony, many
new developments have been made and aTi) being made in radioteleg 
raphy. Dul'ing the fiscal year the ',,","estern Union Telegraph Co., the
American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and other c0I1ununicutions COm 
mon carriers applied for and obtained experImental authorizations
looking forward to the development of 1'uo.io relay systems capable of
cal'ryin~multitelegraphic as ,yell as other types of communications
channels. A llUlnber of applications have b:3Cll granted to enable other
organizations to carryon similar experiments (c. g., International
Business Machine Corp., General Electric Co., Westinghouse Electric
Co.• Raytheon Manufacturing Co.).
Radiotelegraph relay systems may prove capable ofcan'yin~a
great number of telegraph channels of all types, including facsimIle.
~uchsystems 'Yill aUmv the "Testern UnionCo. to remove some of it,;;
pole lines on main line trunk routes.
Discontinu.ance, 'redlwtlon, 01' i'mpairrment 0/8e1"'vice.-Sr~tion214
of the Communications Act of 19H± was amended by Congress on
March H, 1948, to provide, among other things, that no carrier shall
discontinue, reduce, or jrilpair service to a community, or part of a
community, unless and until it has obtained from the Commission a
certificate that neither the prp,sent nor future public convenience and
necessity will be adversely affected thereby.
As of the beginning of the fiscal year, I:> applications filed under
this amendment were pending and um were received during theyear~
Of those received, :>8 were for authority to reduce office hours, 51 to
close agency offices at military points, 28 to close railroad operated
agency offices due to abandonment by railroa..ds or shortage of railroad
operators, 6 to close branch offices, 6 to close agency offices, 2 to close
main offices, 1 to remove an ocean cable, and 1 to discontinue operation
by the substitution of another company. With the exception of a very
few cases alternate service ,vas provided to the community or part of
a community affected. Of these 14G applications, 95 were granted, 3
were denied, 1 was withdravo"ll, and 47 were pending as of June 30,1945..
RATES AND TARIFFS
Rationalization of the dome8tic telegraph rate 8tructure.-In the
report accompanying its order of approval of the merger of the do 
mestic telegraph carriers, the Commission pointed out that it recog 
nized that the present telegraph rate structures were developed under 
competitive conditions WhICh produced numerous anomalies and ques 
tionable discriminations, and which resulted in the establishment of
preferential rate classifications; that the elimination of competition
within the domestic telegraph industry will permit correction of these
and other anomalies; and that the economies and other benefits result 
ing from the merger are expected to make possible substantial reduc 
tions in rates. The Commission observed that such reductions should
be accompanied by a rationalization of the rate structure so that un 
warranted preferences are eliminated, and the basiccla~sificationsare
establiRhed in such a manner as to stimulate ,greatly increased volumes
of traffic, with resulting savings in cost. The Commission is now
studying telegraph rates and services with a view to accomplishing
the merger objectives outlined above, and has been following closely
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 41
the activities of"'Vestern Union in attempting to develop a revised rate
structure. .
Telegmph rate changes.-On July 1, 1944, the American Telephone
& Telegraph Co. established rates for 100-speed private line teletype 
,vriter service for a trial period of 1 year at charges 33
1
/:.\ percent higher
than for 60-speed service. Later in the fiscal year the Pacific Tele 
phone & Telegraph Co. and the 'Vestern Union Telegraph Co. estab 
lished the service at the same charges.
On June 29, 1945, the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. filed
amended· tariff schedules effective July 1, 1945, reducing the charges
for 75- and lOO-speed private line teletypewriter service, resulting in
an estimated annual saving to users of $120,000. These reductiolls
followed conferences between representatives of the company and
members of the staff of the Commission.
Government rate oTder.-Pursuant to the authority of the Post
Roads Act of 1866 and subsequent legislation, the Commission pro 
mulgated its annual order fixin/1; rates applicable to United States
Government telegraph nlessages·for the ensuing fiscal year beginning
July 1, 1945. The new order (No. 125) continnes in effect the same
rates prescribed for the past fiscal year except for certain minor
changes which will result in aunual savings to the Government of
approximately $82,900. Since July 1, 1948, the rates for Government
domestic telegraph messages have been fixed at 80 percent of the rates
charged the public for the same dass of service, and the rates for
international messages of the United States Government are not to
exceed 50 percent of the United States carriers' proportions of the rates
for commercial messages of the corresponding classes.
Special permissions.-During the year 289 applications for special
permissions to make changes in tariffs, or to file tariffs to become effec 
tive on less than statutory notice, were received from the carriers
rendering domestic and international telegraph services. Of this
number 262 were granted, 16 were denied, and 11 were withdrawn.
SUPERVISION OF ACCOUNTS
Uniforrn systems of accountB.-Several amendments ,,"ere made to
the uniform systems of accounts prescribed by the Commission.
Original c08t restatement 0/ plant accounts and establishment and
'lrUlintenanoe of continuing property records.-Conferences and exanl 
inations conducted by the Commission concerning the accounts and
records of Western Union have resulted in substantial progress in
connection with the restatement of sneh acconnts on the basis of orig 
inal cost, and the establishment of property units for accounting pur 
poses and for purposes of continuing property-record procedure
required by the Commission's rules and regulations.
Depreciation.-Studies of the changes in, and the propriety of, the
depreciation rates and the adequacy of the depreciation reserves of tele 
graph conlmon carriers by wire, cable, and radio were pursued, in
view of the vital importance of this work to the regulatory duties of
the 9ommission with respect to rates and charges for communication
serVICes.
In the case of Western Union, there was substantial continuation
of the program of reducin/1;, on the basis of findings by the Commis 
sion's staff, the net recorded investments in fixed capital (that is.
683380--46-----4
42 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
plant investment acqounts less depreciation and amortization re 
serves) by adjustments increasing the reserves and directly reducing
the recorded surplus. The total adjustment in this respect as of De 
cember 31, 1944, amounted to approximately $77,400,000. A further
proposed adjustment of about $31,000,000 was the subject of additional
study at the end of theyear.
Relief .and pe1U1ions.-Further studies were made regarding the
matter (which is stillpendin~)of excluding from the current operat 
ing expenses of IVestern Union all pension costs in excess of normal
accruals on the full-service basis (that is to say, the respective annual
amounts that would be paid into a pension trust fund if the company
had established such a fund, during the employes' successive periods
of service). Studies were also made of the propriety of the account 
ing pursued by certain communication carriers in r:ecording the cost
of maintaining their pension plans.
Mi8cellaneoU8.-The annual report form (Form 0) was revised in
several instances and particularly to reflect the changes in the methods
of classifying the employes of domestic wire telegraph companies.
The time requircd for the retention by domestic telegraph carriers
of copies. of telegraph messages transmitted by them was extended to
a period of 6 months.
Statistics and general 8tudi£8.-There were 27 wire telegraph, ocean
cable, and radiotelegraph carriers that filed annual rer.0rts for the
year 1944. A few financial and operating items complIed from the
report filed by the IVe;;tern Union Tclegraph Co. are shown in the
following table. The figures include the ocean cable operations of
Western Union, whieh are not adequately segregated in the report
filed by that company to permit segregation from the wire teleo-raph
operatIOns. The data relating to other ocean cable carriers are~own
on page 48.
The lVcstern Union Telegraph Co.
nom
Investment in plant and equipmenL _
Depreciation and amortization reserves _
Net investment in plant and equipmenL _
Domestic service revenues_______ ____ _ _ _
Foreign sprvice rev('nllcs _
Total-operating revenues . _
Operating expenscs, depreciation, and other operating rev-
enue deductions _
Net operating revenues . _
Income and excess profits taxes _
Net income _
Dividends doclared__ _ ___ _ _ _ . .
Revenue messages transmitted.;
Domestic _
Forei~IL-----------------------------------------------_
Number of employes at. end of June _
Total pay roll for the year _
1944 1943
. Percent,
Increase or
(decrease)
I $389, 086, 101 $344, 034, 810 13.09
I 164,991,222 $112,814,280
46.25
$224,094,879 $231,220,530 (3.08)
$158,032,270 $153,133,698 3.20
$12,199,047 $11,507,878 <01
$185,900,644$178,887.:m~3,92
$166,277,089 $165,168,770 .67
$19,526,555 $13,718,549 43.07
$3,8.31,000 $4,940,000 (22.45)
$8, 316, 229 $1,750,626 375.04
$2, 166, 747 $2,090,080 3.67
233, 188, 694 232,083,099 .48
5,515,588 5,656,573 (2.49)
63,818 68,B46 (7.30)
$116,130,330 $114,872,601 1.09
I Not comparable with amounts reported for Dec. 31, 1943, because of accounting adjustments for Postal
Telegraph J,llant purchased Oct. 7, 1943; oomparable 1943 amuunts are $396,600,846 and $165,380,316 for plant
and depreCiation allowance, respcctivoly.
(b) International
SERVICE AND FACILITIES
Geneml.-In March 1945, the Senate Qommittee on Interstate Com 
merce held hearings pursuant to Senate Resolution 187, Seventy-
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 43
eighth Congress, (as extended by S. Res. 24, 19th Cong.), directing
a study of international communications by wire and radio. The
CommIssion, through its Chairman, presented testimony at such
hearing. .
In April 1945, Press Wireless, Inc., filed a petition for the assign 
ment to it of not less than 15 additional frequencies and requested
the Commission to hold hearings to determine the relative efficiency
of the use being made by the various carriers of the frequencies pres 
ently assigned to them. As of the close of the fiscal year, no final dis 
position of this I?etition had been made.
The CommiSSIOn actively participated in the preparation of the
United States proposals for the Third Inter-American Radio Com 
munications Conference to be held in Rio de Janeiro in September
1945, and also continued detailed preparations for the World Tele 
communications Conference expected to be held in 1946, and for vari 
ous teleconllllunications conferences with other countries, preliminary
to the 'World Conference.
During the fiscal year, Globe Wireless, Inc., which had discontinued
commercial operations of its radiotelegraph stations on June 3, 1942,
ttnd httd leased its ittcilities to the United States Army, resumed com 
mercial operation of its mdiotelegraph circuit between San Francisco
ttnd Honolulu, T. H. The reaciivation of this compttny's sttttion in
New York was approved on May 3, 1945, but has not yet been placed
in operation. Prior to the war, Globe Wircless, in addition to its
circuit to Hawaii, operated circuits from the United States to China,
the Philippine Islands, Cuba, and Colombitt.
Radiotelegraph airC1dts.-During the fiscttl year, radio-telegraph cir 
cuits were established between the United States, on the one hand,
and France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Czech 
oslovakia on the other hand, restoring direct radiotelegraph services
which had existed prior to the war. In each of these cases, except
Belgium and Netherlands, Press Wireless, Inc., was authorized to
establish a circuit for the handling of press traffic only, while one" or
more of the other United Sttttes carriers was authorized to open cir 
cuits handling ttIl classes of traffic. In addition to these circuits
with fixed stations in liberated European countries, three car 
riers were authorized to communicate with portable radiotelegraph
stations which were operated by them at various points in Europe, as
directed by the military authorIties. During the active stages of hos 
tilities, these portable stations accompanied the vttrious uuits of the
United Stat.es armed forces, and since the conclusion of the European
war, such sttttions httve been located in various parts of Germany and
Austria, which are under American occupation. A new circuit to
Rumania, which was not in existence prior to the war, was also es 
tablished for general commercial traffic, and au addit.ional press cir 
cuit to such country was authorized but had not been placed in opera 
tion as of the close of t.he fiscal year.
The establishment of new circuits to t.he Far East was on a more
limited scale, since active hostilities were in progress in the Pacific
area throughout the fiscal year. At the request of the milit.ary author 
ities in t.he Philippines, one of the United States carriers installed a
portable station at Leyt.e, communicating with it.s United Stat.es
terminal, in order to handle all classes of messages passed by Army
44 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
censOl'ship. This station was ultimately moved to Manila, where it is
now installed on a permanent basis. Thereafter a second United
States carrier was authorized to reopen its prewar circuits between
Manila and the United States and between Manila and Hawaii, in 
volving the installation by it of a station at Manila.
New radiotelegraph services instituted during the fiscal year to
points in the Western Hemisphere included the establishment of addi 
tional circuits for handling press and Government traffic between New
York and Buenos Aires and between New York and Santiago, Chile.
A direct radiotelegraph circuit between San Fancisco and Rio de Jan 
eiro was established at the request of the Brazilian delegation to the
United States Conference. and this circuit was continued on a tem 
porary basis after the close of the conference. At the request of the
Mexican Government, the Commission authorized the establishment of'
a new circuit between New Orleans and Merida, .1\fexico, in order to
expedite message traffic between the United States and the Yucatan
Peninsula. At the request of the Colcmbian Government, the Com 
mission also authorized the establishment of a new ,circuit between
Boston and Bogota, Colombia, to supplement the handling of traffic
from Miami to that eountry. A construction permit was granted for·
the erection of a new radiotelegraph station on St. Thomas, V. I., for
communication with San Juan, P. R. This ·was the only new point 
to-point radiotelegraph station licensed during the 1945 fiscal year,.
and when in operation, will be used to supplement existing cable cir 
cuits between the Virgm Islands and Puerto Rico,
In accordance with outstanding recommendations of the Board of
War Communications, the Commission continued to refer to the Board
all applications for the establishment of transoceanic circuits and to·
authorize such circuits on a temporary basis only, for a period not to
exceed 1 year. 'Wartime proccdures, involving the maintenance of
close liaison on these matters with the Board of War Communication,.
the Department of State and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were continued.
Dlrring the fiscal year the Board of War Communications relaxed its
former policy of approving the establishment of only one circuit to
points in the war zones, and approved the opening of circuits by all
interested United States carriers, permitting the Commission to au 
thorize competitive circuits by qualified carriers. All circuits author 
ized by thc Commission were subject to the condition that interference 
would not be caused to operational circuits of the United States armed
for~eR.I
The expansion of radiotelegraph service while hostilities were
still inprogres~caus~dincreased congestion inth~frequency spec 
trum. Such dIfficultIes were partICularly acU;te m the Far East
after increased war activities shifted to that region, and because
of the continuance of communication needs of occupation forces in
Europe, little relief was experienced in that area.
A total of 273 applications, covering various matters, were re 
ceived and during the fiscal year 282 authorizations were issued. As.
of the end of the fiscal year a total of 36 fixed public point-to-point
radiotelegraph stations were licensed.
