What changed
A short history of amateur radio — edited Aug 31, 2026 by Unknown editor
Compared with the version from Aug 29, 2026. Note: Imported from content/wiki
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The **Radio Act of 1912**, passed in the aftermath of the *Titanic* sinking, was the turning point.
It began federal licensing of American operators and stations, and confined private stations to
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wavelengths of 200 metres and shorter — frequencies the commercial services of the day considered
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wavelengths of 200 meters and shorter — frequencies the commercial services of the day considered
worthless. Estimates suggest the number of US hobbyists fell by as much as 88%.
Those who stayed discovered that short waves refract off the ionosphere and travel around the
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the US and Léon Deloy in France. Within a year, contacts spanned the Americas, New Zealand and
Britain.
- **1927–28** — the first International Radiotelegraph Conference in Washington established the
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amateur bands at 80/75, 40, 20 and 10 metres and the call-sign prefix system still in use.
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- **1933** — Robert Moore, W6DEI, began single-sideband voice experiments on 75 metres.
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amateur bands at 80/75, 40, 20 and 10 meters and the call-sign prefix system still in use.
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- **1933** — Robert Moore, W6DEI, began single-sideband voice experiments on 75 meters.
- **1941–45** — amateur operation was suspended again for the Second World War; the War Emergency
Radio Service used amateur skills at home, and afterwards surplus military sets such as the ARC-5
filled thousands of shacks.
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in touch with home during the International Geophysical Year.
- **1961** — OSCAR 1, the first amateur satellite, launched four years after Sputnik and started a
worldwide series. See [satellites](/wiki/operating/satellites).
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- **1979** — the World Administrative Radio Conference added 30, 17 and 12 metres, still called the
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- **1979** — the World Administrative Radio Conference added 30, 17 and 12 meters, still called the
WARC bands.
- **1970s–80s** — repeaters and FM handhelds made local operating routine, and packet radio put
automated digital messaging on the air before most people had internet.
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