Radio License

[RalphG]

While cleaning up the radio from the 52 Mercury I was interested to be reminded of the days when radios required a license. As seen in the fine print on the label of this motorola (made in Canada) Ford radio.
Operating without a license left you liable to a fine not exceeding $25 and the said radio may be forfeited to his majesty.

[redmodelt]

Wow! For sure a Canadian thing, who would of thought! Nothing like that in the US. Did home radios need a license too?

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Wow! For sure a Canadian thing, who would of thought! Nothing like that in the US. Did home radios need a license too?

Yes, I have seen those same warning labels in the old plastic and wooden, tube type radios too.

[Crankster]

During World War II here in the states "foreign nationals" were prohibited from owning radios that would receive shortwave broadcasts, I'm sure transmitters were right out as well. This meant those immigrants of Italian and German extraction presumably. Radio repairmen were instructed to cripple the shortwave sections of those sets. Once in a while radio collectors will run into real trouble restoring a pre-war console or whatever to play on the shortwave bands. Sometimes they'll find something grounded or cut, cleverly hidden.

$25 fine was reasonably hefty fine in those days, and radios weren't exactly cheap either, good ones anyway. They were one of the first consumer credit appliances, and were often traded in. Great Britain has a radio and TV tax or license scheme iirc. Both radios and TVs "transmit" a signal as it were, by means of the IF transformers. Radio direction finders home in on this signal - and "they" can therefore catch you and fine you, if you haven't bought the license. Let Freedom Ring!

[Brendan]

i work with a guy, he is from Ireland. over there you need a license for your TV.

[rotorwrench]

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Most FCC licensing in the US is for operators of two way radio sets that could transmit. Repairmen and installers also used to be licensed but not so much any more.

[Phil Gillespie]

In New Zealand also it was the case where radio and then TV Licences were required.
They used to have a van going round to track radio & TV and hence cross check for valid license for these things.
Phil NZ

[Juergen]

The licensing in these former British colonies was really a tax to pay for public broadcasting which did not have advertisements. Almost like a dog license.

[Marv]

When i was a young boy you had top have a radio License for CB radios and when i had my own airplane i had to have a license for the radio in the airplane.

[RalphG]

Originally Posted by Marv

When i was a young boy you had top have a radio License for CB radios and when i had my own airplane i had to have a license for the radio in the airplane.

Yes, CB radio was big here in the 70s and 80s and each unit had to be licensed. Though I never heard of anybody being checked or fined for not having a license. They dropped it eventually but CB was already on the way out by that time.

[old Tom]

my CB License was KNK5420 had a 5 channel Citaphone

[Marvin/TN]

Don't know about Canada but in England car radios, home radios and TV's required a Lic

[koates]

Radio receiver licenses were required in Australia for many years. This also included car radios. Was not required after approx. 1970s. A separate radio tradesman or repair license was also required. All administered by the Post Master Generals Department (PMG). All defunct now. Inspectors used to visit homes to check your license and if you did not have one then a hefty fine was applied. Regards, Kevin.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Phil Gillespie

In New Zealand also it was the case where radio and then TV Licences were required.
They used to have a van going round to track radio & TV and hence cross check for valid license for these things.
Phil NZ

Yep I remember that. Problem was no one bothered to buy a license. The chance of getting caught was very low. Some one came to my door and requested to see my license and I told him I only used my TV to watch VHS tapes He went off happy must have missed the aerial on the roof.!

Eventually they scrapped the whole thing -It was just revenue gathering

Karl




And eventually they just waived the whole thing

[ford nut]

"JUST" revenue gathering??

[moonraker]

In Russia we needed a license when the first mobile phones came out. You had to carry it with you along with a mobile phone. If police saw you talking on a mobile, they had the right to ask you for that license. The fine was hefty - from 15 to 75 minimum monthly wages. cancelled in 2000 only.

[Marv]

Originally Posted by old Tom

my CB License was KNK5420 had a 5 channel Citaphone

19Q8634 in 1962

[5851a]

Originally Posted by old Tom

my CB License was KNK5420 had a 5 channel Citaphone

I can remember my parents, KNH4036. But not mine.

[chap52]

Definitely for the revenue. As I recall the CB license application was very brief and did not require any kind of fingerprinting or background check.

[RalphM]

Still remember mine, KBOV9703, from the 70’s.