Ooean cables.-During the fiscal year cable communication serv 
ices of the United States companies to continental Europe were
restored. Direct facilities were made available to France and Italy,
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 45
service with the httter country being provided over a former enemy 
owned cable between Italy and the Azores. Service to the United
Kingdom, Eire, and the Azores, which had not been interrupted
during the war, was continued.
. The Commission approved the abandonment of 11 short sections
of cable totaling 5,073 nautical miles (between various points in
Central and South America) the continued use of which had be 
come uneconomical because of extreme age. In view of the small
volume of traflic handled over these sections and the availability of
alternate ,vireline facilities connecting the points in question with
other cable stations, the Commission determined that public conven 
ience or necessity would not be adversely affected by these abandon 
ments. The Pacific cable between Midway Island and Guam was
restored during the fiscal year and reopened lor the handling of com 
lnereia! correspondence, thus providing cahle facilities for public
communications from the United States fo Guam.
RA'i.'ES AND TARIFFS
Rates and oharges for telegraph commum:cation servioe between
the United States and foreign points.-In line with objectives of
obtaining lmver and generally uniform international communications
rates throughout the world, the Commission, in April 1945, au 
thorized the principal international cable and radiotelegraph carriers
to file revised tariff schedules on less than statutory notice, effective
May 1, 1945, providing for a uniform 20 cents per word basic rate
on full rate messages from the United States gateway points to
Europe, Central America, 'Vest Indies, South America, and the
Philippine Islands. Prior existing rates to European points ranged
from 23 to 36 cents per word and to some Latin American points
were as high as 48 cents per word. Corresponding reductions in the
other classifications were also effected, such rates being, from United
States gateways, as follows: Code, 12 cents per word; deferred, 10
cents per word; night letter, 6% cents per word.
The Commission also authorized Western Union to file on less
than statutory notice a uniform charge of 4 cents per full rate word
effective :May 1, 1945, for transmitting international telegrams over 
land to and from any point in the United States beyond the gate 
way cities, replacing charges ranging from 4 to 15 cents per full rate
word. The charges of Western Union for the overland transmission
of messages in the other classifications have correspondingly been
place.d on a flat charge basis as follows: Code, 4 cents per word;
deferred, 3 cents per word; night letter, 2 cents per word; and
United States Government plain language and code, 2 cents per
word.
Under the new tariffs, wbich become effective May 1, 1945, the
charges for a full rate telegram to any place in Europe, Latin
. America, and the Philippine Islands from United States gateway
cities, is 20 cents per word; from any other point in the ·United
States, the rate is 24 cents per word.
The over-all matter of international telegraph rates is still under
investigation by the Commission in its docket 6569, which is a
proceeding involving the rates and charges of all international tele-
46 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
~raphcarriers in connection with telegraph service between the
United States and all foreign points.
Rate8 between the United States and Brazil.-The Commission
adopted an order on October 9, 1944, snspending, and ordering an
investigation into the lawfulness oi, certain new rates filed with the
Commission by Western Union for telegraph communication service
from Brazil to the United States, and further ordering an investiga 
tion into the lawfulness of the then existing rates of Western Union for
service between the United States amI Brazil.
After public hearings and argnment, the Commission found that
Western Union had failed to show the justness and reasonableness of
the differentials shown in its existing" tariffs and in its suspended
tariffs as between the charges for north-bonnd telegraph messages
from points in Brazil to points in the United States and the charge
for similar messages in the reverse direction; that Western Union
failed to show the justness and reasonableness of the differentials in
such tariffs as between the charges for north-bound plain language
and code messages in both the ordinary and Government classifications;
and that Western Union's maintenance of, or participation in, charges
resulting in the aforementioned differentials constitute or would con 
stitute unjust or unreasonable discrimination. Accordingly, by order
dated .January 25, 1945, the Commission directed ·Western Union to
rescind and cancel the suspended rates and charges and to revise its
then effective tariffs to conform with the conclusions in the Commis 
sion's accompanying report. In accordance with the Commission's
order, Western Union rescinded and canceled the suspended tariffs
and subsequently filed revised tariffs which conformed to the Com 
mission's order.
Telegraph rate change8.-0n J·uly 11, 1944, the ordinary press rates
published by the Western Union Telegraph Co. between the United
States and Australia and New Zealand via the Vancouver cable were
reduced to the level of the rates for ch"rges by the radiotelegraph car 
riers for similar messages via Sun Francisco.
On July 24, 1944, Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co., Inc., reduced the
rates for Press Bulletin Service to ships and aircraft by approximately
50 percent.
Effective August 15, 1944. Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co., Inc., and
R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced the rates for ordinary pres.s
messages to Egypt via their direct circuits by 10 cents a word to 8 cents
a word from Egypt.
Effective September 1, 1944, All American Cables & Radio, Inc.,
Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co., Inc., R. C. A. Communications, Inc.,
and the Western Union Telegraph Co. established specially reduced
rates for ordinary and code messages of the Pan American Union and
the Pan American Sanitary Bureau from the United States to South
and Central America and the West Indies.
On September 20, 1944, rates for telegraph messages from Uruguay
to the United States were reduced. The reduction followed confer 
ences between representatives of the Commission and the Uruguayan
authorities.
Effective October 1, 1944, Press Wireless, Inc., reduced the rates for
United States and Mexican Government messages between the com 
pany's offices in the United States and certain points in Mexico.
REPORT OF~'HEFEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47
Effective October 7, 1944, Mackay Radio & Telegraph Co" Inc., re 
duced its rates for telegraph service between the United States and
Vatican City via its direct circuit from 27 to 15 cents per word for full
rate messages from or to New York with proportionate reductions
for other classes of messages. The 'Vestern Union Telegraph Co. filed
the same I'lltes effective November 20, 1944.
Effective November 1, 1944, the United States-Liberia Radio Corp.,
and R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced the rates between the
United States and Liberia over their direct circuits. Full rates were
reduced from 72 to 50 cents per. word and ordinary press rates from
24 to 10 cents a word. On January 29, 1945, the same rates were es 
tablished by other carriers via London.
Effective November 10, 1944, R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced
the rates for ordinary press messages between the United States and
Greece by approximately 3Yz cents a word.
On December 1, 1944, R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced the
rates for ordinary press messages from Colombia to the United States
by approximately 1 cent a word.
Effective November 16, 1944, All America Cables & Radio, Inc., and
R. C. A. Communications, Inc., reduced the rates for telegraph mes 
sages (except ordinary press) from Venezuela to tbe United States.
Effective December 1, 1944, the Commercial Cable Co., Mackay
Radio & Telegraph Co., Inc., and R. C. A. Communications, Inc., re 
duced the rates for ordinary press messages between the United States
and India to 11Yz cents a word.
Effective January 1, 1945, All America Cables & Radio, Inc., Mackay
Radio & Telegraph Co., Inc., R. C. A. Communications, Inc., and Trop 
ical Hadio Telegraph Co. reduced the rates for telegraph messages be 
tween San Francisco, Calif., and Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua, and Salvador, to the level of the rates to these countrioo
from New York.
Effective in March, April, and May, 1945, telegraph rates appli 
cable to United States Government messages between United States
and certa.in foreign countries were made a.pplicable to messages of
the American Hed Cross, the United Service Organizations, and the
United Nations Helief and Hehabilitation Administration.
SUPERVISION OF ACCOUNTS
Uniform SY8tems of accounts.-Several amendments were made to
the uniform systems of accounts prescribed by the Commission. These
amendments simplified the accoUliting requirements without sacrifice
of records of essential accounting information. Important among
such amendments were those extending for 1 year the time allowed
for the filing of information with respect to the reclassification of the
plant accounts and for the completion of continuing property records
of ocean cable companies.
A preliminary draft of a new uniform system of accounts, to apply
tointerna~onaJtelegraph carriers by cable or radio (or lL combination
of cable and radio), was prepared and was in process of consideration
and verification of factual information by the Commission's staff at
the close of the fiscal year.
Original cost restatements and disposition of plant acquwition ad 
iustments.-Studies by the international telegraph carriers necessary
48 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
ror reclassification or their operated plant to conrorm with provisions
of the uniform system of accounts are not yet completed and the time
tor completion has been extended to January 1, 1946. Substantial
progress toward cOinpletion has been reported by the carriers.
Oontinu,(J1t8 property reoords.-The date for completion of continu 
ous property records has been extended rrom Jnne 30, 1945, to June
30, 194(;' The Commission has been working closely with the carriers
on the subject or requirements ror the f1ling or plans of methods or
procedure in the ma.intenance of such records, which are being pursued.
DepreciaUon.-Studies or the changes in, and the propriety or, the
depreciation rates of the international telegraph common carriers were
continued.
Relief and pensicms.-A further study was made by the Commission
of the pension and benefit plans or the several international telegraph
carriers in view of the pending study being conducted by the Senate
Committee 011 Interstate Commerce of international communications
carriers.
Consideration was given to the matter (still pending) or excluding
from cnrrent operating expenses of Hndiomarine Corp. of America
and R. C. A. Communications, Inc., all costs relating to pensions based
on service prior to the adoption of their present retirmnent plan.
These companies had discontinued, as of August 19, 1932, the provision
for pension benefits to new employes, but have revised, as of December
1, 1944, such provisions ror employes who entered the service after
August 19, 1932.
The Oommercial Oable 00. aeemvnting.-The Commission ordered
the Commercial Cable Co. on June 5, 1945, to suspend all charges
and credits with respect to its plan or accounting for the reduction
of its capital, pending submission or proof as to the amounts properly
includible in its capital surplus accounts. The order also instituted
a general investigation into the accounting performed by the com 
pany with respect to its surplus accounts.
STATISTICS
Statistios.-Financial and operating data compiled rrom the annual
reports filed by the principal international carriers are shown in the
following tables:
Ocean Ca bIe Carriers
Item
Investment in plrmt and equipment _
Depreciation and amortization reserves __ . . __
Netinve~1.lJiOntin plant and equipment "_ .. __ . __ . __
Domestic service revenues _
Foreign service revenues . .. _
Total operating r('-\"ClllieS _." _. _. _. _
Operating exp(lnses, depreciation, and other operating
nwenue JeduetiullS__ .. . ,_. .. __ . __
Net opcrating revenues ._. ._ ..__
Income and excess profits taxes . _
Net income , . _
Dividend!; declared 1 . . __
Rev"nue messages transmitted;
Domestic_. _ . "__ ,
Foreign _., __ . "__
Number of employes at end of year ._ . .._
Total payrol1 for the year. , __ .
I Includes $3,53.5,926 charged to capital surplus,
1944
$78, 566, 248
$56, fJl7, 2u8
$22, M8, £ISO
$1132,841,
$1f>, 4D4, 681
$16,908,1i:i
$12,3D.~622
$1,599,8f>1
$1, 07i, 032
$2, 591, 0.'i6
$5,191, 0'J3
527,633
4,313,0.52
3, tD1:J
$6,1,9,706
1943
$80,830, 592
$56,321, 142
$24. .509, 400
$:i27,7(lr;
$12,783, HZ
$14,275,053
$10, 432, 216
$3,842,771
$1,933,691
$1,!l-11,S:n
$811,332
3111!,187
4,102,844
3,Q23
$5, 413,5D4
Percent,
increase or
(decrease)
(2.80)
(.51)
(8.00)
29.40
21. 21
18.15
17.911
miG
2.24
33.41l
576.80
32.18
5.85
5.86
13.52
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNiCATIONS COMMISSION 49
The figures shown above do not include data relating to the cable
operations of the 'Vestern Union as they are not adequately segregated
from the wire telegraph operations in the reports filed by that com 
pany. The number of messages and amounts of revenues derived from
cable operations 3S reported by the Western Union for 1944 and 1943
were as follows:
Item
Foreignservicercvenues._ _.__ ___ . . <. _
Foreign rovenUe m('ssagcs transmitted. _
1944
$12,199,047
$5.515,588
1943
$11,007,878
$5,656,5i3
Percent,
increase or
(decrease)
6.01
(2.49)
Radiotelegraph carriers
Item
Investment in plant and eQuipmenL __ "" ".. . _
Depreciation and amortization reserves _
Net investment in plant and equipmenL.__•. _
Continental and IDslllar fixed revenues _ _ _ _
Foreign fixeds\~rvieerevenues .. . _
Marine servicerevenu('s_~__ . __ "" _
Total oporating revonuE'S_" .. , . _"_ .. _
Operating I'xp('mses, depreciation, and other operating rev-
enue dcductiolls _
Net operating revrllll{'S___ ____ _
Income andexee~sprofits laxes .
Net inCUID(l . _
Dividends declared 1 _
Re\'enueraN:sa~estrallsmittefl:
Continental and insular flxcrL
Foreign fixed _
Marine___ _ _
Number of employes at end of year _
Total pa}' roll for the yeat _
I Inclndes $216,420 charged to capital surplns.
Percent,
1944 1943 increase or
(decrease)
$26, 836, 664 $26.671,803 0.62
$16,066,358 $15,693.482 2.38
$10, no, 306 $10.978,321 (1. 89)
$876,240 $865,179 1.28
$11,713,GG!=l $8,578,412 36.55
$25 087 $16,953 47.98
$16,784, 362 $13,482,746 21.49
$12.682, 987 $10. 269. 573 Zl.50
$4, 101, 375 $3,213,173 27.64
$4. \)34, 1'66 $3,522, liM 40.07
$1,6(;4,327 $2.069.500 (19.58)
$1,555,000 $920,000 69.02
518, 314~5,O66(2O.88)
6,351,607 5,110,231 22.85
10.120 1i.8U 48.15
3,359 3,293 2.00
$10,244,629 $8,087,853 26.67
[ Page 50 in the original document is intentionally blank 1
CHAPTER V
Safety and Special Services
1. MARINE SERVICES
2. AVIATION RADIO SERVICES
3. EMERGENCY RADIO SERVICES
4. WAR EMERGENCY RADIO SERVICE
5. EXPERIMENTAL RADIO SERVICES
6. MISCELLANEOUS RADIO SERVICES
7. STATISTICS
8. INSPECTIONS
51
[ Page 52 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER V-SAFETY AND SPECIAL SERVICES
i. MARiNE SERVICES
COASTAL RADIOTELEGRAPH STATIONS
As of June 30, 1945, 34 coastal telegraph stations were licensed by
the Commission, exclusive of those in Alaska. Three of these were
authorized for limited (governmental) coastal telegraph service and
the remaining 31 stations for public coastal telegraph service. Dur 
ing the year 61 applications were received and 46 authorizations issued
in the coastal telegraph service. Three coastal telegraph stations,
which, becanse of the wartime restrictions of the Navy Department,
had been closed, were opened during the past year and were relicensed
by the Commission for pnblic service. These stations are vVSC, at
Tuckerton, N. J.; WSF, at New York, N. Y.; and WDA at Port
Arthur, Tex.
