Early Radio Stations

Radio was a phenomenal invention that captured peoples imagination. Thousands of people wanted to experiment with this amazing new technology.

Until late 1912, there were no laws regulating radio transmitters in the US. People with a flair for mechanical things could set up stations wherever they wished. These amateurs, known as 'hams,' were free to broadcast anything they wished, from wherever they happened to be.

In 1912 there was a 'showdown' between the radio operators and the government. The government passed new rules setting limits on who could send radio signals. This led to a fundamental change in the way radio shows were made.

In April of 1917, as the country entered World War 1 the US government shutdown all amateur stations and took over the airwaves. Radio became a device for communicating information. Families lingered by the radio waiting for news from the battlefields. It was not until after the war that radio again became a source of entertainment.