Instructions For Use of the FCC Amateur Radio Database



The original DOS FCC Conversion and Search program has been rewritten as a Windows program. The FCC changed their format and file location which required modification of the DOS based program. At that time, it was decided to rewrite the conversion and search program to be a full 32 bit application which will run under Windows 95/98/NT. If you are already have the Win1010 program installed on your computer, then only the FCC2.EXE file is required, since the needed supporting DLL and OCX files were installed by Win1010. If you do not have Win1010 installed then you will need to download the 1.8MB FCC2S.EXE file which is a self-extracting file and will install the FCC2 program, supporting files and necessary DLL and OCX files.

  1. Download the self-extracting FCC2S.EXE Search Program.
  2. Run the EXE file and it will create the FCC folder and install the Windows supporting DLL and OCX files..
  3. Download the FCC Databases and the Index Files and unzip into the FCC folder created in step 2 above..
  4. To use the freeware search program just type FCC2 at the Start-Run box or create a desktop icon to start the program. The program contains two HELP files, one for the search routines and another for the FCC conversion routine. However, it is suggested to download the completely converted files from the Lehigh FTP server or from links on the http://hds.net/win1010dl.htm web page.
  5. If you are using the K4HAV Win1010 Contest/County County Program, then download the FCC2.ZIP file, the Support.ZIP file, the FCC Database and Index files and unzip into a new folder named C:\FCC or whatever you choose.
  6. For the convenience of those who do not want to download the large 23 MB zipped file (DB_ALL.ZIP), this file has now been broken into 14 individually zipped files. The breakdown allows you to download smaller files more quickly and with less chance for connection break, and to do so at different times of convenience. If you do lose a connection or receive a bad file, you need only download the smaller single file rather than the entire 23 MB. To install all fourteen small files at once, you can use the wild card function of the PKUNZIP command: PKUNZIP *.ZIP C:\path (where "path" is the subdirectory in which you will locate the search and database files). One precaution about downloading the 14 smaller files over a period of time. The Index files must match the database files. Don't start a download about the time for a new weekly update. You may get files of different dates.

The updated database will be posted weekly by K4HAV as time permits. Please record the file dates as you download so that you will know whether the archived ftp files have been updated. Please refer your questions or comments to Jim Hardy, K4HAV -- email to jhardy@surfsouth.com or k4hav@hds.net.

Note that the database is broken down into 13 files by call prefix: A, K, W, N_number, N_letter, KA, KB, KC, KD, KE, WA, WB, WD and VE.  A binary search routine is done on the file for the proper prefix, therefore the search for a large file will be somewhat slower than for a smaller file. A future update will break the above 14 files into smaller files greatly increasing the speed. 

It's true that this same data is available online at the QRZ, Buckmaster and numerous other locations, but you have to be online to get it. This is designed to be used from the hard drive when not logged onto the Internet such as during a contest or any other time you need names and addresses in a hurry. Also another good use would be to distribute at your club meetings to hams not on the Internet.

You may ask why your friend K4XYZ who has a 10-X number is not in the FCC Amateur Radio Database. The FCC Database only contains the current calls. If K4XYZ originally received his 10-X number under the call KA4XYZ, then upgraded to K4XYZ and failed to notify 1010 International of his upgrade then you won't find him listed. There are approximately 4000 U.S. hams with 10X numbers that have not reported their updated calls to 1010 -- but also, their dues are not current either.

More info on the downloading of the "raw" FCC database from the FCC FTP site can be obtained at the K4HAV FCC Database Web Site.

updated 01-25-01

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