Portable broadcasting stations in the United States

The station equipment was most commonly mounted on automobiles, trucks, buses and trains, plus, in one case each, a yacht (WRMU),[1] and an airplane (KHAC/KFBI).

However, in a few cases the station's travels were nationwide, most notably KGGM (now KNML), which in 1928 was installed on a bus and accompanied the runners on a cross-country foot race from Los Angeles to New York City.

[4] WJAZ also participated during the solar eclipse of January 24, 1925, when it was driven to a location within the path of totality at Escanaba, Michigan in order to test the effects of the sun's dimming on radio transmissions.

[12] The Federal Radio Commission (FRC) was formed in early 1927, and was charged with bringing stability to the sometimes chaotic state of the AM broadcast band.

As part of its efforts, on April 26, 1927, it released General Order 6, which stated that "Since the exact location of any radio broadcasting transmitter is an essential feature of the license, the Federal Radio Commission, as already announced, will not consider any application for a broadcasting license, except for a very limited period of time, in which the permanent location of the transmitter is not specified."

[13] Subsequently, the FRC's General Order 30, adopted May 10, 1928, specified that all portable stations which had not found permanent homes would have to cease operating by July 1.

[14] Fifteen days later, General Order 34 restated the coming prohibition, noting that there were currently eleven active portable stations, whose licenses would expire as of 3 a.m. July 1, 1928.

[17] The person most associated with portable broadcasting stations, and the individual most affected by their elimination, was Charles "C. L." Carrell, an entertainment promoter based in Chicago.

[21] A February 1926 advertisement for WBBZ's visit to Manitowoc, Wisconsin invited the curious to: "Come See---Hear, and be taken into the mysteries of radio broadcasting".

L. Carrell=== The person most associated with portable broadcasting stations, and the individual most affected by their elimination, was Charles "C. L." Carrell, an entertainment promoter based in Chicago.

[30] A February 1926 advertisement for WBBZ's visit to Manitowoc, Wisconsin invited the curious to: "Come See---Hear, and be taken into the mysteries of radio broadcasting".