The first decade of FM broadcasting, starting in 1936 to 1946, occurred in the 42 - 50 MHz band.  The frequency band was changed to the current 88 to 108 MHz band in 1946.  FM stations operating in the old frequency band were required to move to the higher frequencies and most did so before 1948.

Many initial call signs in the FM band were assigned in the following manner:
      an initial "W" or "K", depending on whether the station location was east or west of the Mississippi River,
      followed by two numbers, and
      one or two letters usually representing the community of license, like K 47 SL (now KSFI, Salt Lake City, UT).


 

The early FM history cards in this folder came from a single microfiche sheet (#40) in the noncommercial educational FM history cards section.  They include the experimental FM facilities constructed by Edwin H. Armstrong, the inventor of FM radio

History cards were never intended to provide complete records for a station, but instead.list transactions (permits, licenses, assignments, etc.) at the Commission with limited details and comments added.  The cards available here are not a complete list of authorizations issued in the 1930s and 1940s.

Grant DateStationComment
6/12/1936W2XMN
Alpine, NJ
Edwin H. Armstrong
Licensed 10/3/1938, Deleted 11/1/1950
10/31/1940W 99 NY / W 59 NY   
New York, NY
Frequency Broadcasting Corporation
Deleted 5/13/1942
2/18/1941W 81 SP
Philadelphia, PA   
Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc.
Deleted 4/21/1942
7/22/1941W 77 XL, Lansing, MIWJIM, Inc.
Deleted 9/7/1942 
9/16/1941K 45 SF
San Francisco, CA
Hughes Tool Company
Deleted 1/20/1942
10/22/1941W 79 C
Chicago, IL
Oak Park Realty and Amusement Co.
Deleted 9/23/1942
11/25/1941K 49 LA
Los Angeles, CA
Hughes Tool Company
Deleted 1/20/1942
1/27/1942W 91 HJ / W 91 NJ
West Orange, NJ
Deleted 9/29/1942
8/06/1945 (STA)KE2XCC
Alpine, NJ
Edwin H. Armstrong
Deleted 11/22/1954

 

Additional early FM licensed stations with FCC History Cards and FCC Facility ID Numbers, 1938 to 1947:

 

First Licensed Date
First call sign, city, state


(links to History Cards)

Facility ID
(links to current
station info)
11/14/1938WDNG, Anniston, AL71344
11/21/1938WBOE, Cleveland, OH (now deleted)12018
5/08/1939WCNY, New York, NY3539
3/13/1941WBKY, Lexington, KY4303
9/18/1941KALW, San Francisco, CA58830
1/15/1942W 51 C, Chicago, IL28620
1/29/1942W 51 R, Rochester, NY71204
5/20/1942W 47 P, Pittsburgh, PA59968
9/09/1942W 57 A / W 85 A, Schenectady, NY15330
9/09/1942W 53 PH, Philadelphia, PA20348
9/30/1942WIUC, Urbana, IL68940
11/06/1942W 53 H, Hartford, CT66465
11/18/1942W 45 BR, Baton Rouge, LA4053
11/18/1942W 69 PH, Philadelphia, PA25094
1/26/1943W 75 NY, New York, NY51249
1/23/1943W 71 NY, New York, NY63781
3/02/1943W 73 PH, Philadelphia, PA9622
3/02/1943W 75 P, Pittsburgh, PA73889
3/16/1943K 45 LA, Los Angeles, CA28631
3/16/1943W 65 H, Hartford, CT72144
3/23/1943W 45 D, Detroit, MI9618
3/23/1943W 47 PH, Philadelphia, PA25438
3/30/1943W 67 NY, New York, NY9611
3/30/1943W 67 C, Chicago, IL9613
5/04/1943W 59 NY, New York, NY29022
8/25/1943WBEZ, Chicago, IL66649
9/21/1943W 35 NY / W 39 NY, New York, NY73355
11/02/1943W 49 D, Detroit, MI59592
4/26/1944WTAG-FM, Worcester, MA35225
8/08/1944W 51 NY, New York, NY19615
10/08/1945W 83 C, Chicago, IL73233
03/31/1946WWST-FM, Wooster, OH74201
1/26/1947WBGO, Newark, NJ48699
6/24/1947WGNC-FM, Gastonia, NC6587
7/11/1947WCPI-FM, Bristol, VA6876
7/11/1947WINC-FM, Winchester, VA41810
8/19/1947WCLT-FM, Newark, OH71285
9/11/1947WNDB-FM, Daytona Beach, FL10343
9/18/1947WSTV-FM, Steubenville, OH65408
9/18/1947KISU / KSUI, Iowa City, Iowa66626
9/18/1947WMIX-FM, Mount Vernon, IL73103
9/24/1947WFUV, New York, NY22033
10/09/1947WFAS-FM, White Plains, NY14380
10/20/1947WFAH-FM, Alliance, OH14914
11/17/1947W 63 SY / WSYR-FM, Syracuse, NY48725
11/17/1947WKNP, Corning, NY53611
11/18/1947WHPE-FM, High Point, NC5164
11/18/1947WKRC-FM, Cincinatti, OH11276
11/18/1947KCRW, Santa Monica, CA59086
11/18/1947WFOB-FM, Fostoria, OH67709
11/18/1947WCEC-FM / WFMA, Wake Forest, NC74125
11/20/1947WLBC-FM, Muncie, IN17602
12/01/1947WATC-FM, Ashland, OH2925
12/01/1947WJTN-FM, Jamestown, NY29919
12/01/1947WJMC-FM, Rice Lake, WI67197
12/20/1947WWHG-FM, Hornel, NY5309
12/24/1947WEAW-FM, Evanston, IL67073



Per the History Cards:

   77 additional FM stations were licensed in 1948,
 143 additional FM stations were licensed in 1949, and
   74 additional FM stations were licensed in 1950.

(These counts may not include FM stations deleted before 1980 and removed from the History Cards.)

 


These additional history cards were also in the folder above:
1/10/1936 (STA)  W8XWJ, Detroit, MIThe Evening News Association
Deleted 1/1/1941
Apex AM modulation
6/3/1937KA-9952, Jackson, MSLicensed 3/28/1938, Deleted 2/18/1952
(Misplaced intercity relay history cards)

 



For more information on AM and FM radio broadcasting, please visit the Audio Division website, and the Broadcast Radio Links page.

For more information on Television broadcasting, please visit the Video Division website.

FCC > Media Bureau > Audio Division and Video Division, (202) 418-1600.

Bureau/Office:
Updated:
Friday, October 4, 2024