COASTAL RADIOTELEPHONE STATIONS .
Four stations held licenses for public coastal telegraph service at the
close of the fiscal year.
COASTAL HARBOR RADIOTELEPHONE STATIONS
At the close of the year, 35 coastal harbor stations were licensed by
the Commission, exclusive of those in Alaska. Two of these stations
were authorized for limited (governmental) coastal harbor service
and theremainin~33 stations were authorized for public coastal har 
bor service. Durmg the year 67 applications were received and 60
authorizations issued in the coastal harbor service. A new public
coastal harbor station, KOE, near Eureka, Calif., established for com 
munication with ships in vicinity of San Francisco, was placed in
operation.
MARINE RELAY RADIOTELEGRAPH STATIONS
Twenty-one marine relay stations held licenses. During the year 31
applications were received and 28 authorizations were Issued. The
activity of stations in this classification has increased because of the
lifting of wartime security restrictions in the Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico areas. The 3 coastal stations listed above--WSC, WSF, and
WDA-also render a marine relay service.
MOBILE PRESS STATIONS
There were 3 licensed mobile press stations, 3 applications were
received and 3 authorizations issued.
RELAXATION OF NAVAL REGULATIONS
The Navy Department still further relaxed the restrictions on the
use of radio communication between ships and between ship and shore
53
54 REPORT OF TEE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
which had been imposed pnrsuant to order Nos. 1 and 2 of the Defense
Communications Board (now Board of 'War Communications).
WEATHER AND HYDROGRAPHIC INFORMATION
In cooperation with the Canadian Radio Administration, the United
States 'Weather Bureau, and the United States Naval Authorities, the
Commission in previous years has devel0l.'ed schedules for the encoded
transmission of weather and hydrographIC information to ships in the
Great Lakes area. Coastal harbor radio stations authorized to trans 
mit such information in accordance with this schedule were 'WAY,
Lake Bluff, Ill.; WLF, Rogers City, Mich. ; WAD, Port Washington,
Wis. ; WAS, Duluth, Minn. ; WBL, Buffalo, N. Y., and WMI, Lorain,
Ohio. These authorizations were extended this year with certain
changes made in the previously used schedule and WIth the restrictions
relative to the transmission of encoded weather information relaxed
to permit transmission of this information in plainlan~ageinsofar
as such transmissions do not conflict with Naval regulatIOns.
STUDIES OF LIFEBOAT RADIO EQUIPMENT
The Commission continued its cooperation, in a study being con 
ducted by Government agencies under direction of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, desigued to coordinate air and sea rescue work. Projects in 
clude the testing of experimental models of lifeboat radio equipmeut
and a survey of the deficiencies of equipment of this nature now in use.
APPROVAL OF EQUIPMENT
Several new types of marine radio equipment for use on Board ocean 
going vessels which were designed and constructed to meet certain
requirements of the Commission's rules and regulations were approved
hy the Commission.
Three additional types of receivers were approved during the year as.
capahle of heing used and operated within the limitation imposed by
the Commission concerning the radiation of energy which may be
detected at sea by enemy vessels. Four additional types of direction
finder receivers were similarly approved. Two portahle radio trans 
mitters for use in lifeboats were approved as complying with the
applicable rules of the Commission. One radiotelegraph transmitter,
desigued to operate as an emergency transmitter, was approved by the
COlnmission.
EXEMPTIONS
The Commission is authorized by the International Convention for'
the Safety of Life at Sea, London, 1929, and section 352 (b) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to grant exemptions from
the ship radio requirements prescribed therein to certain vessels and
classes of vessels when navigated within certain specified limits, pro 
vided the Commission considers that the route and conditions of the
voyage, or other circumstances, are such as to render compliance there 
with unnecessary or unreasonable for the purposes of the act and treaty.
It has heen the policy of the Commission to grant exemption on an
annual basis for certain classes of vessels and to exempt individual
vessels for limited periods of time sufficient to covel' the specified:.
voyages.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 55
The Commission renewed for another year the exemption previously
granted to small United States passenger vessels of less than 100 gross
tons when navigated off the Gulf Coast.solely in coastal waters between
Naples, Fla., and New Orleans, La.
In addition to the foregoing class exemptions, the Commission
granted exemption for a period of 1 year to certain individual pas 
senger and cargo vessels operating on international voyages.
FIXED PUBLIC AND MARINE SERVICES IN ALASKA
At the close of the year, thefollowin~stations were authorized by the
Commission in the fixed public and pnblic coastal services in the Terri 
tory of Alaska:
Coastal Harbor, 124; Coastal Telegraph, 331 Point-to-Point Tele 
graph, 68; Point-to-Point Telephone, 205.
PUBLICATIONS
As in past years, the Commission published a list of United States
Great Lakes ship radiotelephone stations. This list, which is in
pamphlet form, contains the names of the ships, call letters, ringer
numbers, and licensed frequencies. In addition, it contains approved
schedules for the transmission of weather and hydrographic informa 
tion to ships. The Commission regularly furnished the Navy the
information necessary for a list of oceangoing radio-equipped ships
which it prints and distributes.
RULE CHANGES
Using the experience gained by the use of lifeboat radio installa 
tions as a guide, the Commission found it necessary to modify many
of its rules pertaining to lifeboat installations. The technical re 
quirements for lifeboat transmitters were revised to require higher
standards of performance. The use of antennas supported by means
of kites or gas-filled balloons was authorized in order to increase the •
range of the transmitters. '
2. AVIATION RADIO SERVICES
GENERAL
The aviation radio services as administered by the Commission
cover all non-Government use of radio in the aviation industry for
both communication and navigation.
During the year, some of the strain which was imposed on commer 
cial air carriers as a result of the war has been alleviated. The
commercial airlines have regained the aircraft which were taken
over by the armed forces in the early part of the war, and at the
close of the fiscal year were operating a total of 533 aircraft. Of
these, 375 are operated by domestic airlines.
The Commission's policy' of closely coordinating applications for
aviation ground radio faCllities and for itinerant aircraft radio sta 
tions with the War Production Board was still in effect at the close
of the fiscal year. This policy was based on the Commission's Memo 
randum Opinion dated July 7, 1942, relative to the use of critical
56 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
IIl,jI-terials to construct or change the facilities of certain classes of
radio stations.
The use of itinerant civil·aircraft has shown a decided increase dur 
ing the year ending June 30, 1945. This increase in activity is due
to a number of factors, among which are the availability for nonmili 
tary uses of aviation fuel, aircraft, aircraft accessories, and the lifting
of some wartime restrictions on the use of such aircraft. As of
June 30, 1945, there were approximately 32,000 aircraft rep;istered
with the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
The most prononnced effect of the frequency allocation report on
aviation radio will be a gradual transfer of such cOInmunication
wherever technically practicable to the very high frequency range,
primarily the band between 108 and 132 megacycles. While opera 
tion in the very high frequency range presents certain limitations
on the distance over which communications may be satisfactorily
conducted, it also offers a number of advantages when compared to
the present system particularly with respect to the very small physical
size of antennas and the great reduction in atmospheric noise.
AERONAUTICAL RADIO STATIONS
Aeronautical radio stations licensed by the Commission provide
the non-Government gI'ound radio facilitIes to permit air-to-ground
and ground-to-air radio communications with aircraft in flight within
the United States, its Territories, and possessions and between the
United States and Canada. These facilities are primarily used by
scheduled air carriers for maintaining necessary communications
with aircraft in flight for the safety of life and property in the ail'
and for compliance with the requirements of the Civil Aeronautics
Administration. All aeronautical radio stations serving the domestic
commercial airlines are licensed to Aeronautical Radio, Inc., a cor 
poration owned by and representinp; all such airlines. These stations
under the Commission's regulations, also lllust serve itinerant
.aircraft upon request.
During the past year, 731 applications were received and 665 au 
thorizations issued affecting aeronautical radio stations in the United
States, together with 64 applications received and 81 authorizations
issued affecting stations in Alaska. As of June 30, 1945, there were
41'1 such stations in the United States and 66 in Alaska. These
figures represent an increase of 46 stations for the United States
and a decrease of 13 stations for Alaska during the year. The de 
crease in the number of stations in Alaska was due primarily to the
acquisition and operation by the Civil Aeronautics Administration
of 12 stations previously licensed by the Commission to Pan
American Airways, Inc.
AERONAUTICAL FIXED RADIO STATIONS
Aeronautical fixed radio stations provide for the handling of
ground point-to-point communications in connection with and relat 
ing solely to the actual aviation needs of the licensees. All such sta 
tions serving the donlestic commercial airlines in the continental
United Stat"s are licensed to Aeronautical Radio, Inc.
During the year, 211 applications were received and 130 authoriza 
tions issued affecting such stations in the United States. Forty-eight
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 57
applications were received and 72 authorizations relating to Alaska
stations were issued. As of June 30, 194i>, there were 98 such stations
in the United States and 59 in Alaska-a decrease of 'I stations in
the United States with no change in Alaska. The decrease in the
United States may be attributed to a current trend of placing such
communications on landline facilities wherever possible.
AIRPORT CONTROL RADIO STATIONS
The service performed by airport control stations is primarily
concerned with regulating and controlling air traffic within the con"
trol area of the airport involved. At airports handling a large vol"
ume of air traffic the service of an airport control radio station is
essential for the safety of life and property in the air. Since many
aircraft may be' in the air at various altitudes and approaching or
leaving the airport from various directions, this service is invaluable
during conditions of low visibility.
Airport control radio stations are normally operated by either the
Civil Aeronautics Administration or the operators of the airport.
In the latter instance such radio stations are licensed by the
Commission.
Sixty-four applications were received and 45 authorizations in
counection wit.h this type of station were issued. As of June 30,
194:5,31 such stations wer:e authorized, an increase of 3 stations during
the year. .
The growth of airport control radio service has been serionsly im 
peded by wart.ime scarcity of equipment and frequencies. It)S ex 
pected that a large increase in the number of stations operating in
this service will follow closely the availability of equipment capable
of operating in tlie very high frequency range. The Commission,
in anticipation of such growth, ,!Ilocated that portion of the frequency
spectrum between 118 and 122 megacycles for airpott eontrol service.
FLIGHT TEST RADIO STATIONS
Flight test radio stations provide communication between aircraft
and ground while such aircraft are undergoing flight tests, as in the
development of new types, the development and testing of motors,
. propellers, and other components.
The Commission received 105 applications and issued 82 authoriza 
tions affecting stations of this class. As of June 30, 1945, there were
30 stations, a slight increase over the previous year.
FLYING SCHOOL RADIO STATIONS
There has been a decrease in the activity of flying schools and con 
sequently a decrease in the number of such radio stations licensed by
the Commission. Eleven applications were received and eight au 
thorizations issued. As of June 30, five flying school stat.ions were
licensed. .
The decrease in flying school stations is the result of theslackenin~
demand of the military services for civilian trained pilots. In the ma 
jority of instances civilian pilot training contracts have been com 
pletely terminated.
683380-46-"
58 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
AIRCRAFT RADIO STATIONS
Aircraft radio stations licensed by the Commission come within two
!r:neral categories and are normally classified as either "scheduled" or
nonscheduled." The first category represented all commercial air car 
riers operating on a scheduled basis, the second itinerant operations.
Itinerant operations include private flying, commercial flying on a
nonscheduled basis, transportation of corporation personnel, etc.
Durin~the year, 6,231 applications were received and 4,043 author 
izations Issued affecting aircraft stations operating in the United States
and possessions, including commercial United States flag aircraft
operating in the international service. As of June 30, there were
3,090 such stations including 533 "scheduled aircraft"-an increase of
323.
As of June 30, there were 32,000 aircraft registeren with the Civil
Aeronautics Administration and it appears that a large increase in
the number of aircraft radio stations may be expected Within the near
future depending primarily upon the speed with which radio equip 
ment becomes generally available.
VIOLATIONS
During the year, 592 official notices were handled in the aviation
radio services covering alleged viol ations of treaties, Federal statutes
or Commission rules and regulations. Penalties were not invoked as
the cases were disposed of by conferences~ndcorrespondence.
CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION CONFERENCE
An important step in international collaboration in the field of civil
aviation was taken with the conclusion of an Interim Agreement on
International Civil Aviation on December 7, 1944, at the Chicago
International Civil Aviation Confererice.
The Interim Agreement provides among other things for the es 
tablishment of the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organi 
zation (PICAO), which will consist of an assembly of all nations
accepting the agreement, as well as a 21-member council elected by
the assembly every 2 years. The PICAO will have advisory and
technical functions, but will not be empowered to regulate 'the eco 
nomic phases of air transport. The Interim Council will formu- '
late and recommend the adoption of technical standards and pro 
cedures, and will study, report, and recommend on problems relating
to air navigation and International air transport.
The Interim Agreement on International Civil Aviation became
effective on June 6, 1945, when the twenty-sixth nation announced
to the United States Government its formal acceptance. The pro 
visional organization will function for an interim period not to
exceed 3 years from June 6, 1945. It is expected to be superseded
within tbat time by the permanent International Civil Aviation
Organization, which will be established after 26 nations have ratified
or adhered to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
A representative of the Commission was a member of the United
States delegation at the Chicago International Civil Aviation Con 
ference, and participated in comlnittee work in the preparation of
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 59
technical annexes relating to aviation radio communication and air
radio navigation.
PROCEEDINGS IN DOCKETS 67l. TO 6721 INCLUSIVE AND 6757
These dockets cover a number of applications filed by Pan Ameri 
can Airways, Inc., relating to the radio communications system of
that company in the Caribbean area, more generally known as the
Latin American Division of Pan American Airways, Inc.
The applications proposed a general expl\Ilsion of the existing
radio communications fttcilities now operated by the applicant in
the involved area. Since a number of the requests made in the
applications appeared to be beyond the scope of the Commission's
rules covering the operation of aviation radio communications fa 
cilities on the inter-American routes and since other issues were
presented which could not be determined on the information con 
tained in the applications, the Commission designated the applica- L
tions for hearing. Aeronautical Radio, Inc., intervened in the pro 
ceedings, since the Pan American applications requested authority " 
to share frequencies already in use by stations in the domestic avia 
tion service operated by Aeronautical Radio, Inc. The hearing be- " 
gan on June 6, 1945, and lasted 3 days. As of June 30, no decision
had been reached.
