QST/December 1915/Special Licenses

by Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska (editors)

 As is well known among most amateurs by this time, we have secured the co-operation of the Government to the extent that where it seems desirable for the purpose of relay work, a Special License will be granted by the Bureau of Navigation, provided the applicant holds a First-Grade Commercial License, and provided he is favorably recommended by the League.

 This does not mean that everybody can secure a Special License. Distinctly the reverse is the case. No Special Licenses are issued except where it is very plain that the interests of the American Radio Relay League require it. Therefore, if you have a good station and hold a First Grade Commercial License and are located away from the sea coast, and absolutely require a transmitting wave length of 425 meters in order to be able to handle relay messages, there is a chance that you may secure a Special License. But, unless you can make it very plain that you meet every one of these conditions, it is a waste of time for you to think about a Special License.

 The program to follow, where a station is entitled to a Special License, is to write to the Radio Inspector of your District, and secure application blanks for Special License, and after filling these in, to send them to Headquarters for consideration. If it seems desirable that the station be granted a Special License, a favorable endorsement is made upon the application, and it is forwarded to the District Radio Inspector. It is then up to the District Inspector to either favorably or unfavorably endorse after which the application is sent to Washington where the Bureau of Navigation finally passes upon the matter.