[BC] Call Letters question...

[Alan E. Gearing]

On 13 Jun 12 12:26 PM, Blaine Thompson wrote:
> Alan E. Gearing wrote:
>> the first regularly issued 4-letter call sign was WAAB in 1922.
> I'm told the first regularly issued four letter call sign was WBAA (followed by WAAB, WAAC, etc.).  I'm told WBAA and WAAB were both issued in 1922.
>
> Back then, I wasn't even a glimmer in the milkmans eye.
>

Blaine,

You could be correct. In a closer reading of some call sign history 
sources, I see that the call signs WAAB and WBAA were both assigned on 
4/4/1922 (WAAC was assigned on 4/5/1922), so its possible that WBAA was 
actually assigned first. That a WBA? call was issued before all the WAA? 
calls were used up is apparently another anomaly. No WBA? call except WBAA 
was assigned until after the WAA?'s were used (WBAB was assigned on 
04/17/22). Seems like the Department of Commerce Bureau of Navigation, 
which regulated radio before the Federal Radio Commission was established, 
was no better at making up its mind what it wanted to do than the current FCC.

For those interested in more info about call sign history the following 
URL's may be of interest:

http://earlyradiohistory.us/3myst.htm#dawn

http://broadcasting.wikia.com/wiki/United_States_call_letter_assignments

Regards,

Alan

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Alan E. Gearing
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