3. EMERGENCY RADIO SERVICES
GENERAL
The Emergency Service is a radio communication service con 
ducted by instrumentalities of government, by public utilities and
by certain private organizations for emergency communications per 
taining to the safety of life and property. This service includes
stations classed as municipal, State, zone and interzone police, spe 
cial emergency, forestry, and municipal fire.
Three hundred and seven new emergency systems were authorized
during the year. Even with the wartime restrictions on the general
llBe of the critical materials necessary for installation of radio com 
munication systems and the shortage of trained personnel needed for
such inst,allations, the service rendered by these emergency radio
stations is of such vital importance that materials have been made
available through appropriate allocation programs and issuance of
priority ratings to applicants and licensees.
Appllca-
Number of licensed stJl,tions at close of lI.scal year
Class of station
tion.'1 proc-
essed fiscal
I
year 1945 1941
194' 1943 194'
194'
Municipal pollce___ * __________
I,BOO 1,196 1,672 1,708
1,006 2,061
State polioo_______ ••••__ •••__ •
'"
513 378 <3l
'52 m
Zone police_________________ ._
8 6. s.; 94
88 s.;
Interwne police_______ . ____ ••• ,
30 33 30
31 30
Forestry_____ . ________________
1'3 807
",
837 .26 ...
~ClalemergencY• ___________
939
34'
""
""
'"
666
uniclpal fire ______ ••_. ______
22 6 8
10 10 12
TotaL. __ ......_,'.__ ._.
3,431~961
,
3,455
3, ""
3,863 4,.170
,60 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
In nearly all Cases the "station" referred to in this tabulation is a
complete radio communication system and consists of a land statioJ)
pern\anently installed at a fixed location and a number of associated
mobile transmitter-receiver units operated under a single radio station
license. In many ctlsesthe communication system covered by 1 station
license includes from 1 to 4 land station transmitters at the same fixed
'location and a number of mobile radio units. Some licensees in the
--emergency service operate as many as 200 or more mobile radio units.
.One State (Califoruia) has authorizations to operate a total of 473
State police mobile units; 444 of the units being listed On one radio
.station license.
A large number of the applications filed during the past fiscal year
were for construction permits and modification of licenses for new
transmitting equipment installed to replace worn-out or obsolete equip 
Illent of stations in the emergency service. Nearly all new installations
in this service are for equipment using frequency modulation. The
comparatively few authorizations issued for use of amplitude modu 
lated equipment were usually to licensees making minor additions to
existing radio facilities and it is expected that as soon as new equipment
becomes generally available many of these radio systems will be
replaced with frequency modnlated equipmeut to provide the more
effective operation and extended range afforded by this method of
transmission.
As a re-s\llt of the Commission's frequency allocation hearinf';, addi 
tional frequencies have been made available for the Emergency Radio
Services. On the basis of testimony presented by Radio Technical
Planning Board committees and by representatives of organizations of
licensees of the various classes of stations in the Emergency Radio,
iServices, a substantial increase in the number of channels available for
regular operation above 25,000 kilocycles for these stations has been
made as shown in the followinf'; table: .
Numh!':f
ufCh!\nnels
Class of station before
allocation
hearing
Statoand mllnciplll police. . . ._________ 29
MuniCipal fire. < ._____ _ __ _ _ __ _ 2
Forestry__~. .__________ 11
Special emergency . . ._. 10
Number
of channels
at pll'Sent
132
39
"
'47
I Including frequencies for power utility and similar stations now operating as special emergency stations
butsoon to be included in 1\ separate service.
It is expected that with the increase in the number of frequencies
available for assignment to these stations, a proportionate increase in
the activity and in the number of stations in this service will result.
POLICE RADIO STATIONS
The police departments of nearly all cities, large towns, and thickly
populated counties now use radio. The systems operated by State
police departments are similar to those operated by the municipalities
except that~heStates usually operate several land stations and in
many cases a larger number of mobile stations. Some of the licensees
of municipal and State police radio systems also operate zone or inter-
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 61·
zone police stations to provide for the exchange of police messages
by radiotelegraph between police departments within each zone and
between the departments in different zones. These radiotelegraph fa 
cilities are used for the messages pertaining to missing persons, stolen
automobiles, criminals wanted, persons avprehended, etc.
Radio makes possible the rapid mobihzation of protective agencies
at riots, large public disorders or other emergencies resulting .from
floods, hurricanes, or other similar disasters. The increase in 3peed
of travel provided by the automobile and other modern vehicles makes
it possible for a criminal to commit a crime in ODe city and seek refuge 
in another community hundreds of miles distant. The use of two-way
radio by the police departments offers a primary means of effectively·
keeping ahead of the criminal. Modern police radio systems provide
the police with facilities for instantaneous communication between:
central headquarters stations and patrol cars operating at any point
within the area of jurisdiction of the police department. Communi-:
cation between patrol cars and police headquarters stations of different
police departments is also used to a great extent. Radio also offers the
police a method of broadcasting general alarms to stations and mobile
units throughout an area and provides for setting up blockades on
highways, rel'outing traffic and the effective handling of traffic and
crow,ds~uringemergency peri,ods. Policehav~in~wo-wayradio com 
munIcatIon a modern, effectIve weapon whIch 18 conSIdered mbre
valuable than any other single facility utilized to combat crime.
In addition to the transmission of emergcnc:y messages to police.
mobile units, many police departments transmIt messages to other
emergency mobile units such as fire department vehicles, private am 
bulances, and repair units of public utilities where cooperation or
coordination with police activities is involved.
The continued increase in the number of transmit.ters operat.ed by
municipal and St.ate police departments has resulted in a propor 
tionate increase in interference between the differf3nt communication
syst.ems and in t.he difficulties and importance of definite frequency
allocation and assigoment plans. In view of the limited numher of
channels available for police stations, it is necessary to require close
cooperation between applicant.s and licensees in the selection and use
of frequencies available for assigoment. It is expect.ed, however, wit.h
t.he additional channels made available for t.hese st.at.ions, as a result
of the frequency allocat.ion hearings, that new frequency assignment
plans present.ly being formulated will result in more interference-free
communication for the larger number of police radio stations.
MUNICIPAL FIRE RADIO STATIONS
Municipal fire radio systems are operated by municipal fire depart 
ments to provide conununication between central fire stations and
mobile fire fighting units and other vehicles operated by fire depart.
ments. The transmitting- and receiving equipment, the communication
service rendered and method of operation of municipal fire stations
are similar to t.hose of t.he municipal police stations except that t.he
facilit.ies are operated by and for the fire depart.ment. of t.helicensee.
The relatively small number of st.at.ions of this class authorized for
operat.ion is probably due to the fact that this is. a comparat.ively new
class of station. Previous to June 23, 1944, stations simIlar to mu-
62 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
nicipal fire were classed as ''marine fire" stations and were authorized
for operation only by the larger cities operating fire boats used for
fighting fires on waterfronts. Effective on June 23, 1944, the rules
concerning "marine fire" radio stations were modified to change the
name of this class of station to "municipal fire." This change in the
rules provided for the authorization of municipal fire stations for the
larger cities to operate on the one medium frequency and two very
high frequencies previously allocated for the use of marine fire stations
and to handle communications concerning fires, whether on waterfronta
or elsewhere.
Owing to the limited number of radio channels available, authori 
zations for municipal fire stations are normally granted only to cities
where the fire department serves a po{'ulation of 150,000 or more. The
fire departments of the smaller muniCIpalities ordinarily use the police
radio communication facilities as provided for by the rules governing
the operation of stations of this class.
The fires and other emergencies to which fire departments respond
require the use of especially fast and effective communication facilities,
since time is highly important in such emergencies. It is often neces 
sary for the units of the fire department upon reaching the scene of a
disaster to call for additional assistance to respond to· definite loca 
tions, for medical assistance, for ambulances, additional pumping
units, special apparatus and gas masks, which are not normally carried
as equipment on mobile units. Two-way radio systems provide this
es.c;;ential emerl!ency communication where other communication fa 
cilities are not immediately available, are inadequate or are not usable.
With the increased number of frequencies made available to fire
department.. as a result of the frequency allocation, it is expected that
many fire departments, especially those in the large 'cities, will use
radio.
FORESTRY RADIO STATIONS
Forestry radio stations are licensed to municipalities, States, and
other organizations legally responsible for forestry areas. These
stations are operated for communications pertaining to the detection
and suppreSSIOn of forest. fires, water shed protection and control,
conservation enforcement, protection of wildlife and protection of
natural resources in forest areas. Forestry radio stations are author 
ized primarily for communication with forest-fire-fighting units;
however, emergency messages may be transmitted to other mobile units
snch as fire department vehicles, ambulances, and mobile police units
inthose cases which require cooperation or coordination with forestry
service activities. '
An effective communication system is important in the suppression
and fighting of forest fires. Radio provides rapid communication be 
tween forest fire lookout towers in order that the exact l<Jcation of a
fire may be quickly determined. Radio also provides a means of com.
Innnication with patrolmen and mobile units in forest areas. Addi 
tional equipment or personnel can be immediately dispatched to the
,*,ne of forestfir~s..On largefi~eswhere numerous patrolmen, forest
fire trucks and speCIal fire fightmg and control eqmpment are uStld,
radio 1?1'Ovides the supervisors with a means of controlling all units in
operatIOn and of shifting them as conditions require.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 63
Although many of the forestry radio stations use medium power
land stations or portable stations operated permanently or temporarily
in the lookout towers and headquarters stations, a large number of
the licensed stations are of the portable pack or "walkie talkie" type
which are carried by the personnel. It appears that with recent war 
time developments of light-weight "handie talkie" and "walkie talkie"
radio units, a considerable increase in the number of such units operated
in the forestry service can be expected in the near future.
SPECIAL EMERGENCY RADIO STATIONS
Special emergency radio stations are operated by public ntilities,
highway maintenance departments, communication common carriers,
and urban transportation companies temporarily to augment or to
restore communication or other public facilities interrupted or de 
stroyed during emergency conditions such as storms and floods, and
also to provide communication to places isolated during times of
emergency. The nature of such communication may be classified as
follows: (1) Initial restoration, providing quick reestablishments of
circuits for handling essential communications relating in large part
to preservation of life and property; and (2) Dispatchmg repair and
construction crews to augment or restore WIre communication circuits,
and to repair electric power distribution circuits, gas and water trans 
mission facilities and highway facilities.
Under the Commission's rules and regulations, only public utilities,
organizations established for relief purposes, and persons having
establishments iIT remote locations are eligible for authorizations for
special emergency radio stations. This class of station is authorized
for essential communications arising from an emergency jeopardizing
life, public safety, or important property. Special emergency radio
stations provide a means of direct communicatIOn to repair trucks and
maintenance crews of public utilities. The electric, gas and urban
transit utilities operate approximately 80 percent of the stations of
this class which are licensed by the Commission. Such communication
facilities have been of considerable value in maintaining adequate
transportation, gas and electric power for the public and for plants
engaged in the manufacture of war materials during the last feW'
years.
4. WAR EMERGENCY RADIO SERVICE
The War Emergency Radio Service is a temporary wartime service
established by the Commission on June 12, 1942, to provide a means
of rapid emergency local communications which may be necessary
in connection with national defense and security or conditions jeopard 
izing public safety. This service consists of three different classes of
radio stations: Civilian Defense, State Guard, and Civil Air Patrol.
These stations are intended to provide distinct and separate communi 
cation facilities on specified bands of frequencies above 112 megacycles
available for use by Municipal Civilian Defense, State Guard, and
Civil Air Patrol organizations, respectively. Licenses for thesestations
are issued only to municipalities, state militaryor~anizationsand
the Wing Commanders of the Civil Air Patrol. ThIS service makes
available on a voluntary basis the skill and equipment of amateur
radio operators and other qualified citizens under conditions which
64 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
assure responsible control, organized practice drills and systematic
training, and, at the same time, permits sufficient flexibility of
operations.
Numhrr of stations at end of fiscal
y"",
194,')1944J943
Applies 
Hens proc 
("s.<;ed dur- 1---,-----,--- 
iog fiscal
year 19,45
Class ofstaUoo
-----------------~----I--+:------
Civilian Defense . _
State Gllard _
Civil Air PatroL .. _
352
l):i
47
19\1
8
4
253
11
17
230
IU
27
TotaL _
462 211 281 276
The term "station" in the above table includes several fixed, portable,
or portable-mobile transmitter and receiver units which are operated
as a single coordinated emergency communication system under one
license. There are several licensees in the War Emergency Radio
Service authorized to operate more than 200 transmitter units under
a single station license. A considerable number of the transmitters
used III this service consists of portable and portable-mobile transmit 
ters and includes the so-called pack 01' "walkie talkie" radio units.
Although three frequency bands above 112 megacycles have been au 
thorized for use by stations in this service, nearly all of the stations
operate exclusively in the 112--116 megacycles band because the equip 
ment available for these stations at the present time performs more
efficiently on these lower frequencies. .
Upon the recommendation of the Office of Chief Signal Officer,
United States Army, and upon the approval by the Board of 'Val'
Communications, the Commission on January 2;'), 1945, designated two
additional channels in the medium frequency range for the use of
State Guard stations in connection with State Guard operations. As
a result of this action, many State Guard organizations have obtained
modifications of licenses or new licenses to authorize the operation of
several hundred new transmitter units.
On April 10, 1945, the Commission amended itR rules and regulations
governing stations in the War Emergency Radio Service so as to ex 
pand the scope of service for which Civilian Defense stations were
originally authorized. In addition to use in connection with national
security and defense, civilian defense stations now may be operated for
communications in emergencies jeopardizing public safety. Licenses
for these stations now may be issued or renewed even though the
United States Citizens' Defense corps or equivalent civilian defense
organizations are no longer active in the involved areas. The amend 
ed rules and regulations also authorize the existing licensees of War
Emergency Radio Service stations to cooperate with the United States
Weather Bureau in the operation of a proposed flood and storm warn 
ing emergency radio network to supplenlent existing comnlunication
facilities for the protection of life and property during emergency or
impending emergency periods.
