General Radiotelephone Operator License - History

History

Historically, the first commercial operator licenses were issued by the Department of Commerce and then later by the Federal Radio Commission under the authority of the Radio Act of 1927. When the FCC was created in 1934 it took over this function. The Commission issued First and Second Class Radiotelephone Operator Licenses. In 1953 a Third Class permit was added.

As they developed after World War II, the "First Phone" was required to be chief engineer at a broadcast station, and to work on television transmitters. The "Second Phone" was often held by radio transmitter repair persons, such as in the aviation and maritime industries. The Third Class permit was required for announcers who had to record meter readings or who operated low power radio broadcast stations. Obtaining any of these required passing written examinations. The examination to earn the Second (because it included the entire field of electronics transmission) was generally thought more difficult than the First, which concentrated on television. The Third required a knowledge of broadcast rules.

From 1963 to 1978 an additional technical written test added a "Broadcast Endorsement" to the "Third Phone". This allowed announcers to be the sole operators at some limited power radio stations.

As technology rapidly changed transmitters required less skill to manage. In the spirit of deregulation and to reduce its own personnel and other associated costs, the FCC yielded progressively more of its control over broadcasters, and eased licensing requirements. In 1980 the name of the Third Phone was changed to the Marine Radio Operator Permit and was subsequently renewed under that name. In 1982 testing stopped for the First. Shortly afterwards all renewing First and Second Class licenses, were issued as GROLs. Like all previous commercial licenses, they were issued with renewable five year terms, but in 1985 certificates began to be granted or renewed as lifetime documents. Today, the GROL examinations cover FCC broadcast regulations and communications electronics. Except for the special cases noted above, a license is no longer legally required for work in a broadcast station.