FCC Monitoring Stations

Between 1940–1947, the FCC’s Radio Intelligence Division (RID) (named on June 1, 1940) monitored clandestine radio transmissions in the United States. The RID was the FCC’s “largest single activity” during the war years and helped military and government agencies locate the Axis enemy.

Post Card from the 1940s

Federal Communications Commission 1963 Report

The network of radio monitoring and direction-finding stations operated by the FCC consists of 10 primary and 8 secondary stations throughout the Nation, including 2 in Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) and 1 in Hawaii.

Of greatest interest and future promise concerning the FCC monitoring network is the shift to modern wide-aperture direction finders which, it is believed, will eventually replace the Adcock type which has been in use since pre-World War II days.

There is a Field Engineering District Office at the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Building, Anchorage.

February 9, 1996

In the Federal Communications Record (FCC-95-423A1)

The Commission has identified several initiatives which will permit more effective use of resources. The Commission will automate the high frequency direction finding network by installing new technology which can be remotely-controlled from a single office. The Commission will also establish a complaint and inquiry intake center, with a toll-free (800 or 888) number to centralize and
make more efficient agency provision of information and processing of complaints. The Commission will close its offices in Buffalo, New York; Miami, Florida: St. Paul. Minnesota; Norfolk, Virginia; Portland. Oregon: Houston, Texas· San Juan, Puerto Rico; Anchorage, Alaska; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Two technical staff will be retained in each of these cities as resident enforcement agents. The remaining offices will fully staffed and equipped to maintain the Commission’s Enforcement program.

This order: Specifically, this Order (DA-04-2923A1) deletes the geographical coordinates of the Commission’s Anchorage, Alaska monitoring facility from the list of protected field installations set forth in Section 0.121(b)