Reports received from licensees of War Emergency Radio Service
stations indicate that these stations have been used to furnish emer 
gency communications during floods, fires, explosions, and other emer 
genCIes endangering life, public safety, or important property. The
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 65
occasion which resulted in the most general use of War Emergency
Radio Service facilities to date was the hurricane which struck the
Northeastern Seaboard States in September 1944. A total of 34 li 
censees reported to the Commission that a number of units of their
stations were in operation during the disaster. Other reports indicate
that on at least two occasions portable-mobile units licenscd to civilian
defense stations were used to assist in locating aircraft which had
crashed in wooded, mountainous terrain. In one instance, during a
large fire, it was reported that the use of megaphones was impossible
owing to the high noise level and the'density of smoke whereas the
small, readily portable transmitter and receiver units licensed to the
municipality in the War Emergency Radio Service were placed in
operation and provided the necessary emergency communications.
Another War Emergency Radio SerVIce station handled emergency
communications on July 6 and 7, 1944, in connection with the disastrous
circus fire at Hartford, Conn.
5. EXPERIMENTAL RADIO SERVICES
GENJJRAL
The Experimental Radio Service includes three classes of stations,
class 1, class 2, and class 3. Authorizations for experimental class 1
stations are granted for the purpose of carrying on experimentation
and development leading to the advancement of the radio art. Au 
thorizations for class 2 stations are granted for experimental opera 
tions leading to a new type of radio service or a new phase ofoperation
within a service already recognized by the Commission. Class 3
stations are licensed to citizens interested in radio technique solely
with a personal aim to conduct experiments on their own behalf.
Under the stimulus of wartime needs, and because of the large
Federal funds made available for technological research, experimental
activities in the field of radio and electronics have developed to an
unprecedented level during the past year. Many highly secret proj 
ects sponsored by the Army, Navy, and National Defense Research
Committee were placed under contraet with radio manufacturers, edu 
cational institutions, and engineering laboratories throughout the
United States. The radar development projects pursued at Massa 
chusetts Institute of Technology is a typical example, A large num 
ber of experimental radio authorizations were necessary to carry out
the extensive tests required in the development and perfection of this
important weapon of war, In the same manner, hundreds of addi 
tional experimental stations we"e authorized to meet the needs of
other radIO and electronic projects. While most of these projects are
still classified as secret and confidential, it is definitely known that much
of the success of the United Nations can be attributed to these tech 
nological developments. Radar is only one of these newly developed
devices. Others will be revealed when the need for secrecy has dis 
appeared. The full effect of these wartime developments on the
future can scarcely be imagined at this early date. It is certain that
the technical developments in the electronics field will exert a power 
ful influence on the lIves of people everywhere. Faster and more relia 
ble means of communication will appear, Television and facsimile
developments will make it possible for the world to see as well as to
66 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
hear by radio. By utilizing higher and higher frequencies, not only
wilJ new techniques be unfolded but a much more geueral use of space
radio wilJ become possible.
The number of experimental stations authorized during the year
exceeds by far the number authorized in any similar perIOd in th"
past. One thousand, four hundred and forty-seven applications were
received, 1,143 authorizations were issued-a lOO-percent increase over
the previous year. . .
During the accelerated research program undertaken as part of the
war effort, tremendous advanceinents flRve been made in the develop 
ment of vacuum tubes and associated circuits which will permit the
operation of radio stations and the rendition of commercial radio
service in that portion of the radio spectrum which previously was
beyond the range of commercial radio equipment. These develop 
ments have resulted in extending the useful portion of the radio
spectrum to such an extent that radio channels can now be made
available for the establishment of many new radio services and the
expansion of certainexiRtin~radio servi('PR.
New equipment also has been developed which will provide for
greater safety and security. The application of radar techniques to
anticollison devices for use in the aviation and marine fields may be
cited as an example.
Industry, realizing the potential application of these newdevelop~
ments to commercialenterprise~,requested frequencies for many new
uses of radio during the allocation hearing. '''hile it was impossible
to Satisfy all of these demands, the Commission, nevertheless, did pro 
vide frequencies for many new services, including f(eneral highway
mobile, urban mobile, railroads, citizens radio, radlO relay systems,
power and petroleum utilities, as well as for the necessary expansion
of facilities for established radio services.
While the use of radio in these new services will unquestionably
prove feasible, there are many technical and policy problems which
must be solved before the services cun be established on a regular basis.
The Commission has followed the policy of granting authorizations
for the operation of stations in the new serVIces on an experimental
basis only in order to collect operational and tecbnical data which can
be analyzed and used as a basis for the determination of the nceds and
requirements of the new service and for the promulgation of rules and
regulations governing tlleop~l'ationof stations in the service when
established. After studies have been completed, it will be necessary
to promulgate rules and regulations to covel' each new service, prepare
application forms, and establish procedures and policies with respect
to the licensing of such stations.
RAILROAD RADIO SERVICE
A hearing, to ascertain the facts regarding the use of radio in con 
nection with the operation of railroads as an aid in the protection of
life and property, was held by the Commissiou in September 1944. As
a result of that hearing and the frequency allocation hearing, 60
channels in the band 152-162 megacycles were allocated for the ex 
clusive use of railroad radio stations. In addition to these channels,
it was proposed tbat certain televisiou bands be shared by the railroads
on a mutually noninterference basis. With this encouragement, the
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 67
railroads, acting through the Association of American Railroads, have.
progressed rapidly with plans to adopt radio communication facilities
in the operation of terminal stations, freight trains, and general rail 
way business. Committees of the Association of American Railroads
have been working closely with the Commission staff in formulating a
Nation-wide allocation plan for thepreparation of new rules and regu 
lations for the railroad radio service.
At present, 125 stations are operated by or on behalf of the rail 
roads on an experimental basis. An extensive survey made by the
Railway Department of the Office of Defense Transportation inthcates
that the railroads intend to install a minimum of 1,500 railroad radio
stations and the 52 separate railroads plan to install 2-way radio
facilities as soon as eqUIpment is available.
MOBILE SERVICES
There are two mobile services for which the Commission has al 
located frequencies in the frequency allocation report. Twenty-four
channels in the 152- to 162-megacycle band have been allocated to
the urban mobile service, which relates to radio service for vehicles in
metropolitan areas such as delivery trucks, physicians' automcbiles,
ambulances, taxi cabs, boats and aircraft. Forty channels in the.
band 30 to 44 megacycles have been allocated for the highway mobile
service, which relates to communications to busses and trucks used in
inter-city transportatimi over long distances. Of these 40 channels,
24 were designated for experimental development of a communication
common carrier type of operation; 8 channels were designated for
mie by trucks and 8 for busses.
POWER UTILITY SERVICE
The power utility service will enable public utilities (electric, gas,
water, steam, and petroleum) to communicate in emergencies with
mobile nnits. Radio will speedth~.dispatching of repair trucks and
will permit emergency communications between a central dispatching
or control station and maintenance crewS. The commodities supplied
by these utilities are capable of inflicting injury, death, and serious
propert.y damage if uncontrolled. These utilities therefore requirll
instantaneous, reliable, and continuously available communication 00 
twoon majorsys~mcontrol points as well as between control head 
quarters and mobIle crews.
RADIO RELAY SYSTEMS
Radio relay systems represent a new phase in medium and long-haul
domestic communication methods. The telepbone and telegraph com·
panies have maintained extensive wire line circuits throughout th,e
United States. The wartime development of micro-wave radio equip 
ment has made it possible to utilize a series of wide-band super-high
frequency radio repeater stations to transmit simultaneously various
types of intelligence includinl( broadcast and FM programs, high 
definition television and facsimile material, multiplex telephone and
telegraph messages, as well as many other special types of intelligenee.
Well-informed persons in the communication field have visualized the
installation in the near future of a Nalion-wide network of relay
68 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
stations which would supplement present wire line facilities and may
eventnally replace them. During the year, approximately 125 class
2 experimental stations were authorized to carryon experimentation
in the development of new relay systems.
RURAL TELEPHONE SERVICE
Another new radio serYice for which the Commission has allocated
frequencies is the rural telephone service. The objective of this serv 
ice is the development of rural radio-telephones and the extension of
telephone service to farms and ranches where the construction of wire
lines is physically impossible or economically impractieal. Experi 
mental work in this new application of radio has already been initiated.
Its future growth is assured.
CITIZENS RADlOCOMMUNICATION SERVICE
In past years there has been a demand for a private radiocommu 
nication service. Heretofore no frequencies have been available to
provide facilities for a private radio service and all requests for
such services had to be denied.
At its frequeney allocation hearing, the Commission, on its own
motion, allocated the band from 460 to 470 megacycles to a new service,
the citizens radi6communication service. Five authorizations have
been granted for class 1 experimental radio stations for the purpose of
developing equipment for use in this proposed service. Licensees
will be free to use the service for their own purposes, provided no
charge is made for the messages. The servke will thus be for the
private use of the licensee who will be responsible for the use of the
facilities under the regulations to be promulgated by the, Commission.
Station and operator licenses will be easily acqmred. It is antici 
pated that to procure such a license, an applicant need only show
familiarity with the relevant portions of the Communications Act and
of the simple regulati"ns governing this service. No technical knowl 
edge will be required to obtain licenses and the,y will be issued for a
period of 5 years with simple renewal provisions.
The citizens radiocommunication service can be used, for example,
to establish a physicians' calling service, through which a central
physicians' exchange in each city can reach doctors while they are en 
route in their cars or otherwise not available by telephone. Depart 
ment stores, dairies, laundries, and other business organizations can
use this service in communicating to and from theirdelivery vehicles.
Similarly it can be used in communicating to and from trucks, tractors,
and other mobile units operating in and around large industrial plants
and construction projects, many of which spread over a number of
square miles. It can be used on farms and ranches for communica 
tion to and from men in the fields; on harbor and river craft; in moun 
tain and swamp a.reas, etc. Sportsmen and explorers can use it to
maintain contact with camps and to decrease the hazards of hunting,
fishing,·bGating, and.mountain climbing. Citizens generally will bene 
fit from the convenience of this service by utilizing two-way portable
radio equipment for short range private service between pOInts where
regular communication facilities are not available. During emer 
gencies when wire facilities are disrupted as a result of hurricane,
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 69
flood, earthquake, or other disaster, the service, as has been demon 
strated by amateur service, will be of inestimable value.
6. MISCELLANEOUS RADIO SERVICES
The miscellaneous radio serviees include the geophysical, special
press, and intermittent radio services. These services include five
classes of radio stations each of which provides a separate and dis 
tinct radio service. The classes of stations are geological, mobile press,
relay press, motion picture, and provisional
Number of stations at end of tiscal year
1945194419431942
Applica 
tions proc------,----~------._.--­
essed
Class of station
--~~~~~~---------~------------
GeologicaL _
Mobile ptess- . _
Relay press . _
Motion picture__
ProvisionAL _
TotaL _
461i 302 325 358 411
3 3 3 3 3
5 7 5 5 5
9 15 10 8 8
191 22 36 87 142
·673 349 379
461 I
569
The most prominent classes of stations in the miscellaneous radio
services, the geological and the provisional stations, are licensed by
groups of portable or mobile units, and OBe "station" in the above table
may include several complete portable or mobile units.
The allocation report made "dditional frequencies available to most
of the classes of stations in these services. A substantial increase in
the number of channels available for regular operation on frequencies
above 25,000 kilocycles of the most important of the classes of stations
included has been made as shown in the following table:
Class of station
Numbf'r
ofehanm>ls
befor... al·
location
Iwaring
Number
ofchann...ls
at present
Geological . __ ._. ._. __ . ._ .. .___ 44.9"
Motion picture~. .. __ 4 18
Provisional"~._ ._ .. ._"_ 9 36
Relay press _ _ . __ ._______________________ 11 lQ
Mobile press I _ . . . __ . .. _
I All operation is Oil frequencies below 25,000 kilocycles.
GEOLOGICAL RADIO STATIONS
Geological stations are authorized for comnlunications pertaining to
work in connection with the investigation of the surface of the earth
and the physical characteristics of the strata helow the surface of the
earth. Practically all of the licensed i!:eological stations are operated
by oil companies and geophysical exploration companies for the deter-.
mination of the character of the underground strata of the earth in
order to establish the probable location of oil deposits. Low power
portable and mobile geological stations are ilSed for communication by·
personnel of field parties prospecting for oil and for transmitting
signals and impulses to seismic recording instruments from the geo.,.
phones at the various pick-ups located at distances up to 15 miles from
the centrally located recording truck.
70 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Petroleum products have beeu especially importaut during the inten 
sified industrial and manufacturing programs of the past few years
and the immediate ayailability of an adequate supply of these vital
products is a major item in modern civilization. As the more obvious
and easily discovered petroleum sources are exhausted, the producers
Illust resort to more scientific and complicated methods of ascertaining
the presence of oil pools beneath the surface of the earth. In pros"
pecting for oil, radio is being used for an increasingly important service
for communication to isolated locatious and for other purposes where
the various scientific methods of geophysical prospecti'}g are used.
RBLAY PRESS STATIONS
Relay press statirms are used to transmit to or from points where
other communication facilities are not available news for publication,
or orders, instructions or inquirities concerning such news to be pub 
lished or to be disseminated by the news association with which the
licensee is regularly affiliated. It is not intended that these stations
be used to replace or to compete with wire eommunication facilities
but that these stations be set up temporarily at a point of termination
of other communication facilities and at the scene of a news event for
the transmission of dispatches from the reporter in the field. Li 
cenSl~Sfor relay press radio stations are issued only to newspapers and
press associations.
Reports received from liceusees indicate that very little use has
been made of relay press stations during the past year. However, at
the frequency allocation hearing, representatives of the United Press
and the Associated Press testified that with the recent improvements
in the "walkie talkie," plans are being made to use these stations more
extensively.
MOTION-PICTURE STATIONS
l\1otion-picture stations are authorized for communication in con 
nection with the filming of motion pictures as an aid in the protection
of life and property and the promotion of safety of personnel. These
stations are used for communication with parties on location in isolated
areas where no other communication facilities are available and for
communication pertaining to the coordination and direction of activi 
ties of various units in the filming of motion pictures.
As in the case of relay. press stations, motIOn-picture stations have
been used very little during the past year; however, correspondence
and inquiries from licensees and others eligible for authorizations
indicate plans are being made for considerable activity of this class of
station when new radio equipment is available.
PROVISIONAL RADIO STATIONS
Provisional radio stations are used for communications relative to
the safety of life or pwperty or matters which are of practical necessity
in connection with projects of benefit to the public. Initial use of
m:pvisionalradio stations was made in connectiou with larl!:e construc 
tion projects. They also are used by oil companies in the deserts,
mountains, forests, swamps, inland waters, and in the ocean where other
communication facilities are not available. By means of such stations
a construction foreman or supervisor can keep in contact with his
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 71
crew, direct transportation of supplies and earr)' on othercommunica 
tions necessary in directing- construction and production work. An
effective communication SYStelll is especially valuable at construction
projects and in certain industries where workmen are engaged in
hazardous occupations.
