New Rules For Wireless.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 7, 1912:
Complete Federal Control to Prevent Interference by Amateurs.
    WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.— Four hundred wireless-equipped American ships, nearly 100 commercial wireless stations, many more stations connected with colleges, schools, and experimental laboratories, and several thousand amateur wireless stations are affected by regulations promulgated to-day by Acting Secretary Cable of the Department of Commerce and Labor for the enforcement of the radio-communication net on Dec. 13.
    The act establishes a complete Federal control system over radio-communication and requires licensing of all wireless operators working across State lines or in communication with ships at sea. The department will administer the act through Inspectors at New York. Baltimore, New Orleans, and San Francisco, and additional Inspectors will be appointed within a few weeks for Boston, Chicago, Savannah, Seattle, and Cleveland. The United States has been divided into nine districts, with headquarters in those cities.
    The circular embodying the regulations announces the eligibility of women as well as men, and says that applications for licenses for ship stations must be sent to the department's Radio Inspector at the port of departure. Licensing of great lakes vessels will not begin before Spring. Licenses for coast stations will be issued by the nearest Inspector or by the Commissioner of Navigation at Washington. Examinations of would-be operators will be held at the navy yards, naval stations, the Naval Academy, certain army posts, and elsewhere. Amateur stations are restricted in wave lengths of transmittal to not exceeding 200 meters (about 750 feet) except on special application to the department.
    "The department," Mr. Cable announced, "recognizes that radio-communication offers a wholesome form of instructive recreation for amateurs. It will not knowingly license an amateur who does not recognize and will not obey the principle of observance of the rights of others to the uninterrupted use of apparatus for important public and commercial purposes."