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Here is another example of how
enthusiastically both manufacturers and consumers were met news of the impending
end of World War II. Amateur radio operators were amongst those most affected
during the war years because of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) having
issued a moratorium against transmissions, for security purposes. The same thing
happened during World War I, in fact*. Back in the day when citizens were fiercely
patriotic and appreciative of their freedoms, many Hams of service age answered
a call to donate certain kinds of equipment (panel meters, tuning capacitors, transformers,
etc.) for use in repair and retrofitting of field gear. They also enlisted by the
tens of thousands to lend their radio skills in the service of their country. To
the government's credit, the sacrifices were repaid handsomely after the war as
surplus material and equipment was made available at incredibly low prices.
*
See Blocking Civilian Communications - They've Done It Before
War Comes!, January 1942
QST; Editorial
re FCC Potentially Shutting Down Amateur Radio During WWII November, 1940
QST; News Items from F.C.C., December 1940 - January 1941 National Radio News;
Hallicrafters Radio - End of
War in Sight, November 1944 Radio News;
Painless Reconversion,
September 1947 QST
Hallicrafters Radio
 Special Message to All Amateurs About Post
War Plans at Hallicrafters
"What about post war plans at Hallicrafters.?"
That's the subject of many inquiries we get every day. For many reasons, including
the prime one of military security, we can't go into all the details of what your
post war short wave radio equipment will be able to do. But although most of the
details must be withheld, we can and do make this promise: All of our attention
and the best of our efforts will continue to be focused on the amateur -- the ham,
the fellow who actually helped us develop Hallicrafters equipment to the high pitch
of perfection it enjoys today.
After all, it was the ham, the amateur enthusiast who helped us get short wave
out of the attic, out of the shack and into the battle line. And it was the ham
who went into the service and into the labs to keep working with short wave until
it became what it is now, a prime battle instrument, a life saver.
Some day (soon, we hope) the ham will come home from his war communications job
bringing new enthusiasm, new appetites for the wider horizons that can be reached
by short wave. And some night soon we'll all be able to throw a switch when the
big "all clear" signal sounds and we'll all be back on the air searching for new
thrills, experiencing once again that old excitement.
When that signal sounds Hallicrafters will be read -- ready for the ham
with new and finer equipment, a tougher kind of equipment that has been tried under
fire and found to have what it takes.
William J. Halligan
Hallicrafters Radio
The Hallicrafters Company, Manufacturers of Radio and Electronic Equipment, Chicago
16, U. S. A.
Posted October 31, 2019
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