Stations of this class are also used on a temporary basis for com 
munication by plant guards or private police of large industrial plants.
Many of the new stations of this class are for radiotelephone communi 
cation systems for use by plant guards at large manufacturing plants
producing war materials. Improved transmitting and receiving
equipment for ,use on the very high frequency chanuels allocated for
use by provisional stations has resulted in an increased use of this class
of station on construction projects and certain industrial operations in
isolated locations.
7. STATISTICS
United States Stations
Applica 
tions r,' 
ceived
Authori 
z3tions
issued
New st.a 
tj'lns au 
l·horized
Total sts·
tlons June
3O,1G4fi
-------------------1---------~~----
47 411
•
98
° °
1,657 12,998
8 31
°
•
12 30
1 3
° °
1,729 3,576
168 2,051
.0 477
1 85
°
30
54 949
12' '66
2 12
388 4,110
17 230
,
19
11 27
,.
276
178 457
107 152~
° °
, ,
33ll 612
69 411
0 8
49 142
°
,
0
,
11856~
718
422
o
"3
501
6
163
3
,
737
'06
1
,
'"
9
191
,
,
Aviation:
Aeronautical +____ 689 1).t0
Aeronautical fi:tcd ... '0__ __ lfN 105
Aeronautical and aeronautical fixed_ _ 42 25
Aircraft._____________________ 6,028 3,918
Airport controL___ _ ._______________________ 64 45
Flying school 11 8
Flight test_ _______ _ _ __ ___ _ __ ________ ____ _ 105 82
Marker beacon____________________________ 5 3
Instrumentlanding -------------------- -----'0-1-------'0-1-----,---=-::-1-_----:cccc
Subtotal _::.~_~-~~.;;,;;82;;6=1==~,;;;;=1=~~,;;;;;
Emergency:
Municipal police • .
State police 0 _
Zone police__ .. . _
Interzone police_. + _
:l<'orestry _
Special emergency _
Municipal flre _
Subtotal _
1,800 1,362
465 345
8 10
, 6
Hl3 115
939 821
22 16
I--~l----~
Suhtotal. - --. ----------------------------------I~~O:;';;'';;;';;11~~o:;2;;,';;;0;;'~o~~;;;I.~~~;;;
W,E,R.S.: I
~f:t~iG~I~~~~se----------------------------------3~3~~
Civil air patroL~~'-'9_1_~__=+~-.....:::
SubtotaL~~~";;;;;2=1~~~;;'84;;;1~~~;;;1'~~~;;;
Experimental:
Class 1. _
Class 2 . + __
Class 3 . . _
No classification ._. _
----~------=-:-1-------:-:
SubtotaL .~__-------------------------I~~;;I,o:;44;;'=I=~~I,o:;l;;43;;;I=~~~;,1=~~~;,;
Miscellaneous:
Geological . . _
Motion picture . _
ProvisionaL _
Mobile press _
Relay press _
1 533 are scheduled aircraft and 379 arc portable-mobile scbeduled aircraft st.ations.
72 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
United States Stations-Continued
service
Fixed J?ublic service:
Pomt.to-point telegraph _
Point-to-point telephone. _
SubtotaL . ". __ ...__ '_
Fixed public press: Point-to-point telegraph•.
ARrlculture: Point-to-point telegraph. _
United States coastal:
Coastal teleg:raph _
Cpastal harbor. _
Coastal telephone. __
Marine relay__ . ,. _
Coastal teleg-raph and marine relay _
COll-"tal Telegraph, Ltd
Coastal Harhor, Ltd
SubtotaL __
United States total
Applica·
I
Authori- New sta- 'fotal sta-
tions re- zations tions au' Oons June
ccived issued thorized 30,1945
1--
273 282 36
81 82 18
----------..--
=~1.1
364 2 54
46 0
6
7 0 7
"
46 3 31
67 58 1 33
5
,
0 5
31 28 3 21
3 1 0 0
2 0 0 3
0 2 0 2
167
'"
7 95
====-----=~---==
=
la, {\84 10,297 2,617 9,365
Ala"o;knn sta-tions
1 1 0
~~I~~l~~
-iH----::----·-cl:=-I---C2-:~
157
273
68
2\15
o
33
124
o
o
o 0
o 0
30
6
24
o
o
,.
o
o
4
o
"
229
o
320
--I~~~I~~"~~
193
37
1:l2
24
o
;
1
2'"
156
127
4
0'
128
4li
:;
Fixed public sPfviec: _
Point-to-point telegmph
Point-to-point telephone .. _
Point-ta-point telegraph and telephone __
SuhtotaL _
Coastal:
C()a.~taltelegraph
Coastal harbor . _
Fixed puhlic andconstal. . _
Coast a: telegraph and coastal harboL
Subtotal __ .. __
Aviation:
Aeronauticlll _
Aeronautical fixcd _
Aeronautical and aeronButkal fixed
Aircraft_
Subtotal. _
Emergency: Municipal police_
Experimental:
elus;; L _
Class 2 _
Subtotal_
Alaskan total7~1781 67 647
====-====
United Stutes stations_._
Alaskan stations_
Total stat.ion:" .
Wirecertificafe~:
Telephone
Trlegraph _
lnt.erJocking tiireetoratl's. _
Petitions . _
'1'ell'phone tiScolltinuanoos~
'fl'kgrnph discontimlances
Submarine'~Il.U('licl'uses._
13,684
iUO
[4,414
214
129
14
5
:;
174
2
1O,:W7
7S1
II,078
220
lOR
D
o
:;
]:l,~
1
2, 617
67
2.684
9,31\5
647
10,0[2
TotaL _
541 476
Total Unifed States stations. __
Total Alaskan stations .
'1'ota! wireee~ti{\ca\~;_
13,684
7\10
Ml
10,297
7S1
47'.
2, 617
67
o
9, S65
547
o
Orand total 15,015 ll, 5114 2,684 lO,012
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 73
8. INSPECTIONS
SHIP INSPECTIONS
The Commission's activities in promoting safet.y of life and prop 
erty at sea through detailed inspections of radw installations on
ships have continued to be a siguificlmt contribution to the winning
of the war. Every precaution taken to save ships has served to
speed the movement of men and supplies to the far-flung theaters
of war.
As the result of intensive inspections and the strict enforce 
ment of essential regulations, the efficiency of iadio in safeguard 
ing thousands of lives and billions of dollars of property on inland
and coastal waters and on intercoastal and international voyages
has been maintained at a high level.
Ship inspection has been carried on by the Commission and its
predecessor agencies since 1910 when the United States first enacted
laws requiring ships to carry radio. Section 30a (n) of the Com 
munications Act of 1934, as amended, provides, in part, that the
Commission shall have "authority to inspect all radio installations
associated with stations required to be licensed by any act or which
are subject to the provisions or any Act, treaty, or convention binding
on the United States."
From the beginning of the war to the end of the fiscal year,
the tonnage of United States vessels had increased fourfold.
Ship inspections during the year totaled 15,7:31, of which 13,843
were on board United States vessels and 1,888 on board ships of
foreign registry; an increase of 4,429 inspections over the preceding
year.
As a result of these inspections, the Commission served 9,391 vio 
lation notices for noncompliance with provisions of the law and
international treaties, an increase of 1,731 over the preceding year.
In addition, inspectors found 7,809 deficiencies and discrepancies
which they cleared before leaving the ships.
OTHER INSPECTIONS
A total of 6,212 inspections were completed, of which 2,87a were
emergency stations, 1,770 aircraft and aeronautical stations, and 1,569
miscellaneous stations. A total of 1,554 violation notices were served.
683380--46-6
[ Page 74 in the original document is intentionally blank 1
CHAPTER VI
Radio Operators
1. COMMERCIAL OPERATORS
2. AMATEUR RADlO SERVICE
3. EXAMINATIONS
75
[ Page 76 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER VI-RADIO OPERATORS
I. COMMERCIAL OPERATORS
The commercial radio operator rules provided that, unless otherwise 
specified by the Commission, the actual operation of any radio station
for whieh a station license is reqnired shall be carried on only by a
licensed radio operator of the required class.
In order to llleet the needs of the various radio services administered
by the Commission, the following- classes of commercial operator li 
censes have been established: Radiotelephone first and second class,
radiotelegraph first and second class, and restricted radiotelephone
and radiotelegraph operator permits. In addition, a number of tem 
porary licenses have been established because of the shortage of radio
operators, as a result of the war.
During the year, the Commission established the temporary emer 
gency radiotelegraph second class operator license, This class of
license is valid for a period of 1 year fronl date of issuance, unless
terminated earlier by or,ler of the Commission, and was ",tablished to
alleviate the shortage of ship station radiotelegraph operators, which
developed as a result of the Navy Department's reqnirement that cer 
tain classes of United States merchant vessels must carry at least three
radio operators in lieu of a single operator as formerly required.
The temporary emergency second chtss radio operator license au 
thorizes its holder to stand a I'adio wateh on board a cargo vessel and
transmit only emergency communications directly relatedto the safety
of life and property at sea, and is only valid when snch cargo vessels
carry at least one hIgher class radiotelegraph operator who maintains
at least one-third of the required radio watch per day.
Normally the Commission's rules and regulations required that the
holder of a radiotelegraph first- or second-class license may not act as
chief operator or sole operator on It cargo vessel until he has had at
least 6 months of satisfactory service as a qualified radiotelegraph
operator on a vessel of the United States. A shortage of radiotele 
graph operators, qualified in this manner, led the Commission to sus 
pend the 6 months' service requirement through its order No. 83,
effective July 7, 1941. Inasmuch as the short"!!:e ha" continued, as a
result of the rapidly increasing demands for Merchant Marine radio
operators, this suspension period W3...'3 extended by subsequent orders. '
Order No. 83-G, effective December 19, 1944, is 'the latest order and
extends the suspension until June :l0. 1945.
During the past fiscal year, numerous authorizations have'been is 
sued for operation of broadCAst stations under the provisions of
Commission Order No. 91-C. This order has been continued in force
since its adoption on January 19, 1943, and provides that a broadcast
station of any class, which by reason of actultl inability to secure the
services of an operator or operators of a higher class could not other-
77
78 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
wiSl\ be operated, could be operated under this order by the holder
of any class of commercial radio operators' license, subject to the
re..qtrictions provided therein.
The Commission, on December 27, 1944, approved order No. 77-C,
extending from January 1, 1945 to December 31, 1945, the suspension
of the provisions of it.nules which require operators to make a show 
ing of service or use in connection with applications for renewal of
outstanding radio operator licenses. This action was taken because
of the obvious difficulty commercial and amateur radio operator
licensees, particularly those in the armed forces, would have in
meeting this requirement.
As a further convenience to many licensed and formerly licensed
cOllllnercial radio operators now in the military Hervice or employed
in war industries distant from their homes, who cannot file timely
applications for license renewal, the Commission adopted order No.
124 on J anllary 2, 1945. This order permits a commercial radio
operator (other than une holding a temporary emergency radiotele 
graph socond-class license) to file a renewal application within 1
year from the expiration date of his license providing it is filed prior
to December 31, 1945.
A number of orders of the Commission, adopted prior to this fiscal
year, were continued ill force to provide needed relaxation of opera·
tor qualifications aud requirements. This group is comprised of the
following:
Order No. 93, waiVing the provisions of'section 318 of the Communications
Act, ill ordpl' to l.I€rmit the operation of~p~citiel1aircraft radio transmitting
apparatus in the United States by qualified Latin American students, during the
training period under the anspkes of the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
Order No. 97, establishing the temporary limited radiotelegraph second·class
operator licenses for ship radiotelegraPh station oIWration exclusively. Order
No. 104, perrnittillg regUlar employeel:i of police departments in Hawaii, who
are American Natiolluls, to operate mohile police radio transmitting apparatus
und€'l' the provisions of section 318 of the Communications Act. Order No. 102,
authoriZing operation of aeronautical and aeronautieul fixed stations employing 
ty!les A-I and A-2 emission byhold~rsof radiotelephone nperator licenSes or
.~rmits,pl'ovidedi that the face of the license or permit has heen endorsed,
attesting to the holder's ability to transmit and reeeive International Morse
Code at the !'ate of at leaM 16 code groups per minute,
The Commission also gave particular attention to requirements of
the forestry radio service and as II result of its studies, promulgated
less stringent requirements for operators at forestry stations. On
August 14, 1944, the rules were amended by the Commission to permit
the examination for restricted radiotelephone operator permit to be
conducted by mail for prospective employees of forestry station
. licenses.
Studies and investigations have been made during the year with
regard to the qualifications of radio operators in view of changing
conditions and developments in the radio field. Examination ques 
tions have been revised from time to time in order to keep pace with
advancements made in the radio art. At the c10s
p
of the fiscal year,
studies were in progress with respect to the establishment of require 
ments for radio operators in new radio services expected to develop
after tbe war. .
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 79
2. AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE
During the year, the Commission continued in force its orders
No. 87 and 87-A, adopted on December 8
1
1941 and January 8, 1942,
respectively, which suspended the operatIOn of amateur stations be 
caUSe of the war. On September 15, 1942, the issuance of new or
renewal licenses for amateur stfltions was discontinued. However,
the Commission continues to conduct examinations for amateur radio
operator licenses and issues such licenses to applicants who establish
their qualifications.
The licensing of amateur operators during the war serves a two 
fold purpose, since licensed amateur radio operators entering the
armed forces of the Nation receive special recognition by the military
authorities in view of their technical qualifications, and operators
'Iicensed during this period will relieve, to some extent, the rush of
applicants for licenses, following the reactivation of 'amateur stations
in the early postwar period.
On November 28, 1944, the Commission adopted order No. 115-A
in view of.wartime conditions, to alleviate the difficulty for amateur
radio operators who are located in the military service of the United
States or engaged in war work at locations distant from their homes,
t.<;ascertain the expiration dates of their am,!-teuF radioop~rator
lIcenses and to make tImely and proper applIcatIOn. for theIr re 
newal. This order provides that every amateur radio operator li 
cense, which by its terms expired during the period December 7,
1941, to pecember 7, 1942, inclusive, but the duration of which has
been extended by Commission order No. 115 for a period of·3 years
from the. date of expiration provided therein, is extended for a period
of 1 year from the date of expiration as extended by order No. 115
and every amateur radio operator license. issued during the period
December 7, 1941; to December 7, 1942, inclusive, is extended for a
period of 1 year trom the date of expiration provided therein.
