BCL vs callsigns
 

Hi,

I achieve my "history of ham radio" and I need a confrmation about BCL

Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission oversees the operations of U.S. private sector international broadcasters, and assigns 4 character alphabetic call signs to the international broadcasters.
But what about a company like VOA's (Voice of America) and thousands others who use a trade name instead of a callsign ?
Aren't they under the FCC authority ?

According my sources they 'd be under the responsibility of the Spectrum Management Division of the International Broadcasting Bureau and do not fall under the regulatory authority of the FCC...

That 'd be in the early days of VOA, 1950s, that the broadcasts were transmitted from facilities in the United States owned by private entities. Those private owners were regulated by the FCC, and operated under FCC assigned call signs. Examples that I recall include Bound Brook, New Jersey (WBOU, I think) etc.
By 1965, to confirm, all domestic facilities used for VOA-like broadcasts were government owned, and thus they no longer operated with call signs - all programs were identified with a "Voice of America" announcement.

Has someone out there any conformation of these facts ?

Thanks in advance

Thierry, ON4SKY
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry

Thierry wrote:
Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission oversees the
operations of U.S. private sector international broadcasters, and
assigns 4 character alphabetic call signs to the international broadcasters.
But what about a company like VOA's (Voice of America) and thousands
others who use a trade name instead of a callsign ?
Aren't they under the FCC authority ?

No, stations that belong to the U.S. federal government are NOT under
FCC authority. The FCC only regulates private use of radio, and use by
state and local (city, county, etc.) governments. Most federal
government stations do not have callsigns.

The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is another U.S.
government-operated broadcast service that doesn't have callsigns. Of
course most AFRTS stations are located outside U.S. territory, but the
few that are U.S. based (especially in Puerto Rico and Alaska) do not
have calls.

(the most prominent exception: the USA National Weather Service operates
a nationwide chain of weather broadcasting stations between 162.4 and
162.55MHz. All of them have callsigns, even though almost all of them
belong to the Weather Service, a federal agency.)

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Thierry wrote:
Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission oversees the
operations of U.S. private sector international broadcasters, and
assigns 4 character alphabetic call signs to the international broadcasters.
But what about a company like VOA's (Voice of America) and thousands
others who use a trade name instead of a callsign ?
Aren't they under the FCC authority ?

No, stations that belong to the U.S. federal government are NOT under
FCC authority. The FCC only regulates private use of radio, and use by
state and local (city, county, etc.) governments. Most federal
government stations do not have callsigns.

The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is another U.S.
government-operated broadcast service that doesn't have callsigns. Of
course most AFRTS stations are located outside U.S. territory, but the
few that are U.S. based (especially in Puerto Rico and Alaska) do not
have calls.

(the most prominent exception: the USA National Weather Service operates
a nationwide chain of weather broadcasting stations between 162.4 and
162.55MHz. All of them have callsigns, even though almost all of them
belong to the Weather Service, a federal agency.)

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

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"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...
Thierry wrote:
Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission oversees the
...
The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is another U.S.
government-operated broadcast service that doesn't have callsigns. Of
course most AFRTS stations are located outside U.S. territory, but the
few that are U.S. based (especially in Puerto Rico and Alaska) do not
have calls.

Hi,
Thanks for the info.
In the Armed Forces.. do you include also military stations ? For example
who assigned calls to the Army operators working in the field ?
Was it the Management Division of the International Broadcasting Bureau
instead of FCC ?

Thierry, ON4SKY


(the most prominent exception: the USA National Weather Service operates
a nationwide chain of weather broadcasting stations between 162.4 and
162.55MHz. All of them have callsigns, even though almost all of them
belong to the Weather Service, a federal agency.)

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...
Thierry wrote:
Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission oversees the
...
The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is another U.S.
government-operated broadcast service that doesn't have callsigns. Of
course most AFRTS stations are located outside U.S. territory, but the
few that are U.S. based (especially in Puerto Rico and Alaska) do not
have calls.

Hi,
Thanks for the info.
In the Armed Forces.. do you include also military stations ? For example
who assigned calls to the Army operators working in the field ?
Was it the Management Division of the International Broadcasting Bureau
instead of FCC ?

Thierry, ON4SKY


(the most prominent exception: the USA National Weather Service operates
a nationwide chain of weather broadcasting stations between 162.4 and
162.55MHz. All of them have callsigns, even though almost all of them
belong to the Weather Service, a federal agency.)

--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Thierry wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the info.
In the Armed Forces.. do you include also military stations ? For example
who assigned calls to the Army operators working in the field ?
Was it the Management Division of the International Broadcasting Bureau
instead of FCC ?

I meant only broadcasting stations. (the AFRTS stations that operate to
provide music and information in English for U.S. military personnel in
non-English-speaking countries, or in isolated areas with no civilian
radio/TV stations. Can you receive the station on 873KHz in Germany?)
There are also two low-power stations within the U.S. itself, operated
for the information and entertainment of students at the military
officer-training academies.

Stations used for military two-way communications are assigned callsigns
by the military. I would suspect those callsigns are often assigned by
officers in the field, for tactical reasons.

Assignment of radio *frequencies* to government stations is by the
Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/iracdefn.html When assigning
frequencies that are shared with (or primarily used by) civilians, like
broadcasting channels, they cooperate with the FCC.

I *believe* the International Broadcasting Bureau is only responsible
for selection of frequencies for the Voice of America and its related
services. (Radio Marti, Radio Sawa, etc..)
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

Thierry wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the info.
In the Armed Forces.. do you include also military stations ? For example
who assigned calls to the Army operators working in the field ?
Was it the Management Division of the International Broadcasting Bureau
instead of FCC ?

I meant only broadcasting stations. (the AFRTS stations that operate to
provide music and information in English for U.S. military personnel in
non-English-speaking countries, or in isolated areas with no civilian
radio/TV stations. Can you receive the station on 873KHz in Germany?)
There are also two low-power stations within the U.S. itself, operated
for the information and entertainment of students at the military
officer-training academies.

Stations used for military two-way communications are assigned callsigns
by the military. I would suspect those callsigns are often assigned by
officers in the field, for tactical reasons.

Assignment of radio *frequencies* to government stations is by the
Interdepartmental Radio Advisory Committee.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/iracdefn.html When assigning
frequencies that are shared with (or primarily used by) civilians, like
broadcasting channels, they cooperate with the FCC.

I *believe* the International Broadcasting Bureau is only responsible
for selection of frequencies for the Voice of America and its related
services. (Radio Marti, Radio Sawa, etc..)
--
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com

"Thierry" To answer me in private use
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry/post.htm wrote in
:

"Doug Smith W9WI" wrote in message
...
Thierry wrote:
Up to now the U. S. Federal Communications Commission
oversees the
...
The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is
another U.S. government-operated broadcast service that
doesn't have callsigns. Of course most AFRTS stations are
located outside U.S. territory, but the few that are U.S.
based (especially in Puerto Rico and Alaska) do not have
calls.

You actually find that, while not having 'callsigns' they
actually do, in an official manner, identify themselves at
least once a hour - usually on the top of the hour with a
standard identification.
--

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yes yes yes {yes;} umount {/dev/girl;zip;} rm -rf {wet.spot;}
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