Cavell Mertz no longer has the FCC history cards on Fccinfo due to a "rearranging"of the FCC's web presence. At this time, there is no word on if or when they will return. Too bad. They were a great source about radio's past.
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Bye bye history cards
- Thread starter HadYourPhil
- Start date
I have great news for you.
FCCData.org still has them, and much more salvaged from the end of the old CDBS database.
@Michi doesn't get enough credit for the hard work they put in to preserve these documents and data.
fccdata.org as noted above is the best one to search. As well, still at the FCC directly in their perpetually slow response searches (FM: FM Query Broadcast Station Search under Links & Maps in the output).
Terrible news! Thanks and appreciation to Michi for keeping history alive...
- Bob Gowa
Very few providers of information, including Michi and Cavell Mertz and a number of others, get much credit at all. Heck, even /radio-locator.com is of value when seeking a superficial view of a station!
Keep in mind, the FCC has not completely given up on the preservation of the history cards. It's just in a tricky location.
You have to access the LMS Public Search, click on Facility Search and search for the facility. If there is a history card file, you will find it in the attachments.
Just before the retirement of the CDBS Public View, REC did a massive retrieval project to attempt to recover over 70,000 "import letters" that we did not already have already (we already had about 30,000 of them already), which included the history cards (many of the cards were already recovered in past REC initiatives related to the REC History Project). While the FCC did move the history cards (I am not sure if all of them) to LMS, many of these other import letters may have not been lucky. We also created a "CDBS Public View Simulator" which has many of the features and the look and feel that the recently retired CDBS tool had. You can't look at current facility data through this tool but we have the data locked in time with the last release of the FCC CDBS Public Database from January, 2024.
For the full details of this project, see:
You have to access the LMS Public Search, click on Facility Search and search for the facility. If there is a history card file, you will find it in the attachments.
Just before the retirement of the CDBS Public View, REC did a massive retrieval project to attempt to recover over 70,000 "import letters" that we did not already have already (we already had about 30,000 of them already), which included the history cards (many of the cards were already recovered in past REC initiatives related to the REC History Project). While the FCC did move the history cards (I am not sure if all of them) to LMS, many of these other import letters may have not been lucky. We also created a "CDBS Public View Simulator" which has many of the features and the look and feel that the recently retired CDBS tool had. You can't look at current facility data through this tool but we have the data locked in time with the last release of the FCC CDBS Public Database from January, 2024.
For the full details of this project, see:
1915 to 1032 Radio Service Bulletins.
Not really searchable.
There's a project for someone!
www.fcc.gov
Not really searchable.
There's a project for someone!
Radio Service Bulletins, 1915-1932
Radio Service Bulletins were issued monthly by the Bureau of Navigation (and later the Radio Division, Department of Commerce) from January 1915 into the 1930s and beyond to keep mariners, aviators, radio listeners, and others abreast of developments in the new medium of radio. Radio was used...
Already available and searchable on David's site:
Radio Service Bulletin details are integrated in the listings at FCCdata.org.1915 to 1032 Radio Service Bulletins.
Not really searchable.
There's a project for someone!
Radio Service Bulletins, 1915-1932
Radio Service Bulletins were issued monthly by the Bureau of Navigation (and later the Radio Division, Department of Commerce) from January 1915 into the 1930s and beyond to keep mariners, aviators, radio listeners, and others abreast of developments in the new medium of radio. Radio was used...
When you go to FCCdata, pull up a very old station and look for this banner:
In the header, click on "Historic Grid View":
and viola!...
This is a project I did several years ago as a part of the REC Radio History Project. More information about the past REC Radio History Project efforts can be found at:
The REC Radio History Project | REC Networks
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