Of maior importance to the amateur service was the Commission's
frequency allocation hearing.
Studies conducted in preparation for the hearing indicated that a
large increase in the number of frequency bands.would be required
for the amateur service in order to provide for the operation of the
large number of amateur stations expected. to be licensed after the
War.
The American Radio Relay League appeared at this hearing in
behalf of the amateur radio service and proposed that the amateur
frequency bands below 60 megacycles remam unchanged except for the
additional band 21,000 to 22,000 kilocycles and that frequencies above
60 megacycles be allocated by extending the present harmonic fre 
quency family upward by the addition of new frequency bands an
octave apart up to the limIt of frequency allocations.
As a result of this hearing,. the following frequency bands were
allocated to the amateur service: 3500 to 4000 kilocycles, 7000 to 7300
kilocycles, 14,000 to 14,400 kilocycles, 21,000 to 21,500 kilocycles, 28
to 29.7 megacycles, 50 to 54 megacycles, 144 to 148 megacycles, 220
to 225 megacycles, 420 to 450 '. megacycles, 1145 to 1245 megacycles,
1 The frequency band 420-450 megacycles is temporarUy to be shared with special or
navigational aids.
80 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
2300 to 2450 megacycles, 5250 to 5650 megacycles, 10,000 to 10,500
megacycles, 21,000 to 22,000 megacycles. In addition, provisions will
be made for amateur disaster communication networks in the band
1605 to 1800 kilocycles. However, the exact width of this frequency
band and its locatIOn within the 1605- to 1800-kilocycle band is unde 
termined at this time. Amateurs may also make such use as is possible
on the band centered on 27.32 megacycles, assigued for medical and
industrial use. Frequencies above 30,000 megacycles are being desig 
nated as available for general experimental use and this will lUclude
experimentation by amateurs. Actual operation on the freguencies
allocated cannot start until the Commission removes its wartime ban
on amateur activity and specifically authorizes the use of particular
frequencies.
The number of frequency bands allocated to the amateur service and
their position in the frequency spectrum have been established with
regard to needs of governmental services as well as other services
administered bythe Commission. The following frequency bands for 
merly allocated to the amateur service have been reallocated to other
services: 1750 to 2050 kilocycles, 29.7 to 30 megacycles, 56 to 60 mega 
cycles, 112 to 116 megacycles, 224 to 230 megacycles, 400 to 401 mega 
cycles.
At the beginning of the war, there were approximately 60,000 li 
censed amateur stations, which represents the largest single class of
station licensees. The American Radio Relay League estimates that
within 5 years after the war, the number of amateur stations will in 
crease to approximately one-quarter million statious. It is estimated
that approxnnately 100,000 applicants will request licenses during the
first year after amateur station operation is authorized by the
Commission.
3. EXAMINATIONS
Examinations of applicants for all classes of commercial licenses
continued at an unprecedented high level. A total of 64,260 appli 
cants were examined (exclusive of class C amateur) as comptired with
67,424 for the previous year. Of these, 62,022 were applicants for
commercial licenses including 43,183 radiotelephone and 18,839 radio 
telegraph. Applicants for amateur class A and B radio operator
licenses totaled 2,238. As a result of the examinations, 61,038 com 
mercial operator licenses were issued; 52,562 telephone and 8,476
telegraph.
CHAPTER VII
Technical Studies
J. GENERAL
2. SUNSPOT CYCLE FIELD INTENSITY AND NOISE PROGRAM
3. LOW FREQUENCY RECORDING PROGRAM
4. VERY HIGH FREQUENCY BROADCAST RECORDING PROGRAM
81
[ Page 82 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER VII-TECHNICAL STUDIES
1. GENERAL
The projects under the supervision of the Technical Information
Division of the Engineering Department were in the main continua 
tions and extensions of the work underway at the close of the pre 
ceding fiscal year. As before, the actual taking of observations con 
tinued to be a function of the Field Division, while the general plan 
niag of the projects, the analysis of the results, and the preparation
of reports based thereon were responsibilities of the Technical In 
formation Division.
2. SUNSPOT CYCLE FIELD INTENSITY AND NOISE PROGRAM
This project, which involves making continuous recordings of se 
lected broadcast stations and of atmospheric noise in the standard
band at several points throughout the United States, has been con 
tinuous for the past 7 years. Recordiug of several additional sun 
spot cycles will be necessary to obtain data for allocation policies.
Some changes in the details of the program have been made during
the year and others will undoubtedly be made in the future.
The present allocation standards of the Commission in the .stand 
ard broadcast band are based on the analvsis of some 3 months'
recordings made during the late winter and spring of 1935. The
present analysis of the vastly larger amount of data now available
is directed toward a revision of tbose standards. 'T'he main objec 
tives are the preparation of new and. more reliable field strength
versus distance curves, methods of estimating the daily and sea 
sonal variations from the annual mean values. a revised soil con·
ductivity map, the preparation of day and night atmospheric noise
intensity maps covering the continental United States, surveys of
levels of man-made noiseexistin~in towns and cities of various
sizes, and the investi:;!ation of ratios of signal to noise to determine
what ratio should be adopted as providing an acceptable grade of
broadcast service. The progress made toward these objectives may
be summarized as follows:
Analysis of the accumulated field intensity recordings for some
160 station-years has thus far progressed only through the first stages
of summarizing. Although the point has not yet been reached where
definite conclusions can be drawn, it alreadv appears likely that:
(a) The results of the earlier survey will be confirmed as a gen 
eral average to a considerable degree.
(0 ) Enough of the nature and the correlation of radio signal
strength with the snnspot cycle will be disclosed to permit allocation
of standard broadcast stations on a somewhat longer range basis.
(c) The data will disclose a rather considerable latitude elfect
on standard broadcast transmission which should be pertinent not
83
84 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
only to domestic allocation, but particularly also to allocation within
the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.
(d) The data will provide snbstantially improved measures of the
night-to-night reliability of serviceable signals and of the proba 
bility of interfering signals.
On acconnt of the shortage of personnel nothing hlls yet been
done toward a revision of the ground condnctivity map.
The day and night atmospheric noise maps are being prepared
principally from data obtained from seven recording sites through 
out the United States, operating under the Sunspot CyclePro~ram.
Some additional data from measurements made by others Will be
included in order to obtain noise levels at other points. The results
of at least a year of recording at each site will be correlated with
thunderstorm conditions during the year of recording and adjusted
to conform with average thunderstorm conditions, using data fr_
the United States Weather Bureau. The analysis of the data has
proceeded to the point where thunderstorm correlation is being made.
The snrveys of man-made noise levels have not yet been made
because of equipment difliculties, but these will be solved soon.
The surveys are to be made by consulting engineers and others in the
indnstry, under the direction of the joint F. C. C.-Industry Committee
set up for handling noise problems.
The investigation of acceptable signal to noise ratios consists in
obtaining audience reaction to specially prepared sound records on
which varions ratios of signal-to-noise have been recorded. The
sample signals include both speech and music and the noise sam 
ples include atmospheric noise and man-made noise for various elec 
trical Sources such as motors, etc. The signal to man-marle noise
records have been completed and distributed to the broadcast industry
for audience reaction tests. The signal to atmospheric noise records
~avebeen delayed by equipment shortages hut should be completed
in the near future.
• 3. LOW-FREQUENCY RECORDING
This program, which will provide for measuring aeronautical beacon
stations in the frequency range from 200 to 400 kilocycles and atmos 
pheric noise at 200 kilocycles, has been for the most part unavoidably
postponed because of the diversion of manpower -and equipment to the
very high frequency broadcast recording program. The 200-kilocycle
noise recorder at Grand Island, Nebr., the only recorder now operating
in this program, has been in continuous operation since October 1943.
Data from this program will be invaluable in studying radio propaga 
tion and the intensity and geographical distribution of atmospheric
noise in this freqnency range.
4. VERY HIGH FREQUENCY BROADCAST RECORDING PROGRA11I
This project has rapidly expanrled in importanre and scope during
the year. With the advent of VHF broadrasting it was expected that
one of the main advantages of using these higher frequencies would lie
in the closer spacing possible between stations assigned to the same
frequency owing to the absence of sky wave interference which they
were presumed to enjoy. While this expectation has been verified in
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 85
general, it has nevertheless been fOllnd that sky wave interference does
occasionally occur at the lower end of the VHF hand. It is thus of
importance to determine as accuratelyas'possihle the intensity, dura 
tion and the frequency range of such occurrences. This has been and
remains the main objective of the program.
Three types of sky wave interference in the VHF region of the
spectrum have been found:
(a) So-called bursts.-Work on these has been temporarily aban 
doned as their effect on broadcast listening appears to be negligible.
As a scientific problem this phenomena is highly interesting and inves 
tigation of their origin (most probably from ionization tracks set up by
meteoric particles entering the atmosphere) should yield results of
value both to the radio and other fields of knowledge. Intensive work
on the problem did not however seem to be justified under wartime
conditions.
Analysis of the meteoric bursts consisted in counting the numbers of
bursts exceeding a fixed level and tabulating 'the numbers occurring
per hour. The daily and annual variations in the hourly number of
bursts have been correlated with theoretical anel observed meteoric
occurrences anel very good agreement has been found. In addition,
visual observation by the engineer in charge of the project has resulted
in 13 coincidences between bursts and visible meteors.
(b) Sporadic E -layer reflections.-These have been found to exist
with extraordinary intensity and fOr appteci"able percentages of the
time eluring the late spring and summer months at distances from the
'transmitter of from 500 to 1,500 miles. They may occur during any of
the years of the Sunspot Cycle and their intensity varies with the
elistance in such a manner that there exists a maximum at about 900 
1,000 miles. The measurements so far made have been mostly in the
frequency range 42-50 megacycles., Since the middle of June 1945
regular recording on 83 megacycles has been'instituted while recoreling
on 107 mel(acycles has been done intermittently since that time. It is
expected that regular recordinll: on both 106 anel107 megacvcles will be
begun within a short time. These extensions of the program have heen
made possible by the coo]ileration of the industry. The rcsults so far
obtained indicate that both the intensity and the frequency of occur 
rence of sporadic E-Iayer rellections decreases markedly as we go
hill'her in the spectrnm. .
The work done uneler this project has been reported in some detail in
exhibits No. 380, No.4, No. 593, and No. 627 of the frequency allocation
hearing.
In this case the fundamental problem of analysis is not the determi 
nation of an average fielel at various distances, but a knowledl(e of the
percentage of the time dnrinll: 'which theint~rferinll:field exceeds
certain fixed intensities at any~ivendistanceto~etherwith the rate of
increase of the percentage of time with increase in the number of paths
over which interference is received. This Assential difference between
the two eases has led to the development ofnov~lmethods of analysis
and representation which may be described brielly as follows.
For the determination of the occurrence of sporadic E interference
within a particular band of frequencies, a single high-powered trans 
mittinll: station was recorded at several selectedrecordin~sites. The
recorder tapes for each recording site were analyzed to determine to the
86 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
nearest minute the times during which the sporadic E signals exceeded
certain selected levels of intensity and the times blocked in on au
occurrence sheet for that level. A separate occurrence sheet was pre 
pared for each level at a given recording site and a separate set of sheets
for each site. Superposition of sheets from different sites over a light
table permitted an optical comparison of the coincidence of occurrences
at different recorder sites and permitted an estimate to be made of the
rate of increase in interference to be expected with increasing numbers
of stations assigned to the same channel. Sample occurrence sheets,
each covering a full year, are included in exhibit No.4 of the frequency
allocation hearing. Reference thereto will show that the sheets permit
also a quick determination of ,the daily and annual variations in the
time of occurrence of these signals. At the present time occurrence
sheets are being prepared on a monthly basis, rather than on an annual
basis, in order to increase their accuracy and value as permanent
records.
(c) F1!-layer- r-efledions.-The sky-wave interference from reflec 
tions at the upper of the stratified regions of the ionosphere, while most
serious when it occurs owing to the greater distances from which it
may originate-thus involvmg the question of international inter 
ferences-are of concern only for a few years in the neighborhood of
sunspot maxima. Hence there is no experimental work on this source
of interference to report at the present time. Work on this project
has been confined to theoretical studies, and analysis of the rather
meager results known from previous sunspot maximum periods. The:
conclusions arrived at are set forth in exhibits No. 380, No. 593, and
certain exhibits of the frequency allocation hearing.
(d) Tropospheric effects.-In addition to the studies of sky-wave
interference the VHF broadcast recording program has included
studies of the variations in the range of such signals due to variations
in the physical state of the lower atmosphere or troposphere. These
range variations occur at all frequencies and insufficient data have been
obtained in our work up to the present to warrant definite conclusions
as to the magnitude of the trend of the effect with increasing frequen 
cies. From the small amount of observations now available it does
not appear that the range variations in the neighborhood of 100 mega 
cycles differ sufficiently from those around 50 megacycles to demand
any radical differentiation in the allocation policies for the two re 
gions. A considerable amount of information on the matters at these
and higher frequencies, some of which may be useful for the Commis 
sion's allocation problems, has been accumulated by the armed forces
of the Nation and National Defense Research Committee but is not
now generally available owing to security restrictions. Recently, cer 
tain very high frequency equipment has been made available to the
Commission by the Office of Chief Signal Officer and the Army Air
Forces, U. S. A. for further investigations at presently measured fre 
quenCIes and for expanding the program to include frequencies higher
than those now under investigation.
VHF tropospheric signals are analyzed in a manner similar to skv 
wave signals in the standard broadcast band. That is, the hourly
median signal levels aridirst determined, and these values then used
to represent variations of signal levels with time, distance and fre 
qu~ncy,in~hemanner shown in exhibit No.4 of the frequency allo 
catron hearmgs.
CHAPTER VIII
War Activities
I. RADIO INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
2. FOREIGN BROADCAST INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
3. FCC ASSISTANCE TO THE BOARD OF WAR COMMUNICATIONS
87
[ Page 88 in the original document is intentionally blank ]
CHAPTER VIII-WAR ACTIVITIES
I. RADIO INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
The Radio Intelligence Division, established in 1940 to give
America wartime protection from misnse of the ether lanes by sJ1ies.
or other illegal operators, discovered 46 nnlicensed stations dnrIng
thefisc~1year, investigated 1,445 co!"plaints ofs~spicioll~tr!ins,~ission
and of mterference. These complamts were received from the general
public, commercial communication companies, Government agencies,
and the military. .
Dnring the year, the RID furnished fixes to 283 planes which were
in distress. A total of 996 requests for assistance of all types to planes
was received. The RID took 85,031 bearings.
