Callbook and Callsign FAQ
A9a: The Radio Amateur Callbook, what we refer to as the Flying Horse series, traces its origin back to 1920. But the earliest issues were actually called the Citizens Radio Call Book, and included broadcast and other stations. I believe the first four years, up until Spring 1924, were of this variety. (I have the issues from Fall 1922 through Spring 1924, and they have all of these listings. Images of some of these early callbooks are available at the MagazineArt web site.) Starting in Fall 1924, the book did not include the amateur listings--instead there was a coupon you could mail in to get that supplement. It cost an additional 40 cents ("stamps or money order") in Fall 1924. I have that book and it still has the coupon--I don't think it's valid any more. "Amateur Sections" were published as addendums like this through Spring 1926.
You can still find many copies of the commercial (non-amateur) callbooks from this era for sale on eBay. It went by the name of Citizens Radio Call Book Magazine, and later was known as Radio Call Book Magazine and Scientific Digest, and then Radio Call Book Magazine and Technical Review, presumably after publication mergers. It finally merged into Radio News in the early 1930s. But only the issues prior to Fall 1924, when they were called Citizens Radio Call Book, have amateur listings.
The Flying Horse logo first appeared with the Fall 1926 issue, which looks very much like the later books of the 40s and 50s. It's called Citizens Radio Amateur Call Book, perhaps showing its heritage from the earlier magazine. The cover price was 75 cents. (In contrast, the 1997 book was $40.) The book is much thinner than the later books, more of a magazine with a stapled binding. The listings are the same, however--callsigns listed alphabetically by suffix, within call districts. This is characteristic of all Flying Horse books, from the earliest ones until they stopped printing.
Some of the early books left blanks next to some calls, presumably previously-issued calls that were now vacant, and the books asked hams to write to the company in Chicago with current names and addresses.
During the 1930s, the callbook company published advertising supplements. These had the same type covers as the books, but just contained ads. I have two of these (so far). The Winter 34-5 one has 28 pages, all of them advertisements. The cover price is $1.25, but I'm not sure if it was sold separately. The Callbook ad inside says that a single issue of the Callbook cost $1.25, and a four-issue annual subscription cost $4.
Continue to part two
Return to Q9
return to FAQ