It was long ago, but not so long that your grandparents would have missed it. The pioneering days of radio and the amateur radio service was detailed nicely by author, Charles William Taussig, an associate member of the Institute of Radio Engineers in 'THE BOOK OF RADIO' published in 1922. Look around online if you want to download the entire book, it's loaded with history of the pioneering days of radio. Presented here is one small part taken from Chapter XV, 'What the Amateur Has Done in Radio'.

When, just prior to the formulating of the present radio laws, in 1912, the right of the amateur radio enthusiast was being challenged, much was heard pro and con concerning the usefulness or uselessness of the private wireless station. Against the amateur wireless operator, it was stated that he was a nuisance, that he interfered with commercial stations and government stations, and that he pursued radio only to amuse himself, at the expense of the public in general. His opponents were unmerciful in their condemnation. The champions of the amateur were somewhat vague in their praise of him. “EmbryoEngineers,” “Inventors in the Making,” “Future Commercial Wireless Operators,” were some of the commendable appellations given him. Wild speculations as to his possible use, in case of war, were indulged in by those who sought to have the amateur protected by law. Just why the amateur finally did become a protege of the United States Government is not clear, unless it was to defeat the somewhat selfish motives that prompted his opponents, for he was not particularly worthy, in those days, of government protection. Perhaps, however, our lawmakers were farsighted, and had faith in American youth, and saw what lay hidden in Young America’s apparently useless hobby.

Ten years have passed since Uncle Sam promulgated a law which forever assured to the American radio amateur certain definite rights. In no other country, is the private citizen allowed such freedom in radio as in the United States. Just as the Constitution of the United States provides for free speech, so the Radio Law of 1912 provides for free ether.

“What has the amateur done in the past ten years, to justify the privileges granted him by his government?” Such was the question the writer put to Hiram Percy Maxim, the inventor of the famous Maxim Silencer, and President of the American Radio Relay League, an organization of 10,000 amateur wireless operators. Seated around a small table in the grill of the Hotel Bond in Hartford, were Mr. Maxim, the writer, Kenneth B. Warner, Secretary of the League, and his assistant, R. L. Northrop. Mr. Maxim told the following story:

“Early in April, 1917, a Captain in the Army, with whom I was well acquainted, telephoned me and asked if I would call and see him. I called on him and he told me that in all probability war would be declared and they would require a great many radio operators. He further stated that the Army was faced with a shortage of radio operators, and that they did not have the proper machinery or organization to teach them. Owing to my connections with the American Radio Relay League, the Captain thought that I might be able to assist him. I promised to do what I could. “As soon as war was declared, we appealed to the amateurs, through our official paper QST, to enlist. Their response was instantaneous and, in thirty days, we supplied 2,000 expert radio operators to the Army and Navy. Before the war was over, 3,500 members of the American Radio Relay League were serving Uncle Sam in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.”

Mr. Warner, at this point, interrupted in order to emphasize what it meant to the Army and Navy to have such a large number of trained radio operators ready for service. “During the war” said Mr. Warner, “I was an instructor of radio operators. I found it difficult to turn out a good operator in less than six months. Had we not been able to draw in such large numbers from the amateur ranks, we would have been in a sorry predicament. British and French officers, whom I met in the course of my work, expressed admiration for our foresight in having such an army of radio operators ready for immediate call. The officers of these countries told me that they were severely handicapped in not having radio operators, and they blamed this on the fact that both their countries had very strict laws, practically prohibiting amateur radio, as it is practiced in the United States. These officers stated that they intended to bring pressure on their respective governments, in order that some of the restrictions which hampered the amateur might be lifted. France was somewhat successful in this, and now has a large number of amateurs.”

Mr. Maxim then told how an amateur, Charles E. Apgar, of New Jersey, in the autumn of 1914, recorded the signals sent out from the German-owned radio station at Sayville, Long Island, on an Edison dictaphone, and caused the United States government to close down the German station, thus preserving our neutrality. It seems that Apgar, shortly after the declaration of war in the summer of 1914, listened one evening to Sayville sending out messages to Nauen, Germany. One of the messages was as follows: “Ship 300,000 shovels express C.O.D.” This message did not appear to Apgar as being “on the level.” There was something peculiar about a shipment of 300,000 shovels to be expressed C.O.D. He decided to keep a record of what Sayville was sending, and with the ingenuity so often shown by American amateurs, he secured an old Edison dictaphone and connected it to his receiving apparatus. Every dot and dash sent out by Sayville was registered on the waxen cylinder. Cylinder after cylinder was impressed with Sayville signals. After having collected a great many, he took them to Radio Inspector Terrell. Inspector Terrell turned the cylinders over to the Secret Service. A few nights afterwards, Apgar was called on the telephone. It was Detective Burns of the Secret Service. Could Apgar see him? Certainly! Burns called on Apgar and arranged to receive further messages on the amateur’s radio receiver. They bought a new dictaphone and recorded everything sent out by Sayville. A short time later, Detective Burns brought suit against the German wireless company, who owned the Sayville station, on the grounds that they were violating the neutrality of the United States. In a short time, the Sayville wireless station was taken over by the Government. Thus did the amateur again justify his existence.