A number of alerts originated totaled 25,000. This figure represents
the number of instances in which an origination was made by each
monitoring station equipped with long-range, high-frequency direc 
tion-finding facilities for the purpose of obtaining synchronized bear 
ings from a net of direction finding stations upon a particular radio
station under surveillance.
To facilitate its task of identifying the thousands of stations heard
around the world so that the enemy, subversive or unlicensed stations
may be spotted instantly, the RID compiled an additional 200,000
index cards for its files. These records show the operating character-
istics of stationslo~gedor otherwise monitored. .
In accordance with a budget reduction, the personnel of the RID
was reduced from 468 to 328. The number of secondary stations was
reduced from 59 to 28, of which 13 were equipped with long-range,
high-frequency Adcock type radio-direction finders. The number of
primary stations, totaling 12, was maintained.
2. FOREIGN BROADCAST INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
The Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service carried on its activities
under an appropriation 25 percent less than that available for the pre 
ceding year. This necessitated a number of changes in the service
provided to departments and agencies and in organization and op 
erating procedures.
The cnanges included:
a. The mimeographed publications summarizing and analyzing
broadcasts relating to events and conditions in Europe (distributed
first on a weekly basis, then biweekly) were discontinued at the end
of December 1944.
b. The special file of European shortwave broadcasts monitored in
Washington, D. C., and delivered by teleprinter to the Office of War
Information in New York City was reduced to an 8-hour service from
a 24-hour service as had previously been the case.
a. A Special Services Section was created which mailed out to the
departments and agencies broadcasts of interest which would not be
683380-46--7 89
90 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
carried to them by the regular wire service or the mimeographed
publications of FBIS.
The service provided to departments and agencies of the Federal
government and allied nations after the above changes were instituted
may be summarized as follows:
a. Texts and summaries of broadcasts originating in some 55 differ 
ent countries were delivered daily by teleprinter to some 14 different
departments and agencies; by mimeographed daily report to some
23 departrnents and agencies; and by special services to sorn.c 22
agencies, some of which did not subscribe to the regular service. This
monitored material was also made available to representatives of 22
foreign governments.
b. All broadcast messages relating to American and a!lied service 
men held prisoner of war were communicated immediately by wire to
the War Department.
c. Broadcasts originating in the Far East were summarize,I and
analyzed in a fortnightly mimeographed publication and delivered
to some 23 different departments and agencies.
d. Texts of broadcasts and special reports based on broadcast ma 
t~rialwere prepared as required for Inilitary and civil authorities of
the United States in both the European and Pacific theaters of war.
The service thus supplied to the governments of the United States
and its allies was based on a careful examination of several million
words of broadcast text monitored daily. At the beginning of the
fiscal year, FBIS maintained three principal monitoring; posts (Wash 
in~on,D. C.; Portland, Oreg.; and San Francisco, Calif.), and one
mInor post (Honolulu, T. H.). During the year the San Francisco
post waS abandoned, the Honolulupo~twa~moved to the Island of
Kauai (T. H.) and greatly enlarged, and a new post was esblblished
on Guam. In addition to the broadcasts intercepted at these stations,
FBIS hud aCcess to material monitored by yariOllS alliNl 11ations,
principally by the Brit\t:;h Broadcasting Corp. at it;.;po~t1\\',\\' IJonnol\,
and by the Brit.ish Minist.ry of Infol'mation at it;-P0::it~Ill'it!' Ca.iro and
New Delhi.
3. FCC ASSISTANCE TO THE BOARD OF WAIl COMMUNICATIONH
[As the Board of War CommullicaliOJls is lUI independellt ngcnc)'. the emphasis
in this report is on those actions which involved the cooperation of thp FCC'l
ORGANIZATION
The Board of War Communications (formerly the Defensc COllllllU 
nications Board) was created by Executive Order No. 8546 on
September 24 1940, for the purpose of determining, preparing, and
coodinating plans for the most efficient control and use of the country's
radio, wire, and cable communications facilities during the national
emergency. Thereafter, by Executive Order No. 8964. dated Dccem 
ber 10, 1941, and by Executive Order No. 9089, dated March 6. 1942,
there was delegated to the Board the Presideut's wartime authority
under section 606 (a) of the Communicatious Act to direct tbat com 
munications essential to the national defense and security shall have
preference or priority and, uuder sections 606 (c) and (d), to direct
the use, control or closure of radio and wire communication stations
and facilities.
REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 91
Chairman Paul A. Porter of the Federal Communications Commis 
sion is also Chairman of the Board of War Communications. The
other members of the Board are Maj. General Harry C. Ingles, Chief
Signal Officer of the Army; Rear Adm. Joseph R. Redman, Director
of Naval Communications; Hon. William L. Clayton, Assistant Secre 
tary of State in Charge of Economic Affairs i and Hon. Herbert E.
Gaston, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury III Charge of Treasury
Enforcement Activities, who is Secretary of the Board. Commodore
E. M. Webster, Chief of Communications, United States Coast Guard,
is Assistant Secretary of the Board.
The Board has no paid personnel, appropriation, or funds. Itopel"
ates through a coordinating committee and a law committee staffed by
personnel from the agencies represented on the Board; through Labol'
and Industry Advisory Committees and an international Broadcast 
ing Coordinating Committee; and through 13 "numbered committees"
for radio amateurs, aviation communications, cable, domestic broad 
casting, the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee, interna 
tional broadcasting, radio communications, State and municipal facil 
ities, telegraph, telephone, United States Government facilities, the
Communications Liaison Committee for Civilian Defense, and the
Priorities Liaison Committee.
ACTIVITIES
In addition to assisting in the preparation of the orders issued by
the Board of War CommunicatIOns during the fiscal year ending
.Tune 30, 1945, the Commission also cooperated with the Board in its
consideration of problems which continued to arise concerning war 
time communications such as, for exam_pIe, the wartime speed ana
quality of domestic telegraph service. In connection with the speed
and quality of domestic telegraph service, the Commission submitted
to the Board during: the fiscal year ended June 30, 1945, two reports
dated, respectively, July 1944, and November 1944, showing the service
being rendered by the telegraph industry. Continued checks were also
made by the Commission to determine the extent of compliance by
the telegraph carriers and the public with Board orders No. 25-C,
28, until those orders were canceled by order No. 31, dated August 16,
1945, and a number of other matters were iuvestigated involvmg, for
example, complaints regarding the abuse of the telephone and tele 
graph priorities provided for in Board orders No. 20 and 27, as
amended.
The Board issued the following orders during the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1945:
Order No.6-A, dated January 25, 1945, canceliug order No.6 dated
May 1, 1942, designating for closure the facilities of the French Tele 
graph Cable Co. within the continental United States.
Order No. 6-C, dated November 23, 1944, exempting from the closure
provisions of order No.8, upon certain specified condition, point-to 
point radioteler.aph circuits between New York, N. Y., and San
Francisco, Cali ., operated by Globe Wireless., Ltd.
Order No. 19-C, dated May 3, 1945, eancehng orders No. 15, 17,18,
19, 19--A, and 19-B, previously issue,] by the BOaI'd and limiting the
use of international radiotelephone communications.
92 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Orders No. 21>-D and 21>-E, dated May 4, 1945, and May 17, 1945,
respectively, relaxing the provisions of order 25-C prohibiting the
transmission of telegraph messages of felicitation and congratulation
to permit the transmission of such messages to or from members of
the armed forces and the merchant marine.
Order No. 25-F, dated June 28, 1945, relaxing the ban in order No.
25-C against the performance of nontelegraphic services by domestic
telegraph carriers to permit such carriers to participate in the furnish 
ing of shopping service ordered through another carrier from out 
side of the continental United States.
Order No. 31, dated August 16, 1945, though issued subsequent to
.Tune 30, 1945, is listed here because of its importance. Itcanceled the
f<>nowing previously issued Board of War Communications orders:
Nos. 5, 7, 8, 8-A, 8-B, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 21, 23, 25, 21>-F,
28,29,30.
APPENDIX
PUBLICATIONS
Following is a list of·Federal Communications Commission pub 
lications of general interest available at the Governnrent Printing
Office, Supenntendent of Documents, VVashington 25, D. C., unless
otherwise indicated:
Tine Price
Communications Act of 1934, with Amendments and Index thereto, revised
to June 14, 1945 . $0.1;:)
Federal Communications Commission Reports (bound volumes' of decisions
and orders exclusive of annual reports) :
Volume I-July 1934--Jnly 1935 "__________________________ 1.00
Volume 2-July 1935-June 1936____________________________________ 2.00
1rolurne 3--July193~February1937 2.00
Volume 4-l\1arch 19B1-November 15,1937___________________________ 1.50
Volume 5-Novembe-1' 16
j
1937-Jllne 30
1
1938,_________________________ 1.50
Volume 6---.Tuly 1.1938-li~ebruar;v28, 1939___________________________ 1.50
Volume 7-March I, 1939-F-ebrnary 20; 1940_________________________ 11. fiO
Volume 8--March 1, 1940--August 1, 194L___________________________ 1.50
Volume 9---August I, 194i1;...Aprll 1, 1943_____________________________ 1.25
Annual reports of the Commission:
First Annual Report-Fiscal~'ear1935______________________________ .15
Third Annual Report-F'iscal year 1937-____________________________ .30
Sixth Annual Report-Fiscal year 1940_____________________________ .20
Seventh Annual Report-Fiscal ,):ear 104L__________________________ .10
Study. Guide and Reference Material for Commercial Radio Operator Exam-
inations . lfi
Standards of Good Engineering Practice Com'erning Standard Broadcast
Stations (550-1,600 kc.)________________________________________________ .6G
Standards of Good Engineering Practice Concerning FM~BroadcfH't' Stn-
tions ._ __ (1)
Standards of Good Engineering Pmctice Concerning- TelevlRion Broadcast
Stations____________________________________________________________ (l)
Statistics of the Communications Industry in the United Stah's (19'39),_____ .2r;
Statistics of the Communications Industl'yln the United States (1940) .20
Statistics of the Communicutions Industry in the United States (1942) .3f)
Statistics of the Communications,Industry in the United States (1943) . 30
Report on Chain Broadcasting_________________________________________ .30
Rules and RegUlations of the FCC:
Part I-Rules of ,Practice and Procedure, ReYised to February 1, 1945__ (1)
Part 2-General Rules and Regulations, RevIsed to December19~1944__.10
Part 3-Rules Governing Standard and High Frequency Broadcast Sta-
tions, Revised to Octohel' 5, H)40~__________________________.10
Part 4-Rules Governing Broadcast Services Other than Standard
IkoHdcast. Revised to May 14, 1942_______________________________ ('j
Part 5-Experimental Rules, Effective Odober 1, 1939 (')
Part 6-Rules Governing Fixed Public Radio Services, Revised Febru·
. ary20, 1943_____________________________________________________ .05
PHrt 7-Rules Governing Coastal and MarineRela~'Services, Revised
Aprll5; 194L___________________________________________________ (')
Part 8-Rules Governing Ship Service, Hevised to May 31, 1943________ . 15
Part 9---Aviation Radio Services, Revised November i, 1942__~________.05
10btainable (rom the Federal CommunicatIon8 Commi88ion, Washington 25, D. C.,
upon request.
93
94 REPORT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
.10
.10
(')
.2f)
.15
.15
.60
.05
.05
.05
.05
.05
.05
.10
(')
. Of)
.10
1.00
.65
Price
$0.05
'Pitle
Rules and Regulations of the FCC-Continued. ,
Part lo-Uules Governing Emergency Radio Services, Revised Odober
16, 1944_______________________________________ . _
P8l't l1-Rules Governing Miscellaneous Radio Services, JI;t'fpd lye Jan-
uary 1, 1939 _
Part 12-Rnles Governing Amateur Radio: Stations andOIWl'ator~,
Revised to April 18, 1940 _
Part 13-Rules Governing Commercial Radio Operators, EfJ'('l'Iin' ,Jllly
1, 1939 _
Part Ii-Rules Governing Radio Stations in Alaska (Other thallAma~
teur and Broadcast) Revised to April 2, 1942_______________________ .05
Part 15---Rules and Regulations Governing All Radio Stations in the
War Emergency Service, Revised May 26, 1943 _
Part 16-Rules and Regulations Governing Railroad Service _
Part 3I-Revised October 25, 1940, and Part 32, Effective January
1,1937, Uniform System of Accounts, Class A and Class B Telephone
Companies; Units of Property, Class A and Class B Telephone
Companies (1 pamphlet) _
Part 33---Uniform System of Accounts for Class C Telephone Com-
panies, Effective January 1, 1939 _
Part 34-Unlform System of Accounts for Radio Telegraph Carriers,
Effective January 1, 1940 _
Part 35-Uniform System of Accounts forWire~TelegraphandOcean~
Cable CarrIers, Effecti",e JanUAry 1, 1942 _
Part 41-Telegraph and Telephone Franks, Effective August 11,
1939~~-
Part 42-Rules Governing the' Preservation of Records, Revised to
~ay27. 1943 _
Part 43--Rules Governing the Filing of Information, Contracts, etc.,
of Telecommunications Carriers, Revised to September 29, 1943__
Part 51---elassification of Telephone Employes _
Part 52-Classification of Wire-Telegraph Employes _
Part 61-Tariffs: Rules Governing the Construction, FUlng, and Post-
ing of Schedules of Charges for Interstate and Foreign Communi-
cations Service, Revised to September 29, 1943 _
Part 62-Rules Governing Applications Under Section 212 of the Act
to Bold Interlocking Directorates, Effective September I, 1939 _
Part 63-Extension of Lines antI Discontinuance of Service by Car-
riers, Effective March 18, 1944 ... _
Federal Communications Commission Report on Social and Economic
Data, pursuant to Informal Hearing, etc., July 1, 1937 _
Federal Communications Commission-PrQPosed Telephone Investigation
Pursuant to Public Resolution No.8 (74th Cong.) _
Final Report on Telephone Investigation, House Document 340 _
Annual Report Form H for year ending December 31, 1944 _
Annual Report Form M, paper, loose·leaf edition _
Statistical Oircular No. 1___________________________________________ .05
FCO Form 901 .05 ea.
1.250
FCO Form 902 ..: __ .05 ea.
1.250
Form 903 .05 ea.
1.250
FCO Form 905A .05 ea.
.85.0
FCa Form 905B .05 ea.
.850
1 Obtainable from the Federal Communications Commission, Washington 25, D. C., upon
request.
o