Every so often, I want to research a callsign from a long-gone

Every so often, I want to research a call-sign from a long-gone broadcast station from the '20s or '30s. I usually want the frequency and location, plus maybe other historical info.

Googling will provide some info in about 50% of the cases. Is there a comprehensive listing somewhere?

Reason: often in old TRFs there will be found a old handwritten log sheet that list a few stations and where they appear on the 0-100 tuning dials. Researching these stations can provide info on where the set has been - and how much the tuning has drifted over the years.

It may take some digging, but you can start here:

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/decdoc/radio_service_bulletins.html

Some of these FCC bulletins appear to be lists of callsigns. I assumed you were seeking US AM band call signs.

Rich
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:Every so often, I want to research a call-sign from a long-gone broadcast station from the '20s or '30s. I usually want the frequency and location, plus maybe other historical info.
:
:Googling will provide some info in about 50% of the cases. Is there a comprehensive listing somewhere?
:
:Reason: often in old TRFs there will be found a old handwritten log sheet that list a few stations and where they appear on the 0-100 tuning dials. Researching these stations can provide info on where the set has been - and how much the tuning has drifted over the years.

Rich, that link is a goldmine. This document, pp. 14-24, has a list of all US commercial broadcast stations as of Feb. 28, 1929: http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Databases/documents_collection/radio_service_bulletins/290228.pdf

Here's the complete station listing issued in 1923: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/assemble?docno=2304

The menu of documents at the main weblink listed in Rich's post above are monthly radio bulletins, and many of the bulletins just list additions or changes to the list of stations. So, you have to fish around a little to find a bulletin with a complete list. (The two links posted above are complete station listings.)

Browsing through the list of stations, it's interesting to note that many were operated by individual churches "on the corner," Joe Blow's radio shop, etc.