Callbook and Callsign FAQ
A2: The FCC's online database only goes back to the ULS (Universal Licensing System) era, for licenses expiring around 1999 and later.
Dean Gibson (AE7Q) has a website that includes some interesting search tools for the ULS data, as well as some old Buckmaster data back to 1988.
QRZ has made their first callsign CD available at their web site. This is the 1993 edition. You can access it directly here.
Michael Carroll (N4MC), owner of the Vanity Headquarters web site, has copies of 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999 databases, as well as ULS data, available through his Unique Call Lookup function. Using this, you can sometimes find information dating back to 1981.
Michael has also initiated a program he calls Operation CQ, to collect information from hams, and create this type of database online. As of this date, 4211 hams have entered their callsign histories. Access Operation CQ from the link on the home page of Vanity HQ.
And you can sometimes find old copies of callsign CDs (QRZ, HamCall, Flying Horse, etc) for sale on eBay. But these are not online.
Other than these, I know of no "database" format callsign records that are generally available or computerized. The only records that exist are on paper, and must be searched manually.
Some people have suggested turning the old paper callbooks into a database. My assessment of that is FAQ 2a.
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Next: Q3: What about the FCC? Don't they have complete records of all licenses?