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The rich history of ham radio culture
Drawing on a wealth of personal accounts found in magazines, newsletters, and trade journals, historian Kristen Haring provides an inside look at ham radio culture and its impact on hobbyists' lives.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required prospective hobbyists to demonstrate knowledge of electronics theory and radio regulation in a written exam and the ability to send and receive Morse code in a test performed with wireless apparatus. In 1946, CQ compelled readers to obey regulations with the threat that the Commission’s “mobile units are continually patrolling the country, stopping in cities to observe local activities, and listening from vantage points for unlicensed stations.” Hobbyists meanwhile handled the policing of the community’s internal communication rules. The ARRL reassured editors intimidated by literary responsibilities that it was all right to “know more about gamma than grammer [ sic]” since newsletters were “just another means of communication among friends — like ham radio.” Club publications deliberately retained a local flavor